MSU at Minnesota: 5 determining factors and a prediction

Lansing State Journal columnist Graham Couch breaks down Michigan State’s football game at Minnesota this Saturday, 3:30 p.m. (ET). TV: Big Ten Network. Betting line: Minnesota -3.5

1. Where are Michigan State’s players’ heads?

The Spartans have played hard each of the past two weeks, giving Indiana and Michigan their best shot, even if their best wasn’t nearly good enough. Those were big-time opponents, teams on the radar, the latter a rivalry that can make or save a season. But now at 3-5, with program momentum at a two-year low, their coaching staff likely on the way out and their own futures perhaps in limbo, how dialed in are they? If MSU’s players put together a focused effort and performance, it’ll say a lot of good things about them. This is a tough spot, but not an unbeatable