3 Keys for Michigan Football to beat Michigan State

The Michigan football team got off to a great start in their win against Minnesota, but what does it need to do to beat the Spartans on Saturday?

The Michigan football team did almost everything right on Saturday night when they dominated Minnesota 49-24 to open their 2020 season. Outside of the special team’s miscues the Wolverines played about as well as could be expected in their first game.

The same can not be said for their next opponent Michigan State. The Spartans opened their season in one of the worst ways possible, a loss to Rutgers.

The Scarlet Knights had lost 21 straight Big Ten games, most of which were not close. The Spartans outgained Rutgers but were done in by a whopping seven turnovers. It was too much to overcome for the Spartans as they dropped their opener 38-27.

It was two completely different outcomes for these bitter rivals, but if there is one thing we know, is that records don’t matter in this game. As bad as the Spartans looked last Saturday, the Wolverines need to be ready to take care of business.

Taking care of business was exactly what the Wolverines did last year in dismantling the overmatched Spartans. Shea Patterson had one of his best games in a Michigan uniform that day throwing for 384 yards and four touchdowns. It was the kind of performance that made Wolverines fans think about what if.

Patterson is gone, but Joe Milton looked the part against the Gophers and will look to carry that momentum into this rivalry game. Milton looked in control the whole game and didn’t show that it was just his first start. It was the kind of performance the Wolverines needed and he delivered.

They will hopefully get more of the same on Saturday as the Wolverines look to start the year off 2-0 before heading to surprising Indiana on November 7th.

So what does Michigan football need to do to win its home opener? We take a look at three keys to the game for the Wolverines.