EAST LANSING- The Spartans took on the Florida Atlantic Owls for the first time since 2011. Michigan State started this game out with an unexpected turn.
Transfer quarterback Aidan Chiles threw an out-of-pocket deep ball to Montorie Foster Jr., which was bobbled and led to an interception after review.
FAU took a quick four-down turn-around to start the Michigan State drive on the other end.
The game trend seemed to follow that all game, as the Owls and Spartans battled back and forth. Eventually, Michigan State was able to prevail due to a huge fourth-down stop, propelling MSU to a 16-10 victory over FAU.
Chiles was forced to scramble out of the pocket and move for most of his drives. He finished with 114 yards on the day and two interceptions, creating many dynamic plays for MSU. Though Chiles had some dynamic plays, some crucial mistakes were made that he would have to learn from.
“I mean, we won this. I’m not happy with it, but we got the win,” Chiles said.
The sophomore QB took accountability for his teammates during their opener, but work has to be done throughout the entire season to perform.
Michigan State’s defense started off dynamic, led by defensive lineman Khris Bogle, who started the Spartans’ defense with a sack and finished with three solo tackles and 1.5 sacks.
A large issue for Michigan State in the previous season was their defensive pressure, and this season, pressure is no problem for Joe Rossi and the defensive front. Bogle and Turner turned the heat up in their first game, making the defense look revived at MSU.
“We work hard, every day. When we practice the game we are supposed to be practicing, you have to respond,” said Turner. “I knew it was going to happen because we practice how we play. They make plays and translate them over to the game.”
To put the Spartans on the board, D’Quan Douse sacked Cam Fancher for a total loss of five yards and get the safety. This put the Spartans up two and got the ball rolling for MSU.
The defensive line room has shown tremendous improvement over the last two years, and it is all thanks to Joe Rossi for creating a scheme-heavy blitz system on defense.
“Rossi was calling plays for us in the right place, putting us in the right direction,” Khris Bogle said.
MSU came out slow at the beginning of the second quarter, but Chiles sparks the offense for an 11-yard rush to score Michigan State’s first touchdown of the year.
Kay’Ron Lynch -Adams, a surprise cornerstone for the offense saw a gaping hole in the defense and took it. Taking in a 63-yard score posting Michigan State up 16-0.
“That was the offensive line’s touchdown,” Said Lynch-Adams. “As soon as I saw that crease open up, I just did what I needed to do and got to the end zone.”
In the second half, it was a race to pressure the quarterback. MSU’s defense was closing on Fancher all game, but his speed and movement provided a troubling problem for Rossi’s defense.
The Spartans came out shaky for the rest of the game, but the story of the night was the missed throws and penalties. Mistakes that did not help the Spartans win comfortably.
Targeting, late hits, and sloppy turnovers, gave FAU a chance to come back late in the fourth to win.
The biggest penalty came from Turner, with an unnecessary roughness call and unsportsmanlike conduct call, which moved the Spartans from their 44th-yard line to the MSU 29.
“We want to play with some aggression, but we’ve got to have some technique at the same time. We need to be smart around the sideline,” MSU head coach Jonathan Smith said.
MSU had many things to celebrate, a dynamic defense, great special teams, and flashes from the run game. The Spartans start 1-0, but things need to change to stay undefeated. “A win is a win.” Reiterated by Chiles and Smith, but some things need to be fixed.
MSU will prepare to back to work this week to correct their mistakes and get ready for Maryland on Saturday, September 7.
