Special Teams Summary: Game 6 vs. UCLA

Special Teams are important to MSU, but just how important were they in game six?

Oct 11, 2025; East Lansing, Michigan, USA; UCLA Bruins defensive back Scooter Jackson (28) tackles Michigan State wide receiver Chrishon McCray (13) after catching a pass in the fourth quarter at Spartan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brendan Mullin-Imagn Images | Brendan Mullin-Imagn Images

In need of holding off an upset against the UCLA Bruins, the Michigan State Spartans needed to recover from their lackluster showing against the game prior, and they especially needed to improve on special teams.

They had been nearly perfect in their first four weeks, but then they imploded against the Nebraska Cornhuskers, and to make sure they did not lose to the Bruins, they would have to have a clean game.

So how did they improve, and what was left unchanged and disappointing in MSU's 38-13 loss?

The Improvements

Michigan State's Ryan Eckley mimics a golf swing after a deep punt against Boston College during the fourth quarter on Saturday, Sept. 6, 2025, at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing. | Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

• The list of things that changed for the better against UCLA was sadly kept quite short as the team got blown out.

• The only big change in game six was that none of Ryan Eckley's punts were blocked, as one had been against Nebraska, but there had been more than one occasion where it had been close.

• The improvement needs to be taken with a grain of salt as Head Coach Jonathan Smith works with the Special Teams after the loss before the team plays Indiana on the road.

The Unchanged Habits

Sep 13, 2025; East Lansing, Michigan, USA; Michigan State place kicker Martin Connington (29) kicks a PAT against Youngstown State in the third quarter at Spartan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brendan Mullin-Imagn Images | Brendan Mullin-Imagn Images

• Kicks were still missed by place kicker Martin Connington, the same as they had been the week prior, having missed one extra point attempt, and having extended the streak of a missed kick to two games. Concerns may begin floating around Connington's name.

• Furthermore, the returners for MSU might begin receiving some criticism as well. As the game progressed, the Spartans seemed to say that they did not want to return the ball anymore, as the majority of their kickoff returns resulted in fair catches and touchbacks.

Michigan State's Elijah Tau-Tolliver celebrates his touchdown against Youngstown State during the fourth quarter on Saturday, Sept. 13, 2025, at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing. | Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

• The same applied to when the Spartans kicked off to the Bruins' returners, in which there were many touchbacks; however, their few returns had gone much farther than the Spartans' returns did.

• Where the Bruins got between the 30 and 40 yard line, MSU got between the 10 and 20. The special teams seemed to have regressed in the returning regard, the opposite of what they needed to do.

Michigan State's head coach Jonathan Smith, center, looks on from the sideline during the third 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

Overall, the Spartans' special teams did improve in some areas, but they regressed in others, and if the Spartans are going to bounce back after three tough losses in a row, they will need to step up their game in all regards.

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