Michigan State’s trip to Wisconsin turned into a rough 31-3 drubbing, and the kind of game that leaves the Spartans searching for answers after another flat Saturday.
The loss dropped Michigan State to 2-3 after a 2-0 start, a slide that’s starting to feel all too familiar. Pat Fitzgerald was expected to bring something different this time around, and after a game like this, the pressure to shake things up is only going to grow. Whatever comes next, the message is clear: something has to change.
That reality is exactly why the “the team needs change” crowd comes away feeling like the big winner here. After a Nebraska loss and a decent showing against No.
3 Notre Dame, there was still room to talk about patience. After getting rolled by Wisconsin, there’s a much stronger case that Fitzgerald needs to do something to spark this group.
A quarterback switch may be too much for now, and a youth movement may be premature, but personnel changes feel unavoidable.
On the other side of the ledger, the Cam Fancher package took another hit. Even before Fancher left with an injury that didn’t look good, the package wasn’t working for a second straight week.
It stalled a drive just as Alessio Milivojevic was finding a rhythm, and it’s hard to argue for more quarterback swapping mid-drive. Fancher can still have a role in small doses - a play or two, maybe as a decoy, in short-yardage spots, or when the offense needs a jolt - but the constant shuffling isn’t helping.
There was at least one defensive bright spot. Dion Crawford led the team in tackles and posted the highest PFF grade on the Spartans’ defense.
With Jordan Hall out, Crawford was steady all afternoon and looked comfortable in a game where linebackers were hard to come by. The defense as a whole didn’t shine, but Crawford was one of the few players who clearly belonged on the field.
The bigger issue came from the coordinators. Neither Nick Sheridan nor Joe Rossi had a day to remember.
Sheridan’s offense never found any real rhythm, and the play-calling felt stale. Rossi’s defense couldn’t adjust to Colton Joseph, who barely wanted to throw and still hurt Michigan State with his legs.
Joseph finished with just about as many rushing yards, 141, as passing yards, 145, and the Spartans never found a way to slow him down.
The offensive numbers are getting harder to ignore. Sheridan’s group has scored 26 points over the past three games, and the offense is now sitting below 9.0 points per game over that stretch. The offensive line deserves its share of blame, but the play-calling hasn’t done the unit any favors.
There really wasn’t much else to point to on a day this ugly. Maybe Liam Boyd, Rhys Dakin, or Jayden Savoury could be tossed into the conversation, but nothing stood out enough to make a strong third winner. It was that kind of afternoon.
Milivojevic, meanwhile, is taking the heat at quarterback even if he wasn’t the sole reason for the loss. He went 15-for-32 for 103 yards with no touchdowns and no interceptions, and he struggled to push the ball down the field. He’s likely still the starter for now, especially with Fancher hurt and Kayd Coffman a true freshman, but he needs to bounce back fast.
In Other News...
Michigan State Suddenly Has Bigger Questions Than Just One Ugly Loss
The 31-3 loss to Wisconsin left Michigan State with more to sort through than a bad afternoon on the scoreboard. Joe Rossis defense drew scrutiny for how easily the game got away, but the offensive side may have created even more concern, with the Cam Fancher package not providing the spark the Spartans needed and the entire operation looking stuck far too often.
Cam Fanchers non-contact leg injury only adds another layer to the uncertainty. Michigan State now has to think about reshuffling its approach, and that could mean more touches for younger receivers and a fresh look at the play-calling, because the current formula is not giving the Spartans enough answers. [Read more 🡒]
Michigan State Just Became Part Of An Awkward Rankings Story
Wisconsins win over Michigan State did more than tighten the Big Ten picture. It put the Badgers in line to crack the AP Top 25, adding another layer to a weekend that already figures to shake up the national poll and send a few familiar names sliding around the board. For the Spartans, it is another reminder of how one result can ripple well beyond a single box score.
The rankings are also expected to shift near the top, with changes looming among the top seven teams and Mississippi State likely to fall after its loss to Alabama. Add in a handful of other teams that should move based on recent performances, and this feels like one of those poll weeks where the AP voters have plenty to sort through, even before the debate around Michigan States place in the aftermath really starts. [Read more 🡒]
Michigan State's Wisconsin Loss Exposed Problems Fans Can't Ignore
Michigan States latest loss to Wisconsin left plenty to sort through, and not much of it was comforting for a team still trying to find its footing. The Spartans had trouble controlling the line of scrimmage, couldnt generate enough from the passing game, and continued to come up short in the kinds of situations that decide close games, especially on third and fourth down.
There were a few encouraging signs to hang onto, including a strong punting effort and cleaner football overall with fewer penalties and no turnovers. Still, the bigger picture is hard to ignore: the defense had too many problems getting off the field, the offense lacked reliable production at wide receiver, and the issues that showed up in Madison are the kind that can linger if they are not fixed quickly. [Read more 🡒]