Michigan State’s Week Two showing against Eastern Michigan gave fans plenty to talk about, and the loudest reactions centered on the players who are starting to give this team shape.
Charles Taplin was the name drawing the biggest buzz on social media. His performance included more than 60 yards and a touchdown, production that lined up with what Rodney Bullard Jr. delivered in the season opener. For a young receiver, that kind of day felt like a real step forward, and fans made it clear they noticed the spark.
Charles Taplin is doing what you want to see from a young player:making it impossible for the coaches to bring him back to the sideline
GOOD JOB CHARLES TAPLIN 💚🤍 TOUCHDOWN 💚🤍 GO GREEN 💚 GO WHITE 🤍
Cam Edwards also kept his momentum rolling after the opener against Toledo. He returned after injury concerns and handled the lead back role against Eastern Michigan, piling up 108 yards and 2 TDs on 18 carries. The only blemish was his first fumble as a Spartan, but even that didn’t stop fans from seeing a player who had done enough for the day.
Cam Edwards with 108 yards & 2 TDs on 18 carries now. I would give him the rest of the day off now.
On defense, the early returns were mixed. Joe Rossi came into the season looking to change a unit that struggled badly last year to create turnovers, and Michigan State did manage to force a fumble against Eastern Michigan.
Still, the first half left plenty of room for concern after the Spartans gave up triple-digit yards to the Eagles. Some fans pointed to the positives, but the struggles were hard to miss.
HALFTIME: MSU 14, EMU 7. Spartans get kickoff to open second half.
Failed to get points on final possession of half and had to punt, then defense gave up a 20-yard run right up the middle before time ran out. Sputting offense and big plays allowed remain issues.
The second half looked much better for the Spartan run defense, which held EMU to -6 rushing yards with 9:00 remaining.
The overall result - a blowout in Michigan State’s favor - left some fans surprised and some starting to believe the season could be headed somewhere more interesting than expected. After the way Week One went, the mood around the team shifted quickly, with a few voices even floating the possibility of a bowl game.
Is Michigan State actually going to have a decent football team this year?
Michigan State handled business as they were expected to do. The real season is about to begin and no one can predict the future but the undefeated Michigan State Spartans are ready to take on any challenge willing to face us
Michigan State looks like a good team that’s coming into their own. Definitely better than the group we played last year. Hopefully we truly improve today and next week.
In Other News...
Michigan States Blowout Already Revealed A New Battle To Watch
Michigan States 35-7 win over Eastern Michigan did more than move the Spartans to 2-0 in 2026. It also gave the coaching staff a long look at a roster that was deep enough to keep rotating bodies on both sides of the ball, especially up front, where the offensive line shuffle continued to be part of the story.
Charles Taplin added his first collegiate touchdown to the mix, while several freshmen got their first non-special teams snaps in game action. The bigger long-term takeaway, though, may have come at nickelback, where a new competition is beginning to take shape and could become one of the more interesting depth-chart battles to follow as the season settles in. [Read more 🡒]
Michigan State Fans Have A New Offensive Debate After Saturdays Surge
Michigan States 35-7 win over Eastern Michigan gave first-year coach Pat Fitzgerald another clean step forward, but it also added a new layer to the conversation around the offense. The Spartans are 2-0, and while Alessio Milivojevic steadied himself after a slow start, the unit looked far more dynamic once the game opened up in the second half. Cam Edwards kept the ground game moving with a big day, showing how much easier things can look when the run game is setting the tone.
Cam Fancher also gave the offense a different rhythm as the backup quarterback, and that change of pace may be the part fans keep circling back to after a comfortable win. Fitzgerald has reasons to feel good about where the team is headed, but the way the quarterback rotation unfolded, paired with Edwards impact and Milivojevics uneven start, left just enough to wonder how this offense will look when the competition gets tougher. [Read more 🡒]
Michigan State Defense Faces Bigger Joe Rossi Test After Uneven Win
Michigan State got enough from its defense to steady an otherwise uneven win, and the second-half turnaround offered a clearer look at what Joe Rossi is trying to build. After a frustrating opening stretch against Eastern Michigan, the Spartans settled in after halftime and completely changed the feel of the game, tightening up against the run and keeping the Eagles off the board over the final two quarters.
Pat Fitzgerald made no attempt to hide his irritation with how the defense played before the break, but the response afterward helped ease some of that concern. The bigger question now is whether Michigan State can carry that adjustment into a more demanding test, because the flashes of control it showed later in the game will mean much more once Rossis unit is facing a sharper opponent and a longer night of pressure. [Read more 🡒]