The poke at former MSU head coach John L. Smith — who has been ridiculed for using the phrase during an Arkansas press conference last week — achieved its goal, but there was some truth behind the suggestion.

Dantonio certainly wasn’t smiling, despite his team improving to 3-1 overall. In his post game press conference, he evaded questions like junior running back Le’Veon Bell avoids defenders, answering each with a pointed “next question.”

Junior quarterback Andrew Maxwell wasn’t smiling after he turned in a 16-for-29, 159-yard performance in the air. Junior defensive end William Gholston wasn’t smiling as he rode the pine for the entire first half after missing practice time the prior week.

Junior wide receiver Bennie Fowler wasn’t smiling, not after he dropped multiple passes in the first half, including one which would have been a sure touchdown. And he wasn’t smiling after he spent much of the second half on the sidelines either.

Junior running back Le’Veon Bell might have smiled a bit, after rushing for a career-high 253 yards and one touchdown on 33 carries. After the game he said he doesn’t really feel like he has more pressure on him with the passing game faltering. But without Bell, I’m not sure the Spartans pull out a win against a team that had been outscored 112-56 prior to the matchup.

And I’m not sure how much more Bell can do to help this sputtering offense. He broke off runs of 40, 22, and 16 yards, while also going for eight or nine yards multiple times to keep the ball moving and the drives alive. The offense still fizzled out.

The fact that the Spartans trailed the 0-3 Eagles — now 0-4 — for most of the game understandably troubled Dantonio, whose team needs to be better than it showed this afternoon.

A week after being embarrassed by No. 11 Notre Dame on national television, the Spartans needed to prove why they belong among the top 25 teams in the nation. They needed to show why the criticism raining down on the Big Ten these past few weeks is misplaced, and that they can play with any team in the nation.

But instead, MSU came out “flat,” not finding the end zone until midway through the fourth quarter against a team ranked 116th out of 120 in average points against.

So when you check the AP Top 25 poll Sunday afternoon, don’t be surprised or upset if the Spartans are left off the list. But don’t mash the panic button repeatedly either. There’s still seven games left on the schedule, and a lot of football left in the season.

Instead, I suggest you just listen to the advice of Smith and Narduzzi.

Just grit your teeth, and smile.

Jesse O’Brien is a State News football reporter. He can be reached at obrie151@msu.edu.