Redshirt freshman wide receiver Antonio Gates Jr. (7) being tackled during a game against University of Michigan at Spartan Stadium on Oct. 21, 2023. The Spartans would end the game with only 133 total receiving yards.
This year's battle for the Paul Bunyan Trophy was pure domination and the Michigan State football team ended up on the wrong side of it. The Spartans suffered a 49-0 loss to Michigan, which was the worst home loss ever in program history.
The stat sheet was a good tale of the story for the whole night. MSU was outclassed in all phases, as they only could generate 182 total yards compared to Michigan’s 477.
With not much to build upon in such a demolishing loss, the message remains unclear as Michigan State looks to get back on track after suffering their fifth straight defeat.
“Whether you lose by one or 49, it's a loss first of all,” interim head coach Harlon Barnett said. “I told them so, I’ve been trying to make sure we stay together. That’s been my number one thing.”
Michigan’s defense is statistically the best the Spartans have faced to date, and it showed as the offense struggled to even move the ball down field. Redshirt freshman quarterback Katin Houser made his second career start, throwing for just 101 yards to go along with an interception.
The Wolverines marched down the field as they pleased as well, converting 21 first downs to MSU’s ten.
It has been obvious the Spartan program has faced adversity all season long, and that has raised concern whether they can overcome that. For the players, their situation is just about as tough as anyone’s at the moment and they are faced with options on how they will respond.
“Life is way harder than just football,” sixth year senior linebacker Aaron Brule said. “I think what we have going on here, if you can’t pass this, you’ll struggle when this is done. So I think just doing what you can here and, I guess, practicing for the real world and with the adversity that we’re having right now is going to lead to better things after football is done.”
For redshirt sophomore running back Nate Carter, the message is much the same.
“In life you’re going to face adversity and sometimes you have to be able to not just fall down to that first thing, but continue to fight,” Carter said.
With just five games left in the season, the Spartans are presented with opportunities to get back on track with a win. In order to do so, that spark has to come from the team all together.
It is hard to tell what changes will be made on or off the field that contribute to winning with multiple ranked opponents left on the schedule. Coach Barnett will look to put the product on the field that he knows will give their best effort at all times.
“Who you see out there are guys that you know are all in,” Barnett said. “They’re going to give us everything all day, every day. I’m talking on and off the field.”
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