MSU Captains Hall, Gulbin Discuss UCLA Loss, Season Outlook

See what two of Michigan State's captains had to say about the team's third consecutive loss.

Michigan State center Matt Gulbin (left) and linebacker Jordan Hall (right) discuss the Spartans' 38-13 loss to UCLA after the game on Oct. 11, 2025. | Jacob Cotsonika, Michigan State Spartans on SI

EAST LANSING --- After dropping to 3-3 on the season and 0-3 in conference play with a 38-13 loss to UCLA in Spartan Stadium, a lot is probably going to be asked of the team's captains to steer Michigan State back in the right direction.

Two of those captains, center Matt Gulbin and linebacker Jordan Hall, talked to the media after the team's third straight defeat. Gulbin has been MSU's most reliable offensive lineman this year, and Hall led the team with seven total tackles on Saturday. You can watch the full video of their postgame press conference below.

Michigan State's quarterback Aiden Chiles leaves the field after the Spartans loss to UCLA on Saturday, Oct. 11, 2025, at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing. | Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Watch Matt Gulbin and Jordan Hall here:

In addition, a partial transcript of the press conference has been provided.

Transcript

Michigan State's Jordan Hall looks on from the sideline during the first quarter in the game against UCLA on Saturday, Oct. 11, 2025, at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing. | Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Q: When you guys are down so bad at halftime and your fans are booing you down the tunnel, how do you compartmentalize that? How do you stomach that?

HALL: Yeah, we just have to play better, execute better. It's a little unfortunate bringing that performance to such a big crowd, but besides, we need to prepare throughout the week, be able to execute in these big games.

Michigan State's Jordan Hall walk back to the locker room before the football game against UCLA on Saturday, Oct. 11, 2025, at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing. | Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Q: You had a 7-0 lead or 7-3 or whatever it was, but the fourth-down call that you guys didn't pick up, and then it seemed like the momentum shifted right there. Did it feel like that on the field, or was that just UCLA coming together at that point?

HALL: No, I mean, that's a great team. They've been turning things around the last two weeks. You know, we're always clawing and fighting back, no matter the situation. That was something that was kind of unfortunate.

Michigan State center Matt Gulbin gets ready to throw a block during the Spartans' game against the USC Trojans on Sept. 20, 2025. | Darrell Craig Harris, On SI

HALL cont.: But we always, I know for defense, we always want to respond and be able to have the offense feel comfortable enough to go for it on the fourth down. They came up short. We didn't do our job on them that day.

GULBIN: Yeah, I mean, we just got to execute there. I don't know if it felt like a momentum shift, but we just got to do our job.

Oct 11, 2025; East Lansing, Michigan, USA; UCLA defensive back Key Lawrence (4) holds a towel with the Michigan State logo after defeating the Spartans at Spartan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brendan Mullin-Imagn Images | Brendan Mullin-Imagn Images

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