Mitten Masterkey: Week 3

Week 3 is here and now for another edition of the Mitten Masterkey, with all the bits and bobs you need to get you through a weekend of watching these five teams, or whatever combination pleases you.

Mitten Football will be at....

Michigan Stadium, since two teams from the state are playing each other. There will be remote coverage for the rest.

The schedule and TV assignments

All games are Saturday this week

Noon: Central Michigan at Michigan, Big Ten Network/BTN+/Fox streaming

3:30 p.m.: Youngstown State at Michigan State, Big Ten Network/BTN+/Fox streaming

7:00 p.m.: Western Michigan at Illinois, Fox Sports 1/Fox streaming

7:30 p.m.: Eastern Michigan at Kentucky, ESPNU/ESPN streaming

And for the uninitiated, this master schedule absolutely rocks (just be aware times are central).

Pregame, halftime reading from Mitten Football, others

• Western Michigan might have found an offensive edge in loss to UNT (Mitten Football, Sept. 9)
• Can running Bryce Underwood aid Michigan’s offense? (Detroit News, Sept. 10)
• On Armorion Smith’s immense personal responsibility to his family, on top of football (Detroit Free Press, Sept. 11)
• An inside look at Central Michigan’s 3 QB offense (Mitten Football, Sept. 12)
• How Malcolm Bell, MSU’s French-Canadian cornerback, is thriving early (MLive, Sept. 12)
• On Alante Brown playing for more than just himself in his return for MSU (LSJ, Sept. 12)

Picks and preview

Check them out here with longer previews, but for a brief version (scores not included):

• Michigan over Central Michigan
• Michigan State over Youngstown State
• Illinois over Western Michigan
• Kentucky over Eastern Michigan 

A freshman to watch

This week it’s Michigan State corner Aydan West. He’s not a starter and there are a few veteran options above him, either new transfers or a handful of returning vets. 

But the Michigan State coaching staff have gotten West on the field for snaps in both of the first two games of the season at outside corner and he’s acquitted himself well. And Saturday against an FCS team could be a good setting for him and a number of other young Spartans some more live reps in a game against Youngstown State.

West isn’t likely to leapfrog up the depth chart, but he’s evidently a piece the coaching staff sees a lot of potential in. 

A unit to watch

Can Western Michigan’s passing offense do something to threaten Illinois? 

Outside of a few prayers answered on deep balls in the opener, downfield passing has been more or less non-existent for the Western Michigan offense in two games. And playing a Top 10 Illinois team that has no shortage of heft and power in the trenches, the Broncos might not be able to run it to the degree they want on Saturday night. 

So if one of Brady Jones or Broc Lowry can really get things going in the passing game, it could change the complexion of how the Broncos attack this game, and the rest of the season. 

A fun prediction

A non-quarterback throws a touchdown pass in the Central Michigan-Michigan game. 

Nothing much to go on here other than Biff Poggi being willing to cut it loose as Michigan’s interim coach and Central Michigan’s staff generally being willing to cut it loose as the big road underdog. But it just would be fitting for a game that will feature four quarterbacks playing regularly to have a running back or receiver throw a pass for six. 

Also considered here: Poggi coaches dressed like Cousin Eddy emptying the waste tank on the RV from “Christmas Vacation.”