Michigan State football won't have WR Darrell Stewart, C Matt Allen vs. Illinois

Chase Michaelson | Special to Detroit Free Press

Show Caption Hide Caption Analyzing the state of Michigan State football after another dismal outing Analyzing the state of Michigan State football, after a 3rd straight blowout loss, this time to Penn State, 28-7, at Spartan Stadium, Oct. 26, 2019.

EAST LANSING — Michigan State football, facing a crisis of confidence, was dealt another blow with the news Tuesday that two more starters, junior center Matt Allen and senior wide receiver Darrell Stewart, will miss Saturday’s game against Illinois.

Both players suffered injuries Oct. 26 against Penn State.

Stewart, second in the Big Ten with 86.8 receiving yards per game, went down with what appeared to be a leg injury in the second quarter.

Allen, from Hinsdale, Illinois, suffered an apparent leg injury in the fourth quarter.

“Those two guys will not play (against Illinois),” coach Mark Dantonio said Tuesday. “Darrell is out for a time period, should be back (this season). Matt should be back probably a little earlier, but we’ll wait and see. I think we’ll get them both back, but we’ll have to see."

More from Dantonio: Suspended LB Joe Bachie now a 'student coach'

The Spartans (4-4, 2-3 Big Ten) face Illinois (5-4, 3-3) at 3:30 p.m. Saturday (FS1), and are listed as a 13½-point favorite.

A sputtering MSU offense is now without its top weapon; Stewart has accounted for more than 37% of the receiving yards. The Spartans have scored just two touchdowns in their past three games against then-top 10 opponents Ohio State, Wisconsin and Penn State.

Last week, senior linebacker and two-year captain Joe Bachie was declared ineligible by the Big Ten after failing a test for performance-enhancing drugs. Dantonio said Tuesday that the program is appealing, but for now, Bachie is not allowed to practice or play.

[ Big Ten power rankings: Ohio State still rules, but does Michigan go up this week? ]

With Stewart out, junior Laress Nelson is listed as the starter at slot receiver, while sophomore C.J. Hayes returns as an outside starter after missing the Penn State game with an undisclosed injury.

“Laress Nelson is going to have opportunities in there,” Dantonio said. “We will also play guys around a little bit, (freshman) Tre Mosley got the ball (against Penn State) ... (freshman) Julian Barnett has been playing the entire season.”

Cody White is listed as the starter at the other outside position, as he has been the entire season.

Sophomore Blake Bueter and freshman Nick Samac are listed as co-starters this week at center in Allen’s absence.

“Nick is an extremely athletic guy,” Dantonio said. “Blake Bueter has played in there as well, so it’s an either-or situation, so we’ll see where we go with that.”

Dantonio mentioned senior left tackle Tyler Higby, who has played multiple positions, including center, as a possible option.

"It comes back to that 'next man up' mentality," he said.