Here are some quick thoughts from halftime at Spartan Stadium.

Lewerke stays sharp while Coghlin continues to struggle

Michigan State's offense didn't have a lot of issues moving the ball against the Hoosiers. Most of their success came from the arm of Brian Lewerke. The fifth-year quarterback entered Saturday's game in third place for passing yards in the Big Ten and showed no signs of slowing down in the first half.

He set up Michigan State's first scoring drive, with receptions to wide receiver C.J. Hayes and tight end Matt Seybert, before a 30-yard pass down the sideline to Cody White moved the Spartans into the red zone. A pass interference on IU two plays later moved the ball inside the 5-yard line, where Elijah Collins trotted into the end zone to put the Spartans up 7-0.

After turning the ball over on downs on the next possession, followed up by a 26-yard touchdown pass from Michael Penix Jr. to Whop Philyor, Lewerke led a 10-play, 75-yard drive that culminated in a 5-yard touchdown pass to Darrell Stewart Jr.

Lewerke finished the half 14-for-26 for 223 yards and two scores, with 120 yards of it coming in the first quarter.

Matt Coghlin had missed four consecutive field goals before he ended with the drought with a 26-yarder in the second half against Northwestern last week. But his struggles in Spartan Stadium continued when he missed a 43-yard field goal on Michigan State's first offensive possession.

After starting the season 7-for-7, Coghlin has missed five of his last six attempts.

With the game tied at 14 with less than a minute to go before halftime, Lewerke and MSU's offense executed the two-minute drill to perfect, covering 56 yards in 46 seconds, as Lewerke connected with Stewart again, this time from 26 yards out.

Antjuan Simmons has a very productive half

Last week, senior linebacker Joe Bachie had a career-high day with 14 tackles, one sack, two pass breakups, two tackles for loss and an interception. Simmons looked determined to reciprocate that production in the first half.

Simmons led Michigan State's defense with six tackles with two tackles for loss — one of which looked to be a game-changer. As Indiana's second offensive possession approached midfield, Simmons bolted into the backfield to stop a poorly-blocked jet sweep on fourth-and-one to force a turnover on downs.

The rest of MSU's defense looked rather human

As Simmons was having a field day, the rest of Michigan State's defense looked rather vulnerable for the first time this season. After a punt and a turnover on downs on its first two drives, Indiana's offense moved down the field rather easily against the Spartans.

The Hoosiers finished off a six-play, 68-yard drive when Penix connected with Philyor after he got lost in coverage between defensive backs Josiah Scott and Xavier Henderson. Then, after the Spartans re-took the lead on the first touchdown pass to Stewart, the Hoosiers went right down the field again, this time ending a 10-play, 80-yard drive with a two-yard touchdown run by Penix.

On that scoring drive, Michigan State's defense looked lost again when Penix Jr. found Donavan Hale all alone for a 28-yard gain to move the ball inside of the 10-yard line. After a pass interference on Kalon Gervin in the end zone, which moved the ball down to the two-yard line, Penix Jr. used his legs to tie the game.

Penix Jr. finished the half 15 of 19 for 142 yards and one touchdown.

This is really the first time Michigan State's defense looked suspect and got gashed by an offense all year. And how they respond after halftime may be the determining factor in the Spartans' outcome.