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    • Michigan State vs. Illinois Football Predictions
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    Michigan State vs. Illinois Football Predictions

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    Michigan State football returns to action after its second bye of the season. Three games to go, with two wins needed to reach a bowl in head coach Jonathan Smith’s first season in East Lansing.

    The final road game of the season for the Spartans, with home games against Purdue on Friday and Rutgers on Nov. 30, poses a challenge, with Illinois already bowl eligible in its fourth season under former Wisconsin coach Bret Bielema and fellow Big Ten tweeners – not the worst teams, but not the best in an 18-team super conference – Rutgers and Northwestern are also on the slate.

    Five Free Press sportswriters have some thoughts on the Spartans’ road game against Illinois on Saturday afternoon (2:30 p.m., FS1).

    Carlos Monarrez

    The Spartans should win this game as the stakes are higher as they need two wins in their last three to be bowl eligible. But how can you trust Aidan Chiles and MSU’s offense to do what it needs to do, especially in the Illini’s home finale? If Illinois wins, Bret Bielema could play a big role in keeping both Michigan schools at home during bowl season. The choice: Illinois 23, MSU 19.

    Rainer Sabin

    The last time the Spartans came off a bye week, they posted their best performance of the season in a 32-20 win over Iowa. At the time, it seemed like that win was a breakthrough for MSU in Jonathan Smith’s first season. But in retrospect it seems like it was just one night of great football and nothing more. The losses to Michigan and Indiana in the weeks since have dampened the enthusiasm generated by the Hawkeyes’ sweep and reminded everyone that there are still major problems with this team.

    Don’t expect MSU, with its depleted secondary, weak pass rush and leaky offensive line, to solve them all and gain the upper hand over an above-average Illinois team on the road. The choice: Illinois 27, MSU 23.

    Jeff Seidel

    At some point the Spartans will put it together. At some point they will clean up the problems. At some point, they’ll stop making pull-your-hair-out mistakes. Call me crazy. But after some tough matches and a week of rest, the coaching will start and they will take a step forward. Here’s a guess it’ll happen this week. The choice: MSU 28, Illinois 26.

    Chris Solari

    Aiden Chiles returns from his injury and teams with freshman receiver Nick Marsh to open the offense. He’s getting better at blocking up front, giving running backs Nate Carter and Kay’ron Lynch-Adams some of the breathing room they missed against Indiana. The Spartans’ pass rush finds the elixir to get more pressure on the Illini’s leaky offensive line, and MSU heads home needing one more win to secure an extra month of football. The choice: MSU 23, Illinois 17.

    Shawn Windsor

    Let’s assume the Spartans worked on ball security during their bye week. And let’s assume they used their extra time off to recalibrate for this final stretch of the season. The Illini are solid defensively and uneven offensively. So there will be opportunities. The Spartans take advantage. The choice: MSU 23, Illinois 20.

    This story has been updated to add a video.

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