3 Takeaways as Michigan State Football Falls to Washington

Michigan State football was back in action on Saturday, taking on the Washington Huskies after an emotional win over Michigan. The Huskies faced their own adversity with the FAA grounding of all flights, resulting in the Seattle-based team not getting to East Lansing until 3:30 a.m. EST.

With a sleepy Washington and a Spartan team eager to take the field, the game turned into a slugfest. In the end, the Huskies scored the go-ahead touchdown late and punched the ball free on the Spartans’ ensuing possession. Michigan State football bowed to Washington, 21-14.

Here are three takeaways from the contest.

Discipline Still Plagues This Team

The turning point of the first half occurred via a Kenny Soares Jr. penalty. The Spartans had an opening drive touchdown, then were set to get the ball back for their third drive while still up 7-0. However, a Soares roughing the passer gave the Huskies fresh life, which they converted for a 58-yard touchdown to tie the game up.

The Spartans lost their offensive momentum until late in the half. The Spartans also saw their eye discipline tested, with multiple underneath routes having multiple players in coverage while the deep routes were in single coverage. On a double reverse pass, no Spartans stuck with a tight end on the crosser, and that extended the go-ahead touchdown drive for the Huskies.

Nick Sharpe had two penalties on the next touchdown drive, while Anelu Lafaele had a facemask call go against him. When the Spartans forced a crucial three-and-out in the third quarter, Keshawn Williams had a holding penalty on the punt to push MSU back 10 yards from the fair catch.

Cam Fancher had an inexplicable interception that a sixth-year senior cannot make. It was an unforced mental error that cost the Spartans what was likely at least three points and a go-ahead score.

With the potential chance for a game-tying touchdown drive late, the Spartans started off with an illegal block in the back on the kick return, setting them back inside their ten-yard-line. The Spartans managed to get to midfield, only to fumble the game and the opportunity away.

Next Man Up, Again

The injuries column is back for Michigan State football, as the Spartans saw starting quarterback Alessio Milivojevic among the seven starters injured. Chrishon McCray, Brennan Parachek, Michael Richard, Conner Moore, Brandon Tullis, and Ben Roberts all left the game injured.

Among those players, the only ones to return to the game were Conner Moore and Chrishon McCray. Roberts was ruled out by the start of the second quarter, and Milivojevic re-emerged from the locker room in a sling.

Cam Fancher, back for his first game since being injured against Wisconsin, had a touchdown drive before getting injured with 2:15 to play in the third quarter. He did return, right as Brennan Parachek re-emerged from the locker room with crutches.

Even during the potential game-tying go-ahead drive, the Spartans saw another injury, as Brandon Tullis took a hard hit and fumbled, with his left arm getting injured on the play.

In a season where the theme has been “what if the team was healthy,” it was an especially brutal day in a one-possession loss.

Michigan State Football Cannot Get Over the Hump

At the end of the day, the Spartans, battered and bruised, lost their third close game at Spartan Stadium in a row. Michigan State football needs to capitalize in these games. It is a recurring theme since the 2022 season that the Spartans cannot finish in close games.

There were plenty of injuries today. There have been all season. However, the staff and the players need to dig themselves out of the rut where the team finds a way to lose games. Against Illinois, it was a poorly designed two-point call. For Northwestern, it was a defensive collapse. This week, it was an offensive implosion on multiple occasions.

Losing teams, and bad teams, find ways to lose. Currently, the Spartans are trapped in that rut of being a bad team. With a promised plan in place for January, the hope is that the Spartans find a way to be at the winning end of the close games in 2027.

There is much to be said for staying in the close games despite their injuries and adversity. However, those flowers were handed out for a close loss to a then-ranked Northwestern team. That optimism cannot be repeated for another home loss than Michigan State football had the chance to win.