Michigan State’s defense spent Week Two looking like a unit that had heard every criticism from the Toledo game and decided to answer it on the field.
The Spartans blanked Eastern Michigan in the second half, and that shutdown came after a first half in which the Eagles managed just one touchdown. For a team coming off a shaky opener, that was a clear step forward. When Michigan State wins 35-7, there’s not a whole lot to pick apart, and the defense did its part by tightening the screws as the game went on.
Up front, the Spartans were relentless. Eli Coenen was the headliner, and he earned it.
The interior lineman piled up two sacks to push his season total to 3.0, which puts him atop the Big Ten in sacks. Michigan State finished with four sacks overall, and the pressure never really let Eastern Michigan get comfortable.
Kenny Soares Jr. added his first sack as a Spartan after already opening the year with an interception in Week One. Anelu Lafaele and Keahnist Thompson also chipped in, each credited with half a sack on the same takedown. The run defense had a few shaky moments, including two gains of more than 15 yards, but once the Spartans had control, the Eagles’ ground game faded out of the picture.
At linebacker, Brady Petzlaff kept making his case. He tied for the team lead with eight tackles, while Dion Crawford was right behind with seven, the third-most on the roster.
That production mattered even more with Jordan Hall sidelined before kickoff because of lingering injuries from Week One. Caleb Wheatland also added four tackles and 0.5 tackles for loss, giving the group another steady contribution.
The biggest turnaround may have come in the secondary. After a rough opening week, the cornerbacks and safeties looked much more settled against Eastern Michigan.
Charles Brantley bounced back in a big way, recovering a fumble and holding up well after being beaten for a 60-yard touchdown in the opener. Tre Bell finished with three tackles and 0.5 tackles for loss, Nikai Martinez added five tackles and a pass deflection, and Devin Vaught matched Petzlaff and Coenen with eight total tackles.
Eastern Michigan’s only touchdown came on a rushing score by quarterback Noah Kim, but the passing game never really found a rhythm against Michigan State’s back end. That was the kind of response the Spartans needed after Week One.
Special teams also did its job without drama. Liam Boyd went from five field goals in the opener to five extra points in Week Two, and he converted all five. Rhys Dakin punted twice and finished with 101 total net yards, highlighted by a 59-yard punt that rolled into the end zone.
In Other News...
Michigan State Fans Have A New Offensive Debate After Saturdays Surge
Michigan States 35-7 win over Eastern Michigan gave the program another comfortable result early in the Pat Fitzgerald era, but it also sharpened the conversation around how the offense should look moving forward. The Spartans are 2-0 under their first-year head coach, and Saturdays second-half surge showed a group that can settle in after a rough start, with Alessio Milivojevic recovering from a slow opening stretch and the attack finding more rhythm as the game wore on.
Cam Fanchers change of pace off the bench added another layer to the discussion, while Cam Edwards kept making the kind of plays that force a coaching staff to keep feeding him. He finished with 152 yards and two touchdowns, though a late fumble offered a reminder that even in a lopsided win, the details still matter. For a team trying to define its offensive identity this early in the season, the mix of quarterback options and a productive ground game has given fans something real to debate. [Read more 🡒]
Eli Coenen Is About To Face Michigan States First Real Test
Michigan State has spent the opening stretch of 2026 getting an early look at what Eli Coenen can bring off the edge, and the transfer addition has answered quickly. Through two games, he has piled up three sacks, already topping any individual total from last seasons Spartans and putting himself at the top of the Big Ten leaderboard. It has been a major reason the defense has looked sharper and more disruptive than it did a year ago.
The next step figures to tell a lot more. Notre Dames offensive line brings a much sturdier test than Michigan State has seen so far, and Coenens early production will now have to hold up against far better protection and a far more seasoned front. For a defense that has enjoyed a strong start, this is the kind of matchup that can show whether the surge is real or just an early-season boost. [Read more 🡒]
Michigan State Suddenly Has A Bigger Jordan Hall Concern
Jordan Halls status was already worth watching after he picked up a right-arm injury against Toledo, and it became an immediate talking point heading into Michigan States Week 2 matchup with Eastern Michigan. Pat Fitzgerald said Hall was close to playing, but the medical staff would not clear him, so the linebacker sat out while the Spartans kept moving without one of their more important defensive pieces.
Michigan State still handled business in a 35-7 win, with other linebackers stepping up and keeping the defense on track. The bigger concern now is less about what happened against Eastern Michigan and more about how quickly Hall can get back into the mix, especially with the Spartans wanting that unit settled before the schedule gets tougher. [Read more 🡒]