The student section migrated toward the exits, and scattered boos filled Spartan Stadium at halftime. Michigan State Football's manageable seven-point deficit ballooned to 14 in the closing minutes of the first half, sucking the belief out of the building.
The Spartans lost 31-13 to Nebraska in their first conference matchup under head coach Pat Fitzgerald, a disappointing performance that killed most of the buzz built up over the opening three weeks. At the end of the second half, it was fans dressed in Cornhusker red who filled the sparse stands.
"We played so poorly,” Fitzgerald said. “We need to play cleaner, play better. It’s on (the coaches). It’s on me.”
An 8-yard run on the first play of the game, followed by a first down on the next, promised offensive consistency, but the drive soon fizzled out. Just four plays later, the Spartans were punting after a sack on third-and-7 foiled any chance of moving the chains.
Though MSU's offense failed to find a rhythm, its defense set the tone from Nebraska's first offensive snap. The Cornhuskers gained 5 yards as the Spartans got to the quarterback on first and third down, forcing two throwaways.
MSU's offense took the field again with zeroes on the scoreboard, and this time, walked away with points. Two penalties for 20 yards against Nebraska and a 23-yard reception off a screen from graduate running back Cam Edwards got the Spartans to Nebraska's 35-yard line in six plays. Edwards left the game with a right knee injury after his reception and was carted from the medical tent to the locker room.
Graduate running back Jaziun Patterson mainly filled Edwards' role. He finished the game with 54 yards on 16 carries and a touchdown.
MSU picked up one more first down before stalling at Nebraska's 30-yard line after back-to-back sacks. Nebraska's defense finished with 6 sacks on the day. The Spartans settled for a 48-yard field goal, taking the game's first lead, 3-0.
The Spartan defense continued to shut down the Cornhuskers' offense on its second drive, forcing a punt after four plays. MSU blocked and recovered the punt at Nebraska's 32-yard line, but the play was erased by a holding call on the Spartans.
Nebraska made the most of its second chance, as quarterback Anthony Colandrea launched a 44-yard pass to the end zone three plays later to take a 7-3 lead.
It was a play that sparked an offense that finished the game with 369 total yards. Colandrea led the way, throwing for a second touchdown and finishing 15 of 26 for 212 yards through the air, adding 66 yards on the ground. The Spartans, though, held Nebraska to just 157 rushing yards, well below the 263 yards per game the Cornhuskers came in averaging.
It was a sequence of plays that killed all the momentum MSU's defense had built in the first quarter. The Cornhuskers' lead grew to 11 after they scored another touchdown after a Spartan three-and-out.
MSU needed to respond. It did the opposite. Graduate quarterback Cam Fancher trotted out for the Spartans' next drive and threw an interception after two plays, setting up the Cornhuskers' offense at MSU's 29-yard line. It was Fancher's last appearance of the game, and one of three turnovers for Nebraska.
Though it was just the second quarter, the game appeared sealed; a 14-3 lead looked poised to evolve to 21-3 in the following plays.
MSU held Nebraska to a field goal despite favorable field position, keeping the deficit manageable. The Spartans then cut the lead to seven, riding the momentum from the stand to a 10-play, 79-yard drive lasting 3:49, capped by a 2-yard touchdown run from Patterson.
It seemed that MSU had fought its way back into a one-score game before halftime, but the Cornhuskers finished a 14-play, 74-yard drive with a touchdown, extending the lead to 21-10 with two seconds on the clock before halftime.
The Spartans consistently built momentum throughout the first half, only to have it come crashing down on one play, whether it was a turnover or a defensive penalty that kept Nebraska's offense on the field.
"We turn the ball over; we have untimely penalties,” Fitzgerald said. “We block a punt. We get called for holding. I mean, those things you can’t do and expect to win games.”
Though MSU's defense held Nebraska to just seven points in the second half, the Spartans couldn't capitalize, scoring just one field goal of their own. MSU also lost senior linebacker Hall to injury in the third quarter. He did not return.
There was no update on the status of Hall or Edwards in the postgame press conference.
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"My challenge to the guys in the locker room afterwards was: some of you may have gotten your first taste of playing football at this level and in the Big Ten,” Fitzgerald said. “My hope is that’s a motivator to help them continue to get better.”
The Spartans (2-2) will now hit the road for their next Big Ten matchup against Wisconsin (2-2). Kickoff is set for 12:30 p.m. on Oct. 3 at Camp Randall Stadium. The game will air on Big Ten Network.
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