CFB Best Bets, Picks and Analysis For Michigan State vs. Washington on September 17, 2022

It will be a Big Ten-Pac 12 clash at Husky Stadium as the 11th-ranked Michigan State Spartans travel to play the Washington Huskies. Both teams are undefeated heading into this game. Michigan State is coming off of a 52-0 shutout against Akron. Washington won its last game against Portland State, 52-6. This game will kick off on Saturday, September 17 at 7:30PM ET from Seattle, Washington.

Will the Spartans earn a big road win over the Huskies? You might want to keep reading our Michigan State vs. Washington betting preview to find out. 

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For the most up to date CFB computer picks, check out our interactive predictions for Michigan State vs. Washington. It's constantly updating based on hundreds of different data points.

Michigan State vs. Washington Best Bets, Predictions and Analysis

Spread Breakdown

Michigan State has found two reliable running backs to replace Kenneth Walker III. Jalen Berger has 227 rushing yards on 33 carries this year and Jarek Broussard has 135 yards on 27 carries this season. The Spartan run game has been impressive up to this point. The concern on the Michigan State offense is quarterback Payton Thorne. He has been inaccurate compared to his performance last season. Thorne is completing passes at a 57.7-percent mark with four touchdowns and three interceptions.

Mel Tucker did find a transfer portal gem again. This time it’s on the defensive side of the ball, and that player is defensive end Jacoby Windmon. Windmon has 5.5 tackles for loss and four forced fumbles in two games. The Spartan defense leads the nation in sacks with 12. 

MORE: CFB Futures Probabilities

The Michigan State defense will be going up against a familiar opponent in Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr. The former Indiana quarterback tore up the Spartans defense in 2019 and 2020. Kalen DeBoer is the new head coach at Washington. He brings an offensive mind to Seattle after Jimmy Lake’s abysmal tenure. This offense will feature a lot of passing which is something that the Michigan State defense struggled with last season.

The Washington defense should be able to hold its own against a balanced Spartan offense. Defensive lineman Bralen Trice is a player to watch out for. He has 2.5 sacks this season so far. Safety Asa Turner has two of the teams’ three interceptions on the year. 

The spread for this game is at Washington -3. Michigan State is ranked 11th by the AP Poll and Washington didn’t receive any votes in the same poll. Husky Stadium is one of the toughest places to play on the west coast, but the DimersBOT likes Michigan State to cover and we agree.

The reason why Washington is favored is because of the environment and Michigan State’s poor secondary, which is significantly improved from last season. These teams are pretty evenly matched, but we think the Spartans run game will make a huge difference here. 

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Over/Under Breakdown

Both of these offenses can put up points. However, don’t underestimate the defenses. Michigan State and Washington both can rush the passer. The difference in this game could be which quarterback can extend plays outside of the pocket. If that is the case, Thorne has the advantage. 

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The point total for this game is set at 56.5 points. While these teams can put up a lot of points, expect the defenses to set the tone. It will be a great environment at Husky Stadium, so it might take some time for the offenses to get in the flow of the game. Because of that, we like the Under and the DimersBOT agrees.

Best Bet: Spartans vs. Huskies

These two teams are very evenly matched and have similar identities. The reason why Michigan State is ranked so highly is because Tucker’s team was proven after last year, while Washington hired a new head coach and lacked an identity. Now, the Huskies have found that identity. But we still like Michigan State +3 as the best bet. This game will come right down to the wire, so you're going to want the points.

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