College Football 27 Predicts Michigan State Football Vs. Illinois

On Saturday, Michigan State football hosts Illinois for their annual homecoming matchup. The Spartans are looking to rebound from a rough 2-3 start to the year and snap a three game losing streak against an Illinois squad with a similar 2-3 record.

It was time to fire up EA Sports’ College Football 27 to see how the simulation believed the Spartans fared. Last week, the simulation put the Spartans on top of Wisconsin in Madison, and it was safe to say that scenario did not play out.

How did it go this week?

MANDATORY REMINDER: This is a video game SIMULATION. This is NOT REAL.

(Note: This game was ran without me controlling anything, purely computer vs. computer. I did remove Caleb Wheatland, NiJhay Burt, and Cam Edwards from the depth chart due to them being out. I also moved around Jayden Savoury, Devin Vaught, and Brady Pretzlaff in the depth chart to accurately depict their playing time.)

First Quarter

The Spartans got the ball, but after a first down rush by Marvis Parrish, could not get another first and punted.

A Kenny Soares Jr. sack forced an Illini three-and-out, but Alessio Milivojevic was sacked back-to-back to make it 3^rd-and-28, where a misfire forced a punt.

The Spartans forced another three-and-out, and got a first down of their own with back-to-back passes to Fredrick Moore. A Jaz Patterson 32-yard rush woke the crowd up, but the Spartans settled for a 43-yard field goal by Liam Boyd.

The defense forced another three-and-out, highlighted by a Brady Pretzlaff tackle for loss. Milivojevic was sacked to open the next drive, and then Xavier Scott picked off Milivojevic on a deep throw, returning it to the MSU12.

Ca’Lil Valentine ran it in on the next play to put Illinois back on top.

Jayden Savoury was whistled for holding on the return, giving the Spartans the ball at their own four. Marvis Parrish gave them a first down to end the quarter.

Second Quarter

The quarter started rough, as a Patterson fumble was recovered by Grant Beerman at the MSU15. Two plays later, Katin Houser found tight end Davin Stoffel for a touchdown.

The Spartans had a solid return to the MSU36, but were forced to make a decision after a four-yard pass to Brennan Parachek to set up 4^th-and-2. They went for it, and Milivojevic was sacked. MSU turned the ball over, again, at their own 35-yard-line. Five plays later, Valentine punched it in to make it 21-3 with 10:25 left in the second.

The Spartans had a 25-yard run by Parrish to open their drive, but inexplicably chose to punt on fourth-and-one from the ILL37. Andrew Brinson IV downed it at the ILL1.

Chuck Brantley played the hero for MSU, returning an interception 14 yards on 3^rd-and-2 for a touchdown. Brady Pretzlaff almost got an interception to begin the next drive, before Brantley came up with another interception, returning it over 50 yards to the ILL14. The Spartans settled for a field goal after Milivojevic was nearly picked off on third down.

Illinois was forced into a three-and-out before Chrishon McCray returned the ball the midfield. A Nick Sharpe false start was forgotten about on a power run the next play, with Parrish taking it 29 yards to put MSU in the red zone. A Patterson third-and-one conversion was followed by a Brandon Tullis dive into the end zone.

The Spartans settled for an extra point to trail by one with 3:07 left in the half.

Katin Houser utilized the two-minute drill well, finding Stouffel and Collin Dixon, settling for a field goal with 17 seconds in the half.

MSU kneeled it to half. 24-20, Illinois at the break.

Third Quarter

Illinois got the ball and were forced to make a decision on fourth-and-one from their 40, and went for it, squeaking past the line to gain with Valentine. However, they had to punt three plays later, with McCray returning it to the MSU36.

The Spartans had a three-and-out, and Illinois went on a drive into the MSU red zone. Houser would find Christian Abney for a touchdown to give Illinois a two-score advantage.

The Spartans started their drive with an 11-yard catch to Chrishon McCray, but punted afterwards. Houser started a drive into Spartan territory, with his last play pulling Illinois to the MSU36 to call quarter.

Fourth Quarter

The Spartan defense stood tall, forcing a punt from their 36-yard-line to begin the fourth. Milivojevic found Bullard, Parrish, and Parachek to put MSU on the Illinois side of the field. A sack on second down threw the Spartans behind the chains, and they ultimately punted from the Illinois 38 on 4^th-and-13.

Valentine and Aidan Laughery each had runs of over 20 yards to start Illinois’s next drive, giving the Illini the ball at the MSU21 in four plays. Laughery ran the ball in from 21 yards out on the very next play, giving Illinois a three-score-lead with 9:40 to play.

The Spartans turned the ball over on downs following four incomplete passes. Laughery gashed the Spartans for 24 yards on the next play, setting up a Javari Barnett touchdown.

Milivojevic was forced into another fourth down, but scrambled and found Bullard for 21 yards. He followed that up with a 27-yard pass to Moore, and then had a 25-yard strike to Moore for a touchdown on fourth down.

The Spartans elected to do a regular kickoff, but the Illini made it costly, with a third-down conversion and kept the clock running, punting it away with 3:06 to play.

Milivojevic was sacked on second down, and a 29-yard draw to Marvis Parrish kept the Spartans’ slim chances alive. The Spartans ultimately turned the ball over on downs on the ILL35, and Houser kneeled it out.

FINAL

Illinois 45

MSU 27