Going into the eighth game of the season, a new opportunity awaits. Michigan State will hit the road for the third time as they head to the Twin Cities to face Minnesota. 

Luckily for MSU, the team has fought well on the road this year. The Spartans took a lead into the fourth quarter against Iowa before losing by ten. Against Rutgers two weeks later, similar themes showed as Michigan State gathered a 24-6 lead in the third quarter before allowing 21 unanswered points by the Scarlet Knights to lose by three. 

Interim head coach Harlon Barnett is sticking with his mentality as he looks ahead to his competition this weekend.

“Well, we stay on the fence,” Barnett said. “I’m going to stick with the same thing. I’m still saying discipline, everybody doing their job. And part of doing your job is pre-snap communication (and) post-snap communication. And then you talk about special teams, maximum effort. Offense score, defense three down takeaway, and finish. We have to finish, and so we’ll continue to pound that into them.”

MSU has made adjustments as of late, with the most notable being behind center. Redshirt freshman quarterback Katin Houser has received rights to the starting position for the past two games. 

Against Michigan, Houser threw for just 101 yards and an interception while struggling to move the ball downfield. Freshman quarterback Sam Leavitt also saw extended bits of action, throwing for 32 yards and an interception of his own.

The change in the position was made before the Rutgers game to try to create a spark after coach Barnett benched redshirt junior quarterback Noah Kim before that contest. One of the more interesting questions is how the roster will be kept together following changes to the team. Still, Barnett addressed the controversy by noting that the coaching staff will look at the play on the field this week, but Katin will still have reigns to the starting position. 

A highlight from Monday’s press conference was Barnett mentioning that redshirt junior defensive lineman Simeon Barrow Jr. expressed consideration in entering the transfer portal. 

Each player on the roster was granted a 30-day window until Oct. 26 to decide if they want to enter the transfer portal or remain with the program as a result of the coaching change last month. Barrow Jr. would be the third Spartan to officially put his name in the transfer portal if he decides to do so, which Barnett expressed is a likely option.

The roster has gone through a lot of reconstruction, most notably with who is playing on the field week in and week out. Nevertheless, Minnesota is now on the clock, and that is the focus for Michigan State. 

With Barnett looking for his first win since taking over the head coaching position, there is constant adversity to be faced when put in such a tough position. Nothing has been easy for the Spartans this season, but they will continue to battle.

“I’m one of those people that just keeps fighting,” Barnett said. “That’s all I know. I’ll never give up, you know, and so I’m going to keep coming. I’m going to keep coming; you have to kill me to stop me. So that’s the only way I look at it, and that’s how I try to get our team to be.”