Penn State Nittany Lions

Penn St.-Michigan St. Preview

Published Nov. 24, 2015 9:27 p.m. ET

share

facebookxredditlink

foxsports

Michigan State's loss to Nebraska could've spiraled into a losing streak that would've crushed its hopes of reaching the College Football Playoff, but that isn't the style of a Mark Dantonio-coached team that is on the verge of winning 11 games for the fifth time in six years.

That stretch began in 2010, when the Spartans traveled to Happy Valley and beat Penn State to clinch a share of Dantonio's first Big Ten championship. Michigan State arrived on the national scene that season, and it continues to cement its place there with victories like last week's thriller at Ohio State.

Dantonio realizes the sixth-ranked Spartans - fifth in the latest CFP rankings - have business to take care before they can think of reaching their ultimate goal as they prepare to face the Nittany Lions on Saturday in East Lansing.

Michigan State (10-1, 7-1) can clinch the league's East Division with a victory, securing a date with West champ and undefeated Iowa in the conference title game Dec. 5 that could determine which team heads to the playoff.

It's been a bit of a roller coaster for the Spartans to reach this point. They beat No. 12 Michigan by returning a botched punt on the last play of the game Oct. 17, then lost 39-38 at Nebraska two weeks later in controversial fashion.

After handling Maryland, they needed Matt Geiger's 41-yard field goal as time expired to beat then-No. 2 Ohio State 17-14 last week. The latest victory came without Connor Cook, the winningest quarterback in school history.

"We know how to win. We understand how to win," said Dantonio, whose team didn't lead until zeros showed on the clock in the wins over the Wolverines and Buckeyes. "Now you have to do that, but we do understand what it takes to win. We understand how to play until the end of the game."

Whether or not Cook starts this one still is up in the air. He hurt his shoulder against Maryland and decided he couldn't go after warming up against Ohio State.

Cook is a game-time decision against Penn State (7-4, 4-3), so that means Tyler O'Connor and Damion Terry might be splitting snaps again this week. O'Connor completed 7 of 12 passes for 89 yards and a touchdown to fullback Trevon Pendleton, and Terry was used in the option attack.

"We'll see how it all shakes out," Dantonio said. "It's hard to assess those things until you get to game day. It really is. Because it hinges on very small things, I think."

Dantonio knows his offensive line will have a tough task keeping the Penn State defense away from whichever is under center. The Nittany Lions are tied for the national lead with 44 sacks and have forced nine turnovers over their last four.

He fondly remembers the 2010 win against Penn State that helped bring the program back to national relevance, saying he's brought that up to his players this week.

Michigan State won last year's meeting 34-10.

"The best thing that we can do right now is focus on Penn State," Dantonio said. "Everything else to me sort of works out. Just do what you do, and good things happen. That's usually been the best way that I've tried to approach things and let other people do their job."

Penn State coach James Franklin envies Michigan State for the progress it has made in recent years, saying the Spartans' program is a blueprint for how to build a winner.

He'll take the Nittany Lions to another bowl game after this contest, but he knows his players aren't satisfied. They've lost back-to-back games after falling 28-16 to Michigan at home last week.

"Michigan State is an experienced football team, a talented football team, so it should be a tremendous challenge," Franklin said. "But I know our guys are fired up about it. We've got a great opportunity on Saturday. There will be no way to send these seniors out better than to find a way to get a win on Saturday and go into the postseason with a lot of momentum."

Christian Hackenberg has helped Penn State convert 35 of 38 trips to the red zone into points, but 15 of those resulted in field goals. Hackenberg, who has thrown only three interceptions this season, went 21 of 45 for 195 yards and a pick last year against the Spartans.

"When you get (into the red zone), you need to make the most of your opportunities," Hackenberg said. "You don't beat good teams by kicking field goals."

The Spartans look to win three straight meetings with Penn State for the first time since a five-game run that ended in 1966.

share

Get more from Penn State Nittany Lions Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more

in this topic

Penn State Nittany Lions

Michigan State Spartans