3 Observations From an Unfortunately Unsurprising Michigan State Loss
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EAST LANSING, Mich. --- Penn State, entering Spartan Stadium with a 3-6 overall record and a 0-6 mark against conference opponents, just beat Michigan State by 18 points.
Nobody seems very surprised.
It's been time for people in higher places than myself to sit on that fact for a while now, but the reaction to that result should never be a collective shrug. Alas, that's what it kind of feels like: just another Michigan State loss. That's seven in a row now.
From Spartan Stadium, here are three things that I noticed from MSU's 28-10 loss to the Nittany Lions on Saturday.
More of the Same
It feels like we’ve seen this type of game play out several times during the Jonathan Smith era at Michigan State. Counting those ever-glorious five wins from last year that are now vacated, he’s now 8-14 at MSU and 3-13 against the Big Ten.
It's a long, played-out script. Lackadaisical offense, a defense doing everything it can to hang around, but is still giving up points at inopportune times, and a staff that is getting out-coached again.
Losing is starting to feel more normal by the week in East Lansing. Letting 3-6 Penn State waltz into your house and win by three possessions is not a result fans should even pretend to tolerate. I have no doubt they won't.
It’s become nearly impossible to imagine that trend reversing sooner rather than much later as long as Smith is the head coach. Still, there’s that pesky buyout that is north of $33 million that would be one of the biggest in college football history if executed.
Penn State Sinks the Dagger in Fourth
The Nittany Lions were much more prepared for the final 15 minutes than MSU. Time of possession had favored Penn State all game, but the eye-popping drive was PSU’s first of the fourth quarter.
Twelve plays, 11 rushes, and then a pop pass for a touchdown that was really just another run play. It took nine minutes and five seconds off the game clock. In a one-score game in the fourth quarter, Penn State ran it straight through the teeth of the Spartans’ defense and dared them to stop it.
As Devonte Ross walked in for what was technically his second touchdown catch of the day, PSU went up 21-10 with 4:32 left. That’s the ball game.
The door was left open just a little bit, though, thanks to back-to-back roughing the passer calls. It didn’t matter. Penn State defensive coordinator Jim Knowles dialed up a blitz, and quarterback Alessio Milivojevic got crunched from both the left and right side. Not many quarterbacks will hold onto that one, and the Nittany Lions pounced on the fumble for the game’s only turnover.
Where’s Nick Marsh?
What didn’t help is that No. 6 on the offense was hardly noticed. Sophomore wide receiver Nick Marsh finished with two catches for only five yards. That is the fewest total for Marsh in a game during his career, moving his collegiate debut against Florida Atlantic (11 yards) down — or up? — to second.
This isn’t to call out Marsh; it’s more to say that MSU has to find a way to get him the ball more times than that.
Lack of execution is something Smith and the team point at a lot for its shortcomings, and this might have been that. Marsh was targeted eight times, tied for running back Elijah Tau-Tolliver for the most on the team.
Tau-Tolliver caught all eight of his targets and ended up leading the team with 73 receiving yards.
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A 2025 graduate from Michigan State University, Cotsonika brings a wealth of experience covering the Spartans from Rivals and On3 to his role as Michigan State Spartans Beat Writer on SI. At Michigan State, he was also a member of the world-renowned Spartan marching band for two seasons.
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