Back-to-back sacks, followed by a false start and ultimately the fumbled snap, prevented Nebraska from adding any points. It showcased an aggressive MSU pass rush that was full of life — a different sight from what fans had seen in recent weeks.

The Spartans’ defense applied constant pressure on the sophomore quarterback throughout the game to keep themselves competitive. But they could only compensate for the lack of offense for so long, ultimately falling 38-27 on the road to Nebraska in a game that was once again decided by a few key moments.

"I'm pretty confident in the group that we're going to stick together and these guys are going to continue to battle," MSU head coach Jonathan Smith said. "We gotta find a way to play better quality football for sixty minutes."

Even though the overall outcome was far from what the team wanted, the MSU defense, especially its ability to pressure and sack the quarterback, looked like a completely different unit from previous weeks.

5 sacks, distributed across five different players, marked the Spartans’ highest total in a game this season and gave them 11 total on the year. It was an impressive feat for a defense that failed to record a single sack against Boston College or USC after opening the season with a 4-sack performance against Western Michigan.

“There was some detail in the pass rush. I think the effort was there, and I think they were challenged,” Smith said. “We would look at (the first) four games and the amount of pressures and sacks we were having, and I think those guys felt challenged.”

Sacks may be the only thing that shows up in the box score; however, the timing of those sacks and the consistent pressure on the QB were key factors in keeping MSU competitive after falling behind 14-0 just 6 minutes into the game.

Throughout the second quarter, the Nebraska defense and special teams constantly set its offense up for success. In addition to Barney’s punt return, they picked off junior quarterback Aidan Chiles on back-to-back drives, setting up three straight Nebraska possessions inside the MSU 45-yard line.

But in a time of need, the Spartan defense held strong — pressuring Raiola and not allowing a single score despite the favorable field position. Those three drives included three sacks, the biggest coming by Thompson on a fourth-and-4 from the MSU 28 to force a turnover on downs.

"Our defensive effort was better than 38 points tonight," Smith said. "If you look at where they started a few drives, obviously they scored on special teams, but we gotta find a way in the end to not give up the big plays."

The second quarter produced the bulk of MSU’s sacks, with 3 total, but the pressure continued into the second half creating turnovers.

After a game-tying 48-yard drive in which Chiles accounted for 40 yards with his legs, the momentum shifted to the Spartan’s side. Raiola opened Nebraska’s next drive with an interception to junior linebacker Jordan Hall, helping the Spartans drive down the field to take their first lead, 21-14 in the third quarter.

But in the end, Chiles’ struggles through the air, as he finished 9-for-23, weighed the team down too much, turning arguably the defense’s best performance of the year into a loss.

"If we want to finish better. We gotta stay together. We gotta play better," Smith said.

MSU will return to Spartan Stadium on Saturday for its homecoming game against UCLA at noon, looking to avoid falling to 3-3.