EAST LANSING- The UCLA Bruins, hot off an upset victory over No. 7 Penn State last weekend, entered Spartan Stadium and rained on the Spartans’ Homecoming parade as they scored 38 unanswered points to defeat MSU 38-13.
“Just not good enough,” head coach Jonathan Smith said. “Start with myself, we’re responsible preparing these guys for the week, we make them go out and execute and put a great energy and we didn’t have it today.”
Hopes were high for the Green and White heading into this game; MSU looked to earn its first conference victory against a 1-4 UCLA team.
MSU’s defense forced the Bruins to three-and-out to make way for junior quarterback Aidan Chiles, who marched down the field for a 2-yard rushing touchdown.
That momentum would be short lived, as it was all downhill from there for the Spartans. MSU had multiple opportunities to capitalize and gain yardage, but nothing seemed to be clicking; Chiles threw only 66 yards on 17 attempts, before an early exit in the third quarter.
“I think we missed a couple of the throws early, we anticipated that, and when you miss early, you feel like you get into a rhythm, I think passing is a lot about the rhythm, and we have failed to get into them,” Smith said.
The Spartan offense went 0-for-4 on fourth down conversions, including a missed opportunity in the first quarter on fourth and one.
Chiles pitched it back four yards to sophomore running back Makhi Frazier, who came up a yard short. This led to a turnover on downs in which UCLA capitalized for a touchdown.
“That’s a game plan call, so when they go to squeeze, we’re going to run sneak, they’re in sneak deep, often defenses are exposed, then you kick out wide, that was the gameplay of it, obviously it did not work,” Smith said.
The defensive side of the ball did not make up for the offense’s shortcomings, as the Bruins went 3-for-3 on fourth down completions and totaled a combined 418 yards.
“There are some things that we did well this game, there are some things that we didn’t, just being realistic and letting you guys know that,” junior linebacker Jordan Hall said. “We’re not at where we want to be right now.”
UCLA redshirt senior running back Jalen Berger showed out against his former team, rushing for 83 yards and a touchdown.
The Bruins ran for 238 total yards, and redshirt sophomore quarterback Nico Iamaleava threw for 180 yards and three touchdowns.
UCLA’s offense has completely turned around since the start of its season after the hiring of new offensive coordinator Jerry Neuheisel.
“I don’t think we matched UCLA’s new life, new energy on some one on ones that we got beat,” Smith said.
MSU backup redshirt freshman quarterback Alessio Milivojevic took the place of Chiles in the third quarter. Milivojevic went 8-18 with 100 passing yards and a touchdown.
“He wasn’t perfect here today, but I do think he’s come in and can complete the throws when he’s given the opportunity,” Smith said.
The Spartan offense saw spurts of their potential in the fourth quarter. Milivojevic found Marsh in the end zone for a 5-yard touchdown to earn their first points since the opening drive.
It would be too little too late for MSU, especially when the extra-point attempt by redshirt freshman kicker Martin Connington did not fall.
Following the loss, the Spartans moved to 3-3 on the season, without a victory since Sept. 13 against Youngstown State.
“Good times raise soft people; soft people create hard times; hard times create good people; It’s an ongoing cycle,” Hall said. “So that’s just where we’re at right now, we’re in hard times.”
MSU looks to find its first conference win against No. 7 Indiana next Saturday. The Spartans will kick off in Bloomington at 3:30 p.m.
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