Indiana Looks to Stay Undefeated in Week 10

Alabama, Georgia, Texas: All top ranked teams but all with at least one loss this season.  Then there is No. 13-ranked Indiana.  The Hoosiers remain undefeated as they face off against Michigan State on Saturday.

Line Analysis and Action

• Opening Line - Indiana opened as low as -6 at some books.
• Line Trend - The line here has moved from -7 to -7.5.  We've seen it as high as -8.5.  Note, the line moved pretty quickly off the early 6 and 6.5.
• Sagarin Number -  Our number comes in at 7.93.  As big of a range we've witnessed (6 to 8.5), this one is essentially on the money at 7.5.  The sampling is small but there's a small edge for MSU here.
• Action - It's 86% both tickets and money flowing in.  The oddsmakers are moving the number up accordingly.

Historic Comparables

NA

Tony Caliente's Take

"At many of the books this line was moving to Indiana -8.  The Hoosiers are not only 8-0 but also 7-1 Against The Spread.  Using the current number of 7, MSU has covered in the last three seasons.  This includes two outright wins.  Illinois may be caught looking ahead here." 

What's at Stake

The Hoosiers are playing for a lot more than a third straight road win in this series or taking the Old Brass Spittoon for the third time in five years. They’re one of eight remaining unbeaten teams, in the mix for one of the 12 playoff spots and another win would give them a school record 9-0 start. The Spartans are hoping to rebound from a 24-17 loss at Michigan and keep their postseason bowl hopes alive.

Key Matchup

Indiana’s aggressive defense vs. Michigan State’s turnover-prone offense. The Spartans have thrown more interceptions (nine) than touchdown passes (seven) and are averaging two giveaways per game. Indiana has 14 takeaways and still ranks among the FBS’ top teams in turnover margin.

Players to Watch

Indiana: QB Kurtis Rourke will start after missing one game following surgery on his right thumb. All eyes will be on his passing accuracy, something he struggled with before leaving the Nebraska game. Rourke leads the nation in passing efficiency (188.70) and has thrown for 1,941 yards with 15 touchdowns and three interceptions.

Michigan State: LB Cal Haladay. With leading tackler Jordan Turner sitting out the first half due to his targeting penalty against Michigan, the Spartans will rely on Haladay. In three career games against Indiana, he has totaled 24 tackles, two tackles for a loss of five yards and one interception return for a touchdown. Haladay has the second-most tackles (40) on the team.