The Western Michigan Broncos take on the Michigan State Spartans in East Lansing, Michigan, on Friday, Aug. 29. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. ET on FS1.
Michigan State is favored by 20.5 points on the spread with a moneyline of -1600. The total is set at 49.5 points.
Here’s my Western Michigan vs. Michigan State prediction and college football picks for Friday, August 29.
Western Michigan vs Michigan State Prediction
- Western Michigan vs. Michigan State Pick: Michigan State -20.5 (-115, BetMGM)
My Michigan State vs. Western Michigan best bet is on the Spartans to cover. Find the best line available on our live NCAAF odds page.
Western Michigan vs Michigan State Odds
| W. Michigan Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+20.5 -105 | 49.5 -115o / -105u | +900 |
| Michigan St Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-20.5 -115 | 49.5 -115o / -105u | -1600 |
- Western Michigan vs Michigan State point spread: Michigan St -20.5 (-115), W. Michigan +20.5 (-105)
- Western Michigan vs Michigan State over/under: 49.5 (-115o / -105u).
- Western Michigan vs Michigan State moneyline: W. Michigan +900, Michigan St -1600.
Western Michigan vs Michigan State Preview
Western Michigan Broncos Betting Preview: Identity Crisis Under Center
Western Michigan will start its season on an interesting note, rolling out two quarterbacks and seeing which one fares better.
Last season, redshirt sophomore Broc Lowry served as the backup to Hayden Wolff, who exhausted his NCAA eligibility; therefore, many believed it was his turn to shine.
However, the powers that be in Kalamazoo wanted to bring in a little competition for Lowry.
In comes Brady Jones, the JUCO transfer who dominated the competition at that level, and has had a solid camp.
So it puts coach Lance Taylor in a precarious position, not committing to a quarterback. Perhaps this game helps make a decision a little easier.
In the backfield, it will be Jalen Buckley, the redshirt junior who has built steady momentum in the Bronco rushing attack. Although his carries were drastically down from the season before, Buckley managed to sustain 5.3 yards per carry.
When given the opportunity, Buckley has proven that he can rush for over 1,000 yards for a full season, as he did in the 2023 season.
A decent number of receivers for the Broncos are incoming transfers, like graduates Christian Leary from Georgia Tech and Talique Williams from Georgia State. Williams missed most of last season, but in the previous season, he registered over 600 receiving yards.
Michigan State Spartans Betting Preview: An Opportunity for Growth
If Michigan State weren't in the loaded Big Ten, I'd think it would be poised for a breakout season.
Head coach Jonathan Smith and new Athletic Director J Batt have done their best to build a legitimate program, but Rome wasn't built in a day.
Quarterback Aidan Chiles should have a much better season, especially after starting last season in a nightmarish way. He turned the ball over at an alarming rate, but as he became more comfortable as a starter, he cut down on the mistakes.
Opposed to last season, the hope is that Chiles will end up being better protected with a revamped offensive line.
Last season, Chiles was the 14th most sacked quarterback nationally, getting sacked 3.1 times per game. The belief is that transfer center Matt Gulbin from Wake Forest will be the straw that stirs the drink for an offensive line that desperately needed help.
I'm curious to see how transfer running back Elijah Tau-Tolliver from Sacramento State will fare in power conference play. From the looks of it, he will be Michigan State's starting running back as a redshirt senior.
Beyond that, I'm expecting sophomore receiver Nick Marsh to break out even more than he did last season. He led the Spartans in receiving yards as a freshman with 649 yards and 15.8 yards per catch. Can this be the season where he registers over 1,000 yards?
Defensively, there's one guy that I'll be looking at, and that's Nikai Martinez — an absolute dog who has hauled in five interceptions across the past two seasons.
Western Michigan vs Michigan State Pick, Betting Analysis
Anytime these two programs get together, it’s the Spartans that usually end up being victorious.
Michigan State has won every meeting since 1919; some have been by wide margins, while others have been closer than it had hoped.
The spread for this game is listed at around three touchdowns, and I can see the Spartans covering that.
Once conference play begins, it’ll be hard for the Spartans to cover much, but this program is far and wide better and more prepared than Western Michigan.
The fact that Western Michigan is uncertain about who its quarterback will be is an immediate red flag. Neither Jones nor Lowry is a mountain mover, and I am confident that Michigan State’s defense will be infinitely better this season under second-year defensive coordinator Joe Rossi.
Take the Spartans to cover.
Pick: Michigan State -20.5 (-115, BetMGM)
