Previewing Michigan State With A Spartan Insider

• Fifth-year senior QB Brian Lewerke — His 223.6 passing yards per game are the fourth most in the Big Ten and his 12 touchdown passes are tied for fifth most, though he is only connecting on 55.7 percent of his throws. Lewerke is also the Spartans' second-leading rusher with 265 yards, which are the fourth most in the conference among quarterbacks.

• Redshirt freshman RB Elijah Collins — The transfers of fellow running backs junior Connor Heyward and sophomore La'Darius Jefferson earlier this season have left Collins as the primary contributor at the position, with the redshirt freshman having racked up 715 yards and five touchdowns while averaging 5.0 yards per carry. His 715 yards are the fifth most in the Big Ten, and he has rushed for at least 170 yards in two different games this year (170 yards against Illinois and 192 versus Western Michigan).

• Junior WR Cody White — He is second on the roster in both receptions (37) and receiving yards (527), trailing only fifth-year senior wideout Darrell Stewart's 47 grabs and 694 yards, though Stewart will miss this weekend's game with injury. White's best game of the year occurred in last Saturday's 37-34 loss to Illinois, when he compiled season highs in both catches (seven) and receiving yards (128).

• Junior WR Laress Nelson — He has only accumulated four receptions for 48 yards, with 20 of those yards coming last week against Illinois. The 5-8 speedster has taken on a bigger role in MSU's offense by averaging 17 snaps over the team's last two games, after averaging just 6.4 through the club's first seven.

• Redshirt sophomore WR C.J. Hayes — His 12 catches and 117 yards are both the fifth most for MSU, though he has missed the last two games with injury. Hayes has reeled in more than 18 yards in an outing on just two separate occasions this season.

• Fifth-year senior TE Matt Seybert — His 19 receptions for 222 yards both rank third on the club, while his three scoring grabs are second to Stewart's four. Seybert has been one of Lewerke's favorite targets, hauling in at least two catches in seven of MSU's nine contests.