The Michigan State offense will face a tough test in trying to run the ball against the Georgia defense when the two teams clash in the Outback Bowl on Jan. 2. The Bulldogs allowed the third-fewest rushing yards in the Southeastern conference this season, and Spartans' offensive coordinator Pat Roushar thinks he knows why as Greg Johnson of The Grand Rapids Press reports.
"Their starting nose guard is 351 pounds (John Jenkins), and the guy that they bring in behind him is probably 320 pounds," he said. "You know, that’s going to be a challenge in itself.
"They are very, very good against the run, and when you become one-dimensional, they can get after the quarterback. I think they’re second or third in the Southeastern Conference with, I believe, 34 sacks or something like that, so they present a lot of problems."
Michigan State had the second-fewest rushing yards in the Big Ten this season, so it'll be interesting to see how the Spartans handle this apparent mismatch on the ground. Will they even attempt to establish the run or will they rely on their passing game, ranked No. 1 in the conference in passing yardage, to stare the Bulldogs down.
For more on the Spartans, check out The Only Colors, SB Nation's Michigan State blog. Also, check out Dawg Sports, SB Nation's Georgia Blog, for news and notes on the Bulldogs.