Unpacking What’s Wrong with Michigan State Football

Spartan Nation’s Founder and Publisher Hondo Carpenter and Jonathan Schoop break down the state of the Michigan State football program.

Michigan State's head coach Jonathan Smith looks on from the sideline during the fourth quarter in the game against Michigan on Saturday, Oct. 25, 2025, at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing. | Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Michigan State is 3-5 on the year and 0-5 against the Big Ten. Head coach Jonathan Smith is now 8-12 overall, with a dreadful 3-11 mark against the conference.

So, what's going on?

Spartan Nation founder and publisher, Hondo Carpenter, and Jonathan Schoop are here to break it all down over roughly a half hour.

You can watch it all down below.

Watch here:

In addition, a partial transcript from Smith's Monday press conference has been provided.

Jonathan Smith

Michigan State head coach Jonathan Smith answers a question during a press conference on Oct. 27, 2025. | Jacob Cotsonika, Michigan State Spartans on SI

SMITH: Recapping after watching the tape, I think defensively, [they] really kept us in the game. I thought they had a critical hold for a field goal, 10 points at half, the third quarter, a couple long drives there. You know, we couldn't get off the field a couple of times, a tough call extended the drive, that kind of thing.

But I did think the effort was there, not a lot of missed assignments type thing. I do think as the game got into the second half, they [Michigan] leaned on us a little bit, because they've been out there quite a bit. 

Offensively, slow start, call it lack of execution, timing, some things that we got to do better. Didn't help ourselves penalty-wise, a drop, inaccurate throws, wanted to be able to regroup.

And then you look at opportunities in the fourth quarter, didn't finish. You can go back to the couple of fourth downs, got us a chance to make it a much more, you know, back in the game, didn't happen. 

Michigan State Spartans linebacker Wayne Matthews III (10) tackles Michigan Wolverines running back Justice Haynes (22) during a rush in Spartan Stadium on Oct. 25, 2025. | Starr Portice, Michigan State Spartans on SI

Special teams-wise, was pleased with Eckley's hang time in regards to the punt game coverage unit. That part was good to see, because that had been missing for a couple of weeks, but ultimately still came down to just not good enough and got beat. 

And so, how do you move forward? Regrouping. Guys got told the truth quite a bit yesterday, looking at things.

Still a lot out in front of us. We spoke to that, because, again, I think the preparation, we weren't second-guessing the week of work that went into leading into that. And really the energy, passion we played with, can we recreate that on a Saturday and execute a little bit better? 

So that's where our mindset is moving forward, looking toward the opportunity that's coming on the road in Minnesota.

Got a bunch of respect for the program. P.J. Fleck, well-established over there in the brand of football they play. Physcial, play good defense. They're doing it again this year.

Yeah, they are coming off a tough loss just like us, but they play really well at home. 

Michigan State head coach Jonathan Smith speaks at the post game press conference after 31-20 loss to Michigan at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing on Saturday, October 25, 2025. | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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