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Takeaways and observations from Michigan State’s ugly loss to Indiana
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Takeaways and observations from Michigan State’s ugly loss to Indiana

EAST LANSING – Michigan State will finish the season 0-for-2 in trophy games.

The Spartans (4-5, 2-4 Big Ten) were embarrassed in a 47-10 loss Saturday to No. 13 Indiana (9-0, 6-0), which recovered the Old Brass Spittoon. It was a week after a third straight loss to rival Michigan for the Paul Bunyan Trophy.

Here are some quick takeaways and observations from the game:

*If the games were only 15 minutes long, Michigan State would have beaten Michigan and Indiana. That’s probably the biggest positive the Spartans can take from Saturday. They had another dominant first quarter before being completely outclassed for the remainder. The Hoosiers scoring 47 unanswered points would be considered an embarrassment.

It was Michigan State’s worst loss of the season, both in terms of final margin and appearance. Indiana is the biggest upset team in the country and is 9-0 for the first time in school history. This is the same program that a Michigan State team, limping to the end of a debacle last season, took to the road and beat.

Curt Cignetti did an outstanding job during a freshman turnaround at Indiana while Jonathan Smith’s Spartans lost five of their last six, despite playing a much tougher schedule. Michigan State met the challenge early, jumping out to a 10-0 lead and outscoring Indiana 128-52 in the first quarter, but it was completely one-sided in all three phases the rest of the way.

Michigan State will have its second and final bye of the season next week before playing Illinois on Nov. 16 in its final road game of the year.

*Aidan Chiles was sharp early on before errors piled up amid constant pressure and he was knocked out of the match. The sophomore completed 16 of 24 passes for 193 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions while being sacked three times.

While throwing the ball in the third quarter, Chiles was hit by Indiana’s Mikail Kamara and Rolijah Hardy before remaining on the field and eventually heading to the locker room. He watched the finish from the sideline with a wrap on his right hand/wrist and Smith said Chiles should play against Illinois.

With Chiles absent, backup Tommy Schuster took over and was passed while being sacked four times as the Hoosiers kept the pressure on.

In nine games, Chiles had 15 turnovers to go with 11 interceptions and four lost fumbles. The inability to protect the ball has been the first-year starter’s undoing all season.

* Chiles had very little help Saturday with defenders facing him as Indiana dominated at the point of attack with seven sacks and 15 tackles for a loss. Michigan State’s resurgent running game over the past two weeks has been stifled and the minus-36 rushing yards are the second-worst total in program history. Running backs Nathan Carter, Kay’Ron Lynch-Adams and Makhi Frazier combined for 15 carries for 15 yards.

* After back-to-back impressive performances from Michigan State’s offensive line, the starting five has been completely overmatched. Indiana spent almost the entire game in the backfield and didn’t let up. The Spartans had nowhere to go and their quarterbacks nowhere to hide.

* Nick Marsh continues to have impressive individual plays and finished with five catches for 78 yards and a score. The true freshman made a contested 33-yard grab down the sideline on the first drive and put his feet down while going for an 18-yard score on the next possession. Marsh now owns a program record for most receiving yards by a true freshman with 558 with three games remaining for the former four-star recruit who missed one game due to injury.

Montorie Foster had five catches for 35 yards and Aziah Johnson, who started due to the absence of Jaron Glover, had four receptions for 48 yards. The tight ends haven’t been much involved in the passing game and have yet to score a touchdown this season.

*Chiles was one of four Michigan State players to leave the game injured and not return. Others who exited were two secondary starters, cornerback Charles Brantley and safety Malik Spencer, along with defensive end Anthony Jones. Brantley, who had two early assists, was on the sideline using crutches and a boot on his left leg during the second half.

“The quick report I got — obviously they’re looking for further evaluation, but it’s not the end of the season for any of these guys,” Smith said.

*It was a great defensive start for Michigan State as they forced three straight takedowns and another early in the second quarter. Then Indiana took over the rest of the day as the high-powered offense overwhelmed the Spartans, who had no answer.

Most of the damage was done by quarterback Kurtis Rourke, who didn’t look like someone who was out last week after undergoing thumb surgery on his throwing hand. He completed 19 of 29 passes for 263 yards, four touchdowns and no interceptions while spreading it out and having plenty of time to work in the pocket. Michigan State had 15 sacks in the first four games combined this year, but, remarkably, it had none in the last five games.

* Jonathan Kim split the uprights from 47 yards out on his only field goal attempt of the game, but special teams were a mess for a second straight week. Standout Ryan Eckley had no chance in having a punt blocked at the goal line before running it out of the end zone for a safety early in the third quarter. With starting long snapper Kaden Schickel out for the season with a leg injury, Jack Carson Wentz’s high delivery led to Eckley desperately trying to run with the ball before being dropped for a figure of business on downs to start the fourth quarter.

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