Michigan State’s trip to UCLA ended in a 28-10 loss, and the grades tell the story of a team trying to function with too many key pieces missing. The Spartans’ offense was stuck in survival mode, the defense hung around long enough to make things interesting, and the special teams were at least steady in spots. But the bigger picture is getting ugly fast.
Offense earned the lowest mark, a 2, and for good reason. Michigan State finished with just 156 total yards, its fewest since the miserable 2023 finale against Penn State and, before that, the 2019 loss at Wisconsin that effectively slammed shut the best stretch of the Mark Dantonio years.
This wasn’t quite the same kind of dead-on-arrival performance, though, because the Spartans were working with a first-time starting quarterback and their fourth-string running back. That context matters.
So does the fact that there were a few flashes. Freshman Kayd Coffman showed some arm talent and looks like a good prospect, even if the situation around him was rough after only a week of preparation.
Redshirt freshman Leo Hannan also showed a little something when he finished the game. Kenneth Williams added a few solid runs in his first real role this season, although his fumble was a major turning point, just like Coffman’s interception.
Michigan State managed only 10 first downs and struggled to get traction unless it began in the red zone.
The defense, by contrast, was good enough to keep the game alive for a while and maybe even good enough overall if the offense had held up its end. UCLA still piled up 28 first downs and 443 yards, but Michigan State’s defense was disruptive and competitive despite being without Ben Roberts for almost the entire game.
Devin Vaught forced two fumbles, nearly taking one back the length of the field, and Nikai Martinez almost scored on the other. The Spartans were in the fight until the second half, when the lack of offensive support and all the shorthandedness finally started to show.
If MSU’s offense doesn’t hand away those two first-half turnovers after the defense created them, the final stretch might look a lot different.
Special teams landed at a 5, which fits the night: some good, some messy. Liam Boyd drilled a 46-yard field goal, and Rhys Dakin was mostly sharp punting the ball.
But one punt got partially blocked, and another that might have pinned UCLA at the 1 instead turned into a touchback after a rough play. Even with those mistakes, special teams hardly feels like the main problem here.
Michigan State is one of the few teams with solid special teams and no wins to show for it.
Coaching also got a 5, though that’s about as high as the situation allows when a team has dropped six straight and no unit is rising above middling. The injury situation has become absurd, but the Spartans still came out looking more ready and more locked in than UCLA early on. With a true freshman quarterback and fewer and fewer proven bodies available, they still managed to compete for a stretch.
The outlook in the bottom line is bleak. It’s hard to see where another win comes from right now, because this is not the same team that showed up against Notre Dame, Illinois or Northwestern.
Losing Ben Roberts is huge. If Devin Vaught’s leg injury is serious, that’s another major hit.
There’s a chance the bye week helps and a chance Oregon and Rutgers are rough enough to make those games interesting. And maybe Michigan’s offense is shaky enough that a couple turnovers could open the door there.
But at the moment, that hope is slipping away.
In Other News...
UCLA Coach Just Spelled Out What Went Wrong For Michigan State
UCLAs 28-10 win over Michigan State at the Rose Bowl pushed the Bruins to 7-0, but the conversation afterward centered just as much on how the game unfolded as on the final score. Bruins coach Bob Chesney pointed to a sluggish start, a few turnovers and some shaky game management before his team settled in, a fair snapshot of a night when the Spartans had chances to make things uncomfortable early.
Chesney also acknowledged the messier details along the way, including fumbles, drops and penalties, even as he praised the overall effort and said he expects the group to clean it up. For Michigan State, the takeaway is less about one bad stretch and more about how a ranked-level opponent can survive its mistakes, regroup and still control the game. [Read more 🡒]
Michigan State Loss Leaves Two Big Questions Fans Wont Ignore
Michigan States six-game slide grew harder to ignore in a 28-10 loss to No. 9 UCLA, a result that once again left the Spartans searching for answers on both sides of the ball. The offense was operating short-handed, and freshman quarterback Kayd Coffman showed flashes early before the drive-to-drive struggles piled up, leaving the Spartans stuck trying to manufacture consistency they never really found.
There were still a few bright spots, most notably safety Devin Vaught turning in a strong defensive effort, but the bigger concern may be what comes next for a unit already stretched thin. The injury to defensive leader Ben Roberts could become the more consequential development coming out of the game, especially for a team that is already fighting to stabilize itself during a difficult stretch. [Read more 🡒]
Michigan States UCLA Loss Exposed A Bigger Problem Than The Score
Michigan States loss to No. 9 UCLA fit the scoreboard, but the bigger issue for the Spartans was everything that piled up around it. The defeat dropped them to 2-6 overall and 0-5 in Big Ten play, and for stretches they did enough to create some hope, with safety Devin Vaught forcing two turnovers before leaving with a leg injury, Nikai Martinez jumping on a fumble, and quarterback Leo Hannan flashing a few encouraging moments in relief.
The problem is that the positives kept getting swallowed by the injury list, which only grew as the night wore on. Marvis Parrish, Nick Sharpe, Ben Roberts and Vaught all ended up part of the shuffle, leaving Michigan State to piece together roles in real time while trying to compete with a top-10 opponent. At this point, the Spartans are dealing with more than the pain of another loss, because the way theyre holding up physically has become part of the story too. [Read more 🡒]