Mitten Masterkey: Week 4
It's a long slate for Week 4, starting at 1 p.m. ET and likely to end some time after 2 a.m. as MSU faces USC on the road.
It’s Week 4 and once again time for the Mitten Masterkey, with five games going this weekend. Most will be done before the primetime slate, with Michigan State’s late kickoff at USC capping the night.
Here’s the weekly run down to carry you through Saturday.
Mitten Football will be at...
Waldo Stadium for Western Michigan vs. Toledo, a conference opener among the three home games this weekend.
The schedule and TV assignments
All games are Saturday this week
- 1:00 p.m.: Central Michigan vs. Wagner, ESPN+
- 3:30 p.m.: Eastern Michigan vs. Louisiana, ESPN+
- 3:30 p.m.: Western Michigan vs. Toledo, ESPN+
- 3:30 p.m.: Michigan at Nebraska, CBS/Paramount+ streaming
- 11:00 p.m.: Michigan State at USC, FOX/FOX streaming
And for the uninitiated, this master schedule absolutely rocks (just be aware times are central).
Pregame, halftime reading from Mitten Football, others
- A feature on Mustafi Al-Gawari and the meaning behind his Arabic nameplate (MLive, Sept. 12)
- Western Michigan putting premium on getting the pass game going (Mitten Football, Sept. 15)
- Aidan Chiles balancing growth, production as a passer with being a dominant runner (Mitten Football, Sept. 16)
- Ernest Hausmann is returning to Nebraska and being a light for so many (Detroit News, Sept. 16)
- Michigan State’s defense is locked in on this opportunity vs. USC (Detroit News, Sept. 17)
- How Aidan Chiles plans to handle all the comes with a game back at home in SoCal (MLive, Sept. 17)
- Eastern Michigan feels like it found something on defense, ready for breakthrough win (Mitten Football, Sept. 18)
Picks and preview
Check them out here with longer previews, but for a brief version (scores not included):
- Central Michigan over Wagner
- Eastern Michigan over Louisiana
- Toledo over Western Michigan
- Michigan over Nebraska
- USC over Michigan State
A freshman to watch: Andrew Marsh, Michigan wide receiver
He’s been returning kicks since the opener and the wideout from Katy, Texas, is clearly someone the coaching staff is high on. He’s only been targeted twice, making his lone catch for a chunk gain against Central Michigan for 30 yards.
But the staff got Marsh involved in the run game, as he took an end-around to the house for a rushing score from 23 yards out on his first career carry.
He’s jockeying with some veterans and established players for snaps and targets at wideout, but Marsh seems to be ascending in the Michigan passing game.
A unit to watch: Western Michigan's passing game
The Broncos passing offense has been paltry to start the season, and while Western Michigan aims to be a team that wins at the line of scrimmage and in the run game, it needs more through the air. That starts with the quarterbacks but includes the protection and pass catchers, too.
And the challenge coming to Waldo Stadium is not insignificant, as Toledo is consistently one of the best teams in the MAC and has a strong pass defense with plenty of talent. If the Broncos can make some headway through the air against this defense, it will be a good sign for the final two thirds of the season.
A fun prediction: Aidan Chiles, Jayden Maiava go nuclear
The two quarterbacks in this game have the potential to pop off for big, big performances. Maiava has been the most productive quarterback in college football, as USC has blitzed a weak opening three opponents.
And Chiles has kept improving each week, and looks like he’s finding a new comfort and, potentially, another level as a passer. His improvements with his arm, paired with his ability to be a devastating scrambler, are quickly making him one of the more dangerous quarterbacks to defend in college football.
So, Chiles and Maiava will spend most of Saturday night in Los Angeles setting the opposing defense aflame. Not quite Texas Tech Patrick Mahomes vs. Oklahoma Baker Mayfield, but headed that direction.
