By halftime at Spartan Stadium on Saturday night, it was clear the better football team was on the visiting sideline.
Still, MSU showed its teeth as a team with heart and competitive spirit, even as an heavy underdog. A 24-7 lead for No. 3 Ohio State at halftime could've been much closer for MSU.
In the first half, MSU sophomore quarterback Aidan Chiles and the Spartan offense made the plays it needed to make. Its defense stood stall against a star-studded Buckeye offense. The confidence for a program-defining win was there for MSU.
Yet, the issues that plagued the Spartans before Saturday haunted them against a team that continuously took advantage of mistakes: injuries, red zone woes and turnovers. When all was said and done, Ohio State left Spartan Stadium with a 38-7 win.
“So it hurts, getting blown out in our house,” senior running back Nate Carter said postgame. “And it happened. It is what it is. We're hurting ourselves. That's why we're unable to be successful.”
First, a failed fourth-down conversion at OSU’s 20-yard line left MSU without points on its first drive. Then, a 26-yard strike from Chiles to junior tight end Jack Velling became a lost fumble in the red zone.
Another MSU costly turnover came with three minutes left in the first half, down by ten and once again, driving inside the red zone. Chiles fumbled the ball on a designed quarterback run up the middle.
Fans booed in frustration, realizing the referees missed an obvious facemask call, which would've given the Spartans a first down and a chance to come within one possession of OSU as the first half ended.
Instead, OSU scored a touchdown on the next possession to sink any MSU momentum.
“I thought we were in this game the whole time,” senior linebacker Cal Haladay said. “I think we just need to execute better. The game was a lot closer than the score shows.”
From the first half to the second, MSU was a different team in its confidence. The sequence of events to end the first half were the final blow.
In the first half, the Spartans put up 186 yards of offense. In the second, it could only muster 60.
Ohio State finished with 483 total yards.
Chiles finished 13-for-19 for 167 passing yards, one touchdown, one interception and one fumble. MSU was ineffective in the run game, tallying 15 carries for 62 yards.
Sophomore wide receiver Jaron Glover led all receiving categories, catching four passes for 53 yards and a touchdown.
MSU's No. 14-ranked total defense entering Saturday couldn’t hold Ohio State. OSU senior quarterback Will Howard went 21-for-31 for 244 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. Ohio State ran the ball 28 times for 166 yards and two touchdowns.
MSU's defensive backs struggled to cover OSU's receivers. Senior Emeka Egbuka and freshman Jeremiah Smith combined for 12 catches for 179 yards and two touchdowns. Smith added one carry for 19 yards and a touchdown.
“38-7 is not that close, because at the end of the day, it is about the scoreboard,” MSU head coach Jonathan Smith said. “But there will be plenty of snaps that we’ll watch of this game and realize that yeah, we're right there, and guys are making some plays and playing with awesome effort. So you're encouraged by that.”
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Right out of the gate, the Buckeyes threw three straight swing passes, testing the Spartans' open-field tackling. OSU scored a field goal on its first drive, but the Spartan offense showed early life. In two plays, MSU was in Buckeye territory. On fourth and one, Chiles ran a quarterback sneak and was stuffed.
Michigan State’s sixth-ranked red zone defense was a play away from making another stand. On third down in the second quarter, Howard made an errant throw in the end zone, hitting junior defensive back Malik Spencer in the hands. Spencer couldn't corral the interception. On the ensuing play, OSU found the end zone to take a 10-0 lead.
On the Spartans' second drive, the offense was rolling deep into Ohio State territory. Chiles began to show his strong arm and found holes in the Buckeye coverage, but a fumble by Velling cut the drive short and gave Ohio State the ball back at its own 19 yard-line.
Red zone turnovers haunted the Spartans in crucial moments.
Still, the Spartan defense came through, forcing a quick turnover on a pick from linebacker Jordan Turner. The next play, Chiles found Glover for a twelve-yard touchdown, cutting the Buckeye lead to three.
On the following drive, crucial for both teams, the Buckeye rushing game came to life. Running backs TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins found gaps in the defense, ripping off long runs.
To finish the Buckeyes' dominant drive, it was freshman phenom Jeremiah Smith who scored a 19-yard, end-around touchdown. Two drives later, he brought down two spectacular, one-handed grabs to put OSU up 24-7 and effectively put a stamp on their victory in East Lansing.
By late in the third quarter, MSU's desperation was apparent. Chiles threw his first interception of the game and the Buckeyes quickly capped off a methodical drive with a Howard touchdown run. OSU's lead was 38-7.
The crowd at Spartan Stadium being to clear out, and the Ohio State fans in attendance watched their team finish off MSU for the ninth year in a row.
