Kalen DeBoer was clear that it’s a different coaching staff he and quarterback Michael Penix Jr. will be facing this time around when Michigan State comes to town, but their past experience with the Spartans has featured plenty of reason for optimism.

The duo faced a ranked Michigan State team on the road in 2019 when they were together at Indiana — Penix the quarterback and DeBoer his offensive coordinator. Penix also faced MSU in 2020, a game that ended pretty well for his team. The Seattle Times’ Mike Vorel shared his career numbers against the Spartans, and they’re encouraging, to say the least.

Two games, 706 passing yards, a 72.5% completion rate, six total touchdowns, and just two interceptions. IU lost to MSU 42-33 in 2019, but Penix led the Hoosiers to a 24-0 victory on the road in a revenge spot a year later.

DeBoer was the head coach at Fresno State during the 2020 season, but he absolutely remembers the 2019 performance.

“It’s a different coaching staff that we’ll be facing, but that’s one of those games where Mike was just on,” he said on Monday. “I think it was 20 consecutive completions he had in that game, if I remember right. He made some big throws and it came down to the wire, and I think we scored and then they ended up kicking a field goal with five seconds to go, one of the last plays of the game. I think we tried our razzle-dazzle play at the end and gave up a ball going the other way.

(Penix tied the game at 31-all with two minutes remaining on an 11-yard touchdown strike. Michigan State hit a 21-yard field goal with five seconds left on the clock. The touchdown for Michigan State that made it a 42-33 scoreline came after the Spartans picked up an errant lateral from Penix on the game’s final play. Penix completed his last seven pass attempts of the first half and his first 13 of the second.)

“It said a lot about Mike,” DeBoer continued. “Man, we were very confident about what we could be with him at quarterback. That same thing is going to be the case here. He’s not going to be in awe. He’s played in many of these games. You’re comforted, having one of your team leaders — and your quarterback in particular — being a guy that has played in big games and understands the color of jersey that’s across from him. It’s nothing new to him.”

The Spartans come to Seattle on Saturday for a primetime showdown. Washington is off to a 2-0 start, with Penix playing particularly well. He leads the Pac-12 in passing yards and touchdowns through two weeks. Washington and No. 11 Michigan State (2-0) kickoff at 4:30 p.m. PT on ABC this Saturday.