Michigan State’s 31-13 loss to Nebraska turned into a snap-count puzzle because the Spartans were constantly patching together a lineup on the fly.
The injury list kept growing before and during the game. Brady Pretzlaff and Tyran Chappell were already ruled out before kickoff, Tre Bell was hurt in pregame warmups, and then Cam Edwards, Conner Moore, and Jordan Hall all went down once the game started. How long those players are out will be something to watch over the next few days, especially with Michigan State’s first availability report for Wisconsin due Wednesday.
That churn was especially noticeable on the outside, where the Spartans barely deviated from their top three receivers. Pat Fitzgerald had hinted before the season that there could be rotation at the position, but Saturday looked a lot like what Michigan State has leaned on all year: Rodney Bullard Jr., Fredrick Moore, and, in the slot, Chrishon McCray handling nearly all the meaningful work.
Moore played 61 snaps, Bullard 59, and McCray 38, according to PFF. Everyone else in the receiver room combined for no more than three snaps.
That setup has become one of the bigger talking points around this offense. Michigan State has long leaned heavily on its starters at receiver, with Courtney Hawkins coaching that group, but the results so far suggest the unit could use more variety.
A lot of the passing game’s problems have come from a lack of separation, and giving more receivers a real role each week would at least make life a little less comfortable for the defense. Guys like Charles Taplin, Samson Gash, and KK Smith seem like they should get a bigger look.
The bigger picture isn’t encouraging, either. Michigan State’s offense has run into Notre Dame and Nebraska, two teams with secondaries that can make a passing game work for every inch.
Wisconsin sits 22nd nationally in pass defense after Week 4, giving up 239 yards through the air against Notre Dame in the opener and then only 114 at Penn State on Saturday. Whatever changes MSU might make, the next challenge doesn’t get much easier.
The injuries hit the defensive backfield just as hard. With Tyran Chappell, Tre Bell, Keshawn Williams, and NiJhay Burt either unavailable before the game or leaving with injuries, Michigan State had to lean on depth that usually sits much further down the chart.
That meant a heavy workload for Andrew Brinson IV, who logged 48 snaps out of 68 possible plays. A third-year player and likely the fifth or sixth corner on the roster, Brinson had not played at all in Michigan State’s first three games.
He missed all of last season with an injury and had 59 defensive snaps during his true freshman season in 2024. Against Nebraska, he held up reasonably well: the Cornhuskers went after him often, and he allowed 22 yards on four catches and seven targets.
Cam Stodghill also got pushed into a bigger role. He played 31 defensive snaps Saturday after totaling 28 across the first three games of the season. His snap count had climbed from 1 to 11 to 16 during the non-conference stretch, and he was listed as a starter against Nebraska before the injuries forced Michigan State to use him even more as a hybrid linebacker/defensive back.
There was also a season debut on defense from Aveon Grose, who played six defensive snaps and chipped in on special teams. That area matters for him, too: he led Michigan State with 219 special teams snaps during the 2025 season.
Adam Shaw didn’t get an official debut, but he did log the first defensive snap of his college career. DiMari Malone also added 12 snaps at linebacker, after already making his defensive debut on a play against Notre Dame.
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Fraleys rise has also brought national attention with it, including early buzz as a Rimington Trophy front-runner. What makes the start even more notable is the path that got him here, since he arrived after being recognized as the best center in the FCS before making the jump to the FBS level. If Michigan State is going to settle its protection problems, the Spartans may already have found a rare portal addition who looks ready to anchor the line. [Read more 🡒]
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The bigger picture around campus is just as busy, with the homecoming matchup against Illinois now on the calendar for early October and men's tennis already celebrating its Big Ten championship rings. Add in a men's golf team that has put itself near the top of the Windon Memorial leaderboard, and it has the feel of one of those weeks when Michigan State followers need to track more than just the next snap. [Read more 🡒]
Michigan State Suddenly Has A Worry It Didnt Need After Nebraska
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The concern now is whether the defense can absorb what happened in Lincoln and move on cleanly. Halls performance was a bright spot, but his exit with an injury leaves Michigan State waiting on another piece of information it did not need this early in conference play. After a game like this, the Spartans are left not only sorting through the loss itself, but also the health questions that can change the outlook for the weeks ahead. [Read more 🡒]