Opportunity Lost
You’re reading on The Only Colors website, so I’m certain you know the history of this game, particularly from the last few years. Since the start of the decade the series is 2-2. Things started positively with the Lombardi and Kenneth Walker games. Then came the Tunnel and last year’s thumping along with the revelation of a multi-year cheating scandal, somehow yet to be resolved. There would be energy on both sides of the field for this de facto Halloween night game under the lights in the big bowl – bring your binoculars. Let’s see how the game actually played out.
UM won the toss. Though they just seem like the kind of program that paid the refs for it, no?
Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images
When the Green took to the field in the first quarter they moved the ball well and looked pretty solid overall – though leaning heavily on the run game. Chiles used his legs early to keep the D off-balance. Between he and Carter and (an occasional unbalanced line) the chains moved well, though most watching might have noticed a little too much sideline-to-sideline running and not enough turning it upfield. A highlight came on the first series with Chiles throwing to Nate Carter who broke away for 23. The offense muscled it to the 2. Unfortunately the team couldn’t punch it in and, following a delay of game call, a Kim field goal attempt was missed. The second series was more impressive and actually ended in a Carter TD.
Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images
The Defense was doing fantastically as well in the first. D’Quan Douse opened the night’s work with a TFL leading to a Three-and-out. The second series was a four-and-out and the first quarter was dominated by the Green and White.
Unfortunately, the Wolvies got the chains moving with some short throws on crossing routes and very little in the way of a standard running game. Their tight end got into the end zone just before the half. While the snap on the extra point was fumbled and later thrown to Malik Spencer, with 16 seconds left on the clock Chiles was strip-sacked giving up the ball in MSU territory. A pass to Edwards got the ball well within FG range and the half ended 7-9, bad guys.
Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images
The Spartans never took the lead back. The offense had spurts and Carter carried the day with 118 on 19 with a TD alongside two receptions for 56. Marsh did catch a TD but finished with only 4 for 42. Foster had 4 for 44. We out-rushed them to the tune of 163 to 119, but the yards/carry average was nearly identical at 3.9 to their 3.8. Total yardage: 352 to UM’s 265. Unfortunately, the starting field position difference was substantial and a few key mistakes were costly. The Jonathan Kim missed field goal to open the game gave them hope when there should have been none. The fumble which let UM take the lead into the half. The False Start, the Intentional Grounding, the Targeting. Two blown coverages on the Tight End leading to their scores. This game is going to be a story of the death by a thousand papercuts. MSU never felt out of it, but as the game progressed, each drive seemed a balance of steps forward and back. The O-line seemed solid at times for some of the trap blocking and run game. But Chiles never really had time in the backfield to setup for the dagger. He was sacked three times but saved himself from several others.
On the other side, Orji ran the ball well enough when no one else could – 6 for 64, but each yard came at a key moment, including the run to seal it. MSU wanted to see Warren beat us throwing – unfortunately our D, overselling on the run, let him get just enough confidence and momentum in the second into the third for him to barely do just that.
The clock, reading 37 minutes in our favor vs 23 in theirs, among the other stats above, pointed to MSU being the better team throughout the night. Even final drive even felt pretty good up until the 7 yard pass to Foster on 3rd and 12. Watching the final incompletion, I’m sure several fans were thinking Chiles should have run it. The game seemed a microcosm of the season so far – incredible potential mixed with inconsistency and missed opportunities.
Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images
I’m still high on this team and believe they’ll go bowling – but this would have been a difference maker between a middle-of-the-road “Rebuilding” season and, “Holy crap, we’re well ahead of schedule.” The next four (cough) five games are all winnable. The team will reset after this and work out the kinks, much like they did for Iowa. Indiana comes in with a good record and good momentum and no longer with their star QB. We’ll worry about that next week. For now – let’s just revel in our indifference to the knobs down in AA and the jackassery of their TE getting in Anthony Jones face mask as time wound down.
Go Green.