No 24-hour rule for Michigan State post-Richmond; Mel Tucker: ‘Washington is on the clock’

East Lansing, Mich. – Michigan State wrapped up a 45-14 victory over the visiting Richmond Spiders Saturday evening to move to 2-0 on the young season. And now the tests are about to get much tougher.

Michigan State is set to host No. 8 Washington next week in a big out-of-conference matchup, one year before Washington becomes a member of the Big Ten. The Spartans had an uneventful first two games of the season with a 31-7 win over Central Michigan and 45-14 win over Richmond. Throughout the off-season, Mel Tucker and his team have often been asked about the pending rematch with Washington rematch. They always played it off, focusing on what was ahead of them.

Shortly after the completion of the game against Richmond, Tucker changed direction, in a big way

“We’re not going to have a 24-hour rule right now,” Tucker said. I told these guys, and they all agreed, get your celebration over in the locker room, once you leave the locker room, Washington is on the clock.”

Michigan State sophomore defensive back Dillon Tatum echoed Tucker’s sentiment.

“Washington is a great team, they’re top 10 in the country, it’s just another game at the end of the day but this one means a little bit more,” he said.

Last season, the roles were slightly reversed as the Spartans entered the game against Washington ranked No. 11 in the country, coming off a successful season. Washington was unranked and unheralded. This season however, Michigan State is unheralded despite being 2-0, and the Huskies are seen as a borderline national power for 2023.

“We’re looked at as underdogs right now,” Tatum said. “Wo we’re going to keep that chip and just attack every day to get to that standard we want to be at. We’ve been stacking days for weeks now, we’re going to take it to the next level this week though.”

Sixth-year quarterback, Michael Penix Jr. will return to East Lansing with positive experience at Spartan Stadium. In 2019, while playing for Indiana, Penix completed 20 straight passes against the Spartans. He went 33-of-42 for the day, for 286 yards and three TDs, although the Hoosiers fell to Michigan State, 40-31.

So far through two games this season, Penix has thrown for 859 yards and six touchdowns. His top weapon, Rome Odunze has 14 catches for 239 yards and two touchdowns. Washington beat Boise State 56-19 in week one, and handled Tulsa, 43-10, on Saturday.

Michigan State redshirt freshman Antonio Gates Jr. registered the first reception and first touchdown of his college career on the same play Saturday when he hauled in a 45-yard TD catch in the fourth quarter. Like Tatum, he’s new to the Michigan State program, but he understands the meaning of the 24-hour rule, and why it is suspended this weekend.

“I think the no 24-hour rule is basically saying, ‘It’s time to get ready for Washington,’” Gates said. “I’m going to go home tonight, probaby hop on the game a little bit, play a little (Call of Duty) War Zone. And them tomorrow it’s onto Washington.”

Actually, Gates might have missed the message. Tucker wants focus on the next game to begin immediately. For Gates, maybe flushing this win with some video gaming is the best way to begin pointing himself toward the Huskies.

For Tatum, the task of covering Washington’s outstanding offensive talent might cause for a little more anxiety that Gates will experience.

“They have some great players over there,” Tatum said. “We’re going to stack the days until then, just keep doing the little things right and going with the game plan.”

Tucker took the initiative in suspending the 24-hour rule on Saturday afternoon, carrying himself the way he needs to, going into one of the most crucial weeks of his career at Michigan State. Last season, Michigan State looked shell-shocked when they landed in Washington and took their first of 7 losses on the season. Tucker wasn’t brought here to celebrate victories over Richmond, and he knows it. He’s also aware that it will take a monstrous effort, and sharp execution and precision, to beat Washington next week.

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