MICHIGAN STATE vs. MINNESOTA

When: 2:30 p.m. Saturday
Where: Huntington Bank Stadium
TV: Big Ten Network
Radio: KFAN, 100.3 FM
Weather: 33 degrees, flurries, 6 mph south wind
Betting spread: Minnesota, -7

Records: Minnesota (4-3, 2-2 Big Ten) got back into the Big Ten West race with a 12-10 win over Iowa last Saturday. Michigan State (2-5, 0-4) dropped its fifth straight game last weekend, a 49-0 beat down by No. 2 Michigan.

History: Before a 34-7 win in East Lansing in 2022, the Gophers had lost five straight games to the Spartans dating to 2010. Minnesota is 18-30 all-time against Michigan State.

Key matchup: Athan Kaliakmanis vs. Spartans secondary. The Gophers QB and his pass catchers have yet to fully click this season and this Michigan State’s secondary can be beat. With health concerns in the U backfield, Minnesota might need to rely more on an efficient passing game.

Who has the edge?

Gophers offense vs. Michigan State defense: The Spartans have lost all five games since head coach Mel Tucker was suspended Sept. 10. On Wednesday, Tucker was found responsible for violating the school’s sexual harassment policy. … Going into the season, an opposing Big Ten assistant told Athlon Sports: “You never know what you’re going to get when they actually line up against you.” … U tailbacks Darius Taylor and Zach Evans might be out with injuries suffered against Iowa, and Bryce Williams was ruled out for the rest of the season going into the Hawkeyes game. That might mean Minnesota has to turn to Sean Tyler and Jordan Nubin. Tyler opened the season as the starter, but the Western Michigan transfer took a back seat after fumbling issues in Week 2. Nubin, a former walk-on and younger brother of star safety Tyler Nubin, has six carries on the season. … The Spartans’ best defender, LB Jacoby Windmon, is out for the season, but LB Cal Haladay remains in middle and leads team with 48 tackles. … WR Daniel Jackson is coming off his second career 100-yard game vs. Iowa. He had two TDs against the Spartans last year.  … The Spartans secondary was bad over the last few years, but have been better at times this season. They still gave up at least three passing touchdowns in games against Maryland, Washington and Michigan. EDGE: Gophers 

Gophers defense vs. Michigan State offense: The Hawkeyes offense is atrocious, but the only thing they got in the rivalry game was given to them by Minnesota. The U allowed 10 points and only 127 total yards, a new Hawkeye low since 2017. … The Spartans lost their top QB (Payton Thorne to Auburn) and top two WRs (Keon Coleman to Florida State and Jayden Reed to the Green Bay Packers). They left a void. This season, they have turned to QB Katin Houser for the last two starts as Noah Kim, who might be hurt, has gone to the sideline. Houser has completed 58 percent of passes with two TDs and two INTs over six games. QB Sam Leavitt also has played. DC Joe Rossi said their offense doesn’t change much even if the quarterback might. … Edge rushers Jalen Logan-Redding made Pro Football Focus’s college defense of the week, while Michigan State’s starting right tackle, Spencer Brown, will be suspended for the first half Saturday. He is being punished for a flagrant personal foul against Michigan. … LBs Devon Williams and Maverick Baranowski put together their best games of the season against Iowa. … RB Jalen Berger, a Wisconsin transfer, has only 93 yards over five games. RB Nate Carter leads way with 565 yards, but only 4.3 average. The UConn transfer is “strong and a bruiser,” one NFL scout told Lindy’s. That same source said before the Tucker fiasco that “it’s getting harder to see the future here.” EDGE: Gophers 

Special teams: K Dragan Kesich made a career-high four field goals to carry the U to victory over Iowa. Kesich has made 87 percent of his 16 field goals this season. … The Gophers coverage units continue to show holes, even if Cooper DeJean’s 54-yard punt return was called back. … Jonathan Kim has made 78 percent of nine field goals. EDGE: Gophers

Prediction: Coming off the euphoria of their first win in the Iowa rivalry in nine years, Minnesota will need to guard against a letdown. Trailing by a field goal early will help them fully snap out of it. Gophers, 28-17

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If the magnitude of the moment ever hit Tyson Bagent — a small-town kid from West Virginia making his first NFL start for the Chicago Bears — the 23-year-old quarterback seemed far more appreciative than overwhelmed on Sunday.

That was true leading up to the game. It was true during the Bears’ impressive 30-12 trouncing of the Las Vegas Raiders at Soldier Field. And it was true for 11 minutes afterward when the undrafted rookie from Division II Shepherd University came to his postgame news conference and attempted to describe the entire experience.

Nervous?

“Uh, yeah,” Bagent confirmed. “Yeah.”

Until he wasn’t.

“I feel like I settled in after the first snap. But really, I feel like I feel really nervous the entire week until we get on the field pregame. And then it usually goes away.”

That’s when Bagent’s confidence typically kicks in, an infectious quality embedded in his DNA.

“I feel like I’ve played like a million games at quarterback,” he said. “I was able to win the job in high school my sophomore year. And then I started every game through my senior year in college. So that’s seven years of starting, of understanding what a week of preparation looks like and going through pretty much every (pass) concept and run concept there is.

“Repetition is the mother of all learners. And I’ve been blessed to have a lot of repetition in my life.”

Yep, there was Bagent after Sunday’s win looking every bit like a young dude fresh out of college just trying to make his way in the professional world. He wore a pair of ripped jeans, a plain white NOBULL T-shirt and a navy beanie. And his best estimate for how many friends and family members came to watch him play was “a lot.”

“My paycheck probably won’t look the same this week,” he said. “Yeah. I had a lot of people here.”

Whoever it was and wherever they sat, they were among the 62,199 fans who watched the Bears put together arguably their most complete performance all season.

Folded within:

Running back D’Onta Foreman scored all three of the Bears’ offensive touchdowns, totaling 120 yards from scrimmage after being a healthy scratch in Weeks 2-5.

Cornerback Jaylon Johnson had two interceptions in a span of 74 seconds, the first resulting in a 39-yard touchdown return.

The defense was locked in once again, contributing three takeaways, allowing only 39 rushing yards and stymieing the Raiders on third down (2-for-9).

The offensive line — utilizing its sixth different starting combination in seven games — controlled the line of scrimmage all day with the Bears piling up 173 rushing yards.

And Bagent? Well, Bagent handled the whole “game management” responsibility well as the Bears never trailed and held a lead of at least 11 points for the final two-and-a-half-quarters.

Bagent didn’t turn the ball over, was sacked just once and helped propel touchdown drives of 69, 34 and 88 yards.

The last was a third-quarter submission hold by the Bears, a 15-play march that ate up 8 minutes and 18 seconds and provided a 21-3 lead. That series ended with Bagent’s first career touchdown pass — 5 yards to Foreman on third-and-goal on a quick and decisive check-down with Darnell Mooney, Cole Kmet and Foreman all in pattern to the quarterback’s right.

“Really I could have probably thrown it to either (D’Onta) or Mooney,” Bagent said. “But there was enough space. And the focal point this week was ‘Get the ball out of your hands.’ So it was easy. Especially with how he was playing today. Get it to him, let him break a tackle.”

Indeed, Foreman’s presence was an energizing force for Bagent and the offense all afternoon. He found space. He ran hard. He was productive.

“D’Onta played out of his mind today,” Bagent said.

Foreman did all that with the ideal mindset after contributing just 81 total yards through the season’s first six games but keeping himself ready for when he was needed.

“My faith has always been high in God,” Foreman said. “He has always been there for me and helped me overcome a lot of things I have been through. I’m just trying to continue to be the best that I can be and to continue to grow as a football player and as a person and continue to dominate when I get my opportunities.”

Even Johnson took note of how Foreman’s gritty production enlivened the Bears.

“To me and for us, we believe in him and we felt like he should have been getting the ball from jump,” Johnson said. “He was (almost) a 1,000-yard rusher last year. And we know he can play this game at a high level.”

As compliments were shared all around an excited and satisfied Bears locker room, Foreman made sure to laud Bagent’s command and calm, even if the rookie quarterback’s passing stat line (21-for-29, 162 yards) was far from spectacular.

“He was himself,” Foreman said. “It wasn’t anything different from what we have seen through preseason up until now. We expected him to be that guy who did what he did today.”

There will be an obvious temptation to draw grand conclusions from Bagent’s first start and to begin debating how the rookie’s strengths and weaknesses as a quarterback match up to the teammate he filled in for Sunday, Justin Fields.

Those conversations promise to amplify and will, quite frankly, become pretty outlandish across Chicago as the Bears march toward a Week 8 road trip to play the Los Angeles Chargers.

It’s still possible Fields’ dislocated right thumb will heal fast enough for him to start the next game. But even if he does — or if he doesn’t — it shouldn’t cloud what happened Sunday for Bagent, who labeled the experience as “amazing.”

“Soldier Field was off the chain today,” he said.

Finding a moment or two to soak everything in proved intoxicating.

“Where I come from,” Bagent said, “I have a bunch of friends, a bunch of family who understand and who understood how big this was really just in life. Not a lot of people get to say they started an NFL game let alone win an NFL game. So I definitely had a lot of those conversations today.

“I think the (coaching) staff understood it too and the players. That’s why everybody rallied behind me as well as they did.”

DJ Moore, who caught a team-high eight passes for 54 yards, appreciated the efficiency of his rookie quarterback.

“He stayed within himself,” Moore said. “He didn’t try to do the extraordinary. He just stayed calm, cool and collected and did what he had to do.”

Added guard Teven Jenkins: “You could tell he was very comfortable out there. The way he was moving around the pocket, moving away from pressure, he looked really good.”

With a veteran’s focus, Bagent soaked in Sunday’s triumph while also vocalizing a directive for the entire team. “Let’s get back on the horse.”

Then, in a grounded and thankful tone, Bagent added a little more introspection as he processed his storybook day.

“Football,” he said, “gives me the ability to let loose. I don’t know how loud I would be in my life if I didn’t have football. It kind of gives me that alleyway to scream and shout. It helps me out. And I hope that infiltrates the minds of the people around me and kind of gives them that same feeling.”

For one feel-good fall afternoon, everything seemed to be fun and vibrant for the Bears.

“Whenever you can just be excited and be happy that you’re able to play football and everybody plays like it, you get kind of what happened today,” Bagent said.

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The Ravens played their best game of the season to rout the Detroit Lions, 38-6. The Cardinals fell to 1-6 with a 20-10 road loss to the Seattle Seahawks. Who will have the advantage Sunday?

Ravens passing game vs. Cardinals pass defense

Lamar Jackson played one of the best games of his career against the Lions, completing 21 of 27 passes for 357 yards and three touchdowns. He made use of excellent pass protection from a healthy offensive line, patiently waiting for his receivers to pop open and finding them with pinpoint accuracy. Even when the Lions did pinch in on him, Jackson danced away from trouble and identified the right target. He used the threat of runs to draw the defense to him, then beat it with throws into abandoned spaces. Six Ravens, including fullback Patrick Ricard and running back Gus Edwards, caught passes of 20 yards or longer. For all that wondrous variety, tight end Mark Andrews (five touchdowns, 19 first downs on 28 catches) and wide receiver Zay Flowers (at least 50 receiving yards in every game) have settled in as Jackson’s most consistent targets. After a cold spell in the red zone, the Ravens scored touchdowns five of the six times they reached it. They’re also fifth in the league with a 46.3% conversion rate on third down.

The Cardinals cannot be happy to see Jackson coming to town after Seattle’s Geno Smith beat them efficiently, completing 18 of 24 for 219 yards and two touchdowns. Arizona has the league’s second worst pass defense by DVOA, allowing 6.8 yards per pass attempt. The Cardinals blitz on just 20.9% of dropbacks and rank last in pressure percentage, per Pro-Football-Reference, a bad formula against Jackson. Outside linebacker Dennis Gardeck has been their most productive pass rusher with four sacks and six quarterback hits. Marco Wilson and rookie Kei’Trel Clark grade among the most vulnerable cornerbacks in the league, according to Pro Football Focus. Pro Bowl safety Budda Baker requested a trade earlier this year but played every snap against the Seahawks after spending the previous four weeks on injured reserve.

EDGE: Ravens

Cardinals passing game vs. Ravens pass defense

The Cardinals have slightly exceeded expectations as they wait for franchise quarterback Kyler Murray to return from a torn ACL. They activated Murray but are expected to take their time ramping him up to start. That means the Ravens will see Joshua Dobbs, who has averaged a meager 5.9 yards per attempt with six touchdown passes and three interceptions in seven starts. The Ravens will take on a familiar face in Dobbs’ top target, Marquise Brown, who leads the Cardinals with 32 catches, 383 yards and three touchdowns. Rookie Michael Wilson has been a productive complement to Brown, averaging 16.3 yards per catch. Dobbs frequently targeted veteran tight end Zach Ertz, but he went on injured reserve this week. Arizona’s offensive linemen don’t grade well as pass blockers, according to Pro Football Focus, but Dobbs has taken a modest 15 sacks.

He’ll take on a Ravens defense that leads the league with 29 sacks after piling up five more against Detroit. They succeeded in disrupting quarterback Jared Goff’s rhythm early, using the stunts and simulated pressures that have worked so well for them all season. Those 29 sacks have come from 12 players, so opponents don’t know where to look for the next rush. Defensive tackle Justin Madubuike has led the parade with 5 1/2 sacks. The Ravens were thrilled to see outside linebacker Odafe Oweh return with a sack and a forced fumble after he missed the previous four games because of an ankle sprain. Safety Geno Stone, filling in for the injured Marcus Williams, leads the league with four interceptions. The secondary has exceeded expectations, with cornerbacks Brandon Stephens, Ronald Darby and Rock Ya-Sin covering well as Marlon Humphrey works back to peak form. After their dominant performance against the Lions, the Ravens rank first in pass defense DVOA.

EDGE: Ravens

Ravens running game vs. Cardinals run defense

The Ravens also ran more efficiently against Detroit with 146 yards on 27 attempts and touchdowns from Jackson and Edwards. They rank third in the league in rushing and eighth in yards per attempt and hope those numbers will continue to point up with all five starting offensive linemen playing together. Jackson is running slightly more often than he did last season but averaging a career-low 5.3 yards per attempt. He’s as likely to use his legs to extend passing plays as he is to take off. Jackson slammed his helmet on the sideline after a botched exchange with running back Justice Hill, their third of the season, deprived the Ravens of another chance to score on the Lions.

The Cardinals don’t defend the run well either, allowing 4.4 yards per carry and ranking 29th in rush defense DVOA. Linebacker Kyzir White is their top tackler, but defensive tackles Jonathan Ledbetter and Leki Fotu have played poorly. The Cardinals gave up 179 rushing yards to the Los Angeles Rams and 185 to the Dallas Cowboys.

EDGE: Ravens

Cardinals running game vs. Ravens run defense

This was the Cardinals’ strength until running back James Conner went on injured reserve. Their new No. 1, rookie Emari Demercado, rushed for 58 yards on 13 carries against Seattle. Dobbs has averaged 5.7 yards on six attempts per game. They also use wide receiver Rondale Moore as a change of pace, and he has averaged 9.1 yards on 15 carries. The Cardinals have rushed for at least 100 yards six games in a row, peaking at 222 in their upset win over Dallas.

The Ravens have been more vulnerable against the run than the pass, a surprise given the excellence of linebackers Roquan Smith and Patrick Queen and the interior power provided by Michael Pierce and Travis Jones. It’s not as if they’ve been bad, allowing 4.2 yards per carry. Opponents have played from behind for most of the season, so the Ravens have not been tested by many committed ground attacks. That could change in Arizona. Smith missed practice Wednesday because of a shoulder injury.

EDGE: Even

Ravens special teams vs. Cardinals special teams

Aside from a short kickoff that did not work, the Ravens avoided special teams mishaps against the Lions. With their offense moving so efficiently, they did not have a lot of work to do on this front. Justin Tucker has made 12 of 14 field goal attempts, with his misses coming from 59 and 61 yards. They rank 18th in special teams DVOA, thanks mostly to their early-season struggles in punt coverage.

The Cardinals, also held down by inconsistent coverage, rank one spot below the Ravens. They gave up a 32-yard punt return in their loss to Seattle. Kicker Matt Prater has made 13 of 15 field goal attempts. Greg Dortch hasn’t made much impact as a returner, averaging 7.4 yards on punts and 17.6 on kickoffs.

EDGE: Ravens

Ravens intangibles vs. Cardinals intangibles

As soon as the Ravens finished off the Lions, they started with their refrain of “on to Arizona.” They know this could be a classic letdown game after their dominant win over Detroit invited a deluge of praise. Jackson, who seemed less than blown away by their performance, has rarely lost to significant underdogs. The Ravens will have to deal with another long trip two weeks after they played in London, but coach John Harbaugh joked that travel fatigue is just a state of mind.

The Cardinals have lost four in a row, all by at least 10 points, for first-year coach Jonathan Gannon, who was the Philadelphia Eagles’ defensive coordinator last season. They’re waiting for Murray’s return as speculation builds that they might draft a quarterback with the high pick they’re certain to earn. They did upset the Cowboys at home, so there’s some life in them.

EDGE: Ravens

Prediction

Letdown or no letdown, the Ravens will go into Arizona with a significant talent advantage. Jackson will have plenty of time to find open targets against a defense that struggles to create pressure. The Cardinals, with just 55 points in their past four games, won’t have the firepower to keep up. Ravens 31, Cardinals 16

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