Lansing State Journal columnist Graham Couch predicts Michigan State's football season, game by game.

GAME 1: AUG. 30 VS. TULSA, 7 P.M., FS1

MSU 41, Tulsa 10

Even some of MSU’s better offenses in recent years have started slow on Labor Day weekend, not yet in gear and careful not to show too much. This, however, is a show-me season for MSU’s offense. The Spartans badly need a resounding performance both for faith within and to ease the angst of a skeptical fan base that’s one short-side Jet Sweep from losing its collective mind. Tulsa allowed more than 400 yards per game last season, but returns most of its defense. Still, this is a no-excuse moment for MSU, with a coordinator eager to prove himself, a quarterback determined to prove he’s prolific and an offense, embarrassed a year ago, hungry to show it’s capable.

GAME 2: SEPT. 7 VS. WESTERN MICHIGAN, 7:30 P.M., BTN

MSU 34, WMU 9

The Broncos return a ton of starters, especially on defense, and have their quarterback back from an October foot injury. WMU is a bit short on proven playmakers — thanks largely to having its freshman All-American, Jayden Reed, transfer to MSU — but has a big-time weapon at tight end and brought in a speedy Mississippi State transfer at receiver. The Broncos won’t be easily overwhelmed, but it’s hard to picture this year’s roster having enough oomph to put a scare into MSU. Prediction: Spartans running back La’Darius Jefferson puts together an eye-opening performance, eclipsing 100 yards and showing the knack he lacked for the position last season.

GAME 3: SEPT. 14 VS. ARIZONA STATE, 4 P.M., FOX

MSU 26, Arizona State 10

The Sun Devils are considered a rising program under second-year coach Herm Edwards and a dark horse to win the Pac-12. There’s a buzz surrounding the program. Some of that is excitement over true freshman quarterback Jayden Daniels – an electrifying athlete and dual-threat QB. He might turn into the second coming of Michael Vick or Kyler Murray or Fran Tarkenton, who knows. But I know this: His first two college games are at home against Kent State and Sacramento State and then he gets MSU’s defense in Spartan Stadium. That’s a wicked contrast. Raequan Williams’ fourth-quarter pick-six on a Daniels screen pass seals the win for the Spartans.

GAME 4: SEPT. 21 AT NORTHWESTERN, TIME AND TV TBD

MSU 20, Northwestern 17

The Wildcats have become a nemesis for MSU in recent years, having topped the Spartans each of the last three seasons and in four of their last five meetings. The good news for MSU is that Northwestern QB Clayton Thorson has wrapped up his 14th year of eligibility and is playing for the Philadelphia Eagles. It’s unclear if Clemson transfer Hunter Johnson will take command at the position for Northwestern this season. But he’s a decorated talent, a former five-star recruit. Whatever the Spartans score in this game, they’ll earn. The Wildcats are experienced and loaded on defense at all three levels. Brian Lewerke’s 77-yard third-quarter touchdown run is the difference.

GAME 5: SEPT 28 VS. INDIANA, 3:30 or 4 P.M., TV TBD

MSU 34, Indiana 17

One of these years, Indiana is going to turn the corner and, for at least a season, be a contender. It always feels like the Hoosiers are close. It’s not going to be this year. They have some dazzling playmakers on offense — enough to be fun and interesting and bowl-bound — but questions at quarterback, up front and throughout the defense are likely to keep them fifth in the Big Ten East. This is the game when Matt Dotson makes you forget about his drops last season at Nebraska. The line on homecoming from MSU’s junior tight end: eight catches, 112 yards, two touchdowns.

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GAME 6: OCT. 5 AT OHIO STATE, 7:30 P.M., ABC or ESPN

Ohio State 23, MSU 21

MSU can beat Ohio State in Columbus. We’ve seen it before. We’ve also seen things go badly for MSU down there. This one is more likely to be a fight than a mismatch. By October, we’ll know a lot about both teams. We won’t, however, have seen the Buckeyes and new QB Justin Fields up against a defense of any comparison to the Spartans. Ohio State will be coming off a big game at Nebraska. The Huskers are a popular pick to win the Big Ten’s West Division. But that has nothing to do with their defense. If MSU wins at Ohio State, it’ll vault the Spartans into a different sphere on the national radar. It’s more than possible. Predicting it in August, though, is to trust an offense — and an offensive line — that hasn’t earned that trust. Josiah Scott’s two INTs propel his All-America candidacy.

GAME 7: OCT. 12 AT WISCONSIN, 3:30 or 4 P.M., TV TBD

MSU 27, Wisconsin 20

The Spartans haven’t been to Madison since Andrew Maxwell led them to an overtime win there in 2012. A once-burgeoning rivalry has been crushed by divisional alignment. If you make one road trip this year, make it this one: Madison on a college football weekend in mid-October is as good as it gets. I can’t tell how good this Wisconsin team is going to be. The Badgers lost a lot on the offensive line and have questions throughout their defense. I think they’ll be better at quarterback and wideout than a year ago. And, of course, they have Jonathan Taylor in the backfield. Taylor and the Badgers’ ground game against MSU’s run defense should be one of the best tests of talent and will in the Big Ten. On the other side of the ball, Cody White’s 12 catches for 166 yards on this day are the story.

GAME 8: OCT. 26 VS. PENN STATE, TIME AND TV TBD

Penn State 19, MSU 17

If you were creating a standardized test, you might put this question on it: Northwestern football is to Michigan State as Michigan State is to which team? The answer is Penn State. The Spartans have had the Nittany Lions’ number, winning each of the last two seasons in upsets and five of the last six meetings overall. Penn State’s defense could rival MSU’s as the best in the Big Ten this season. The Nittany Lions will rely on some unproven weapons offensively, including at quarterback, making it hard to get a read on this Penn State team. The script flips: MSU turns the ball over three times and has a 41-yard field goal blocked in the final seconds to lose a heartbreaker.

GAME 9: NOV. 9 VS. ILLINOIS, TIME AND TV TBD

MSU 42, Illinois 3

The hangover from the Penn State loss and the looming matchup with Michigan are mitigated by a second bye week that gives the Spartans time to refocus and take out their frustration on the Illini, who might or might not be slightly improved. The Lovie Smith era has shown no sign of going anywhere. Late in another lost season, Illinois rolls over late and this one gets out of hand. MSU sends two rushers over 200 yards for the first time since Sedrick Irvin and Marc Renaud in 1997.

GAME 10: NOV. 16 AT MICHIGAN, TIME AND TV TBD

MSU 24, Michigan 20

With Les Miserables also playing at Wharton Center, it’s sensory overload in East Lansing for this rivalry week, with some fans dubbing this MSU-Michigan game as the “Battle at the Barricade.” Shea Patterson, like Marius, survives, but it doesn’t go well. MSU has won more in Ann Arbor in the Mark Dantonio-Jim Harbaugh era than at Spartan Stadium. I don’t think the venue will have anything to do with the outcome. There’s so much we don’t know about the level of both of these teams more than two months out — especially MSU’s offense and Michigan’s defense. But that goes for Michigan’s offense, too. If the Wolverines’ click on that side of the ball under Josh Gattis’ new spread system, this could finally be their year. In August, however, I’ll take the team with the unit most proven to be elite.

GAME 11: NOV. 23 AT RUTGERS, TIME AND TV TBD

MSU 45, Rutgers 7

MSU’s schedule ends with a bang, doesn’t it? Rutgers and Maryland, oh my. Get used to it. By Week 11, Rutgers will likely be playing out the string on the Chris Ash era. On a chilly day, in an empty stadium in Piscataway, the Spartans take care of business against a dispirited bunch of Scarlet Knights. Cassius Winston watches from his hotel room in Maui.

GAME 12: NOV. 30 VS. MARYLAND, TIME AND TV TBD

MSU 38, Maryland 6

The Terrapins looked like they had something going before the DJ Durkin era ended in disgrace. There are some playmakers on the Maryland roster, but this is again a rebuild. MSU finds itself playing for a spot in a New Years’ Six Bowl, sending out an acclaimed senior class, largely responsible for rescuing the program following the 3-9 season in 2016. Raequan Williams’ rushing touchdown from 3 yards out in the third quarter highlights the day for MSU.

Final regular season MSU record: 10-2 overall, 7-2 Big Ten

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Contact Graham Couch at gcouch@lsj.com. Follow him on Twitter @Graham_Couch.