Couch: 3 quick takes on Michigan State football's 47-10 home loss ...

Show Caption

Hide Caption

MSU football: Video analysis of the Spartans’ 47-10 loss to Indiana

Lansing State Journal columnist Graham Couch and Detroit Free Press beat writer Chris Solari break down MSU’s 47-10 loss to Indiana on Saturday.

This column was updated to add a video.

1. That was the harshest, hard-truth look at MSU's football team yet

EAST LANSING – For a little while Saturday, you wondered if Michigan State and Indiana might actually be two even teams, their seasons made different mostly by their vastly different schedules.

It turns out, the Hoosiers have more juice to them. More punch on their offensive line. More punch on defensive line, for that matter. More seasoning at the quarterback position. And so while the Spartans’ unrelenting schedule might have helped them to a 4-5 record and Indiana’s first six wins were partly delivered on a pillow, the gap is real — well illustrated by Saturday's 47-10 final score. Indiana is real. And MSU still has real work to do to get something out of this season.

Whatever the Spartans do the rest of the way — after next week’s bye — will come largely off the radar, at Illinois and then home against Purdue and Rutgers. That might be for the best.

MSU, which built a 10-0 lead in the first quarter Saturday, lost any semblance of momentum on three second-quarter drives that ended with two Aidan Chiles interceptions (one tipped) and a third-and-1 play on a sweep to Nathan Carter that never had a chance.

If there was another play that put the game firmly in Indiana’s control, it was when MSU linebacker Cal Haladay bit on a run fake, vacating the middle of the field, which Indiana receiver Ke’Shawn Williams gladly occupied, catching a pass from Kurtis Rourke before gaining 38 yards. MSU defensive back Chuck Brantley suffered what appeared to be a lower left leg injury at the end of the play. Brantley was off to a dazzling start before that. MSU fell apart after.

Three plays later it was 14-10 Indiana. Brantley didn’t return. Safely Malik Spencer also left the field with an injury before halftime, by which time the game felt decided, at 21-10 Indiana, on its way to getting worse.

MSU looked feeble the rest of the way, before and after Chiles left the game with an injury in the third quarter — though we saw what this MSU offense looks like without a mobile quarterback (Oof.).

The Spartans couldn’t run the ball again, like at all — after two straight games getting a consistent push up front. They couldn’t get to the quarterback. Not once. Again. The Spartans were outclassed. By Indiana. Whatever the reasons for that dynamic this season, it can’t last. There are benchmarks and measuring sticks and barometers for a program like MSU. The Hoosiers aren’t one of them.

That’s an offseason issue. Right now, MSU has to make sure this season doesn’t spiral.

2. MSU’s pass rush has completely disappeared

The Spartans have faced some good offensive lines and veteran quarterbacks and schemes that get the ball out quickly over the last five games. So they were never going to keep up their early season pace, when they sacked quarterbacks 15 times over four games.

But … you shouldn’t go from the first day of fall to the night we turn the clocks back without a single sack. MSU’s last sack came at Boston College on Sept. 21, back when we thought getting pressure on the quarterback from different levels defensively was an MSU team strength. Saturday, Indiana QB Kurtis Rourke had months to pick apart the Spartans. And did so.

MSU’s defensive backs — post-Chuck Brantley injury — didn’t have much of day, though it was largely an inexperienced crew back there in the second half. But it’s also hard to really know how they played. NFL DBs will tell you they’re not supposed to be left in coverage for more than three seconds. No one can do that time and time again.

Indiana’s offense is largely an underneath and intermediate passing attack. The run game comes from that. You’ve got to get there quick. MSU again failed to make a quarterback uncomfortable. And, for the first time since Oregon, faced a quality quarterback. You saw the results. Or, better yet for you, you couldn't make the game and don't have Peacock and you're just reading about them now.

Coordinator Joe Rossi and this defense have to come up a way to change this, even if there’s a price to be paid in coverage.

3. When in doubt, throw the ball to Nick Marsh

Getting the ball to Nick Marsh didn’t change the outcome of this game, but it might have made a difference last week.

On the first drive of the game, Aidan Chiles hung in the pocket, knowing he was going to get hit, and delivered a perfect ball which required a great catch. Marsh went up over the defensive back and got it. Just like that, MSU was 33 yards downfield, in business on the way to a field goal.

It was almost an admission by MSU’s coaches and coordinator Brian Lindgren that they erred by not going to Marsh enough or deep at all last week at Michigan.

Later, MSU’s freshman phenom caught an 18-yard touchdown from Chiles, who evaded the rush and put the pass where only Marsh could get it — and it took Marsh dragging one foot inbounds by inches while reaching for the ball to make the play. An unreal catch.

Marsh finished with five catches for 78 yards on seven targets. Get that guy the ball. Give him a chance to make a play. He’s showing you time after time that he’s up for it.

PREFER TO READ ABOUT MSU HOOPS? Couch: Predicting Michigan State's basketball season – Kansas and Maui, the Big Ten and March Madness

Contact Graham Couch at gcouch@lsj.com. Follow him on X @Graham_Couch.