EAST LANSING- Michigan State suffered its fourth consecutive rivalry loss against No. 25 Michigan, and its fifth conference loss of the season.
With multiple missed opportunities and crucial calls, the coaching staff must figure out what needs to be done if the Spartans have any hope to salvage what is left of their season.
Here are some takeaways from MSU’s rivalry loss.
Struggling Offensively
To start the game, junior quarterback Aidan Chiles fumbled the ball at the MSU 34-yard line. This was followed by three consecutive scoreless drives for the Green and White, without one successful first down completion in the first quarter.
Nothing seemed to be working for the MSU offense, as Chiles would continue to go 1-7, with one eight-yard completion to redshirt junior wide receiver Chrishon McCray.
Chiles exited the first half 4-13 with only 26 passing yards, with multiple targets to sophomore wide receiver Nick Marsh; the duo struggled to connect.
“Early on, you got some things, you think Marsh is going to have a high chance of seeing it,” head coach Jonathan Smith said. “I do think they need to play catch, the two of them.”
Coming out of the half, the Spartans showed signs of life after going scoreless through the third quarter; a 24-yard pass to Marsh led to a one-yard rushing touchdown by sophomore running back Brandon Tullis.
The touchdown was followed by a decision to go for two, which did not connect and kept the Spartans down 11 in the fourth quarter.
“Aggression a little, chasing points at that point, the analytics, where the score was at, where regards to multiple scores, got to catch up to,” Smith said. “You go for two earlier in the game than later, it kind of declares your strategy moving forward, that all went into it.”
Following the failed two-point conversion, sophomore running back Makhi Frazier broke through with a 25-yard rush to the Michigan 34, but the momentum was short lived after MSU failed to complete a first down on four attempts.
The Spartans’ defense answered with a forced fumble at the MSU 46, but the offense had yet another missed opportunity which led to a turnover on downs on fourth and one.
“Executing on critical downs, those two fourth downs, half a yard on a sneak we can’t get that done, the other one, we don’t get that executed either,” Smith said. These are critical, critical plays.”
Redshirt freshman quarterback Alessio Milivojevic checked in for the Spartans for the fourth time this season with just under three minutes remaining in the fourth quarter.
Despite a 21-yard touchdown pass to redshirt junior tight end Michael Masunas, it was too little too late for MSU.
Momentum Shift
MSU saw its first points in the second quarter; Frazier led the offense with a 49-yard breakaway rush, allowing Chiles to capitalize in the end zone. The Spartans scoring drive consisted of 10 plays lasting over six minutes.
The Wolverines were up by a field goal in the third quarter, and freshman quarterback Bryce Underwood was sacked for a loss of 19 yards with a fumble on third and eight, by redshirt senior defensive back Malcom Bell.
The excitement was short lived for the Spartans, after a late flag was thrown after the sack calling Bell offsides.
“I was told he was offsides, and I’ve seen that call go either way, I’ll put it that way,” Smith said.
That call would inevitably be the turning point for the Green and White, as the Wolverines would go on to capitalize with a five-yard rushing touchdown by junior running back Justice Haynes, putting Michigan up by two scores.
“We get the turnover, the whole thing, that’s a gut punch,” Smith said. “Not here to say this thing is easy to officiate, I’ll just say that I’ve seen that not called many of times.”
MSU would be forced to play catchup, finishing with 12 penalties for 105 yards.
“Just not good enough to overcome some of the penalties we inflicted on ourselves, a couple of tough calls, not good enough tonight,” Smith said.
Applying Pressure
MSU’s defense pressured Underwood, forcing him to go 8-17 with 86 passing yards on the night.
The Spartans held the Wolverines to a field goal on their first drive of the game, followed by a three-and-out on their next attempt.
“Defensively, blowing up, we give them the ball, first drive, bow up, holding them to a field goal,” Smith said. “Defensively, I thought the first half, they kept us in that one.”
Defensive coordinator Joe Rossi joined MSU on the sidelines for the first time this season in hopes of bringing new energy to the Spartans’ defense.
“I thought it was good today, just having his voice on the sideline, hadn’t done it the whole year,” Smith said. “We needed to obviously fix some things defensively, the effort defensively, those guys played with passion throughout the night.”
Despite the efforts, Michigan was able to eventually tear through the run defense and wear the Spartans out on the ground.
Michigan’s running backs finished with a combined 276 rushing yards, led by Haynes, who finished with 152 yards and two touchdowns.
“We did a lot of good today,” junior linebacker Jordan Hall said. “Just didn’t do what was enough when it mattered most.”
The Spartans remain winless in the Big Ten, with a road trip to Minnesota next on the schedule. Michigan State will take on the Golden Gophers in Minneapolis next Saturday at 3:30 p.m.
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