Big Ten play kicks off this weekend, and for UW, that means Michigan State is coming to town. Sparty has gotten off to a?disappointing?1-2 start, making this weekend’s game a must-win for MSU.?Here is a quick scouting report of the Spartans.

Offense:

When running back Javon Ringer graduated, he pretty much took the entire 2008 MSU offense with him. Ringer did it all for the Spartans last season, and he left some huge?cleats?to fill. Coulton Ray and Larry Caper have combined to form a decent running back duo for the Spartans, but the Spartans certainly miss Ringer.?

Kirk Cousins is the new quarterback for MSU and he has put up some gaudy numbers thus far. Cousins is completing 65.7 percent of his passes and he has already thrown for 649 yards. The new signal caller only has one interception, but it was a costly one. Cousins threw a horrible pick in the redzone last weekend that sealed the win for Notre Dame.?

MSU always has some skilled wide?receivers, and this year Blair White has emerged as a playmaker. White, a former walk-on, has already caught four touchdowns, and Badger fans should remember him from his 164 yard performance against UW last season.?

Defense:

The Michigan State defense revolves around one player – Greg Jones. Jones is one of the Big Ten’s best defenders and he currently leads his team with 38 tackles. Jones is strong against the run, and he has shown the?ability?to consistently read the opposing quarterback.

The Spartans lost a key member of the defense when Otis Wiley graduated, and the safety position now lacks that playmaking ability. Replacing Wiley is red-shirt freshman Trenton Robinson. Robinson and the rest of the secondary are looking to bounce back after giving up 300 yards passing to Notre Dame quarterback Jimmy Clausen.?