Well, it has been quite the season for the Michigan State program, and not in a positive way. Mel Tucker had once brought light and hope to the program, but it had been all downhill since he won the 2021 Peach Bowl.
Leading into the 2023 football season, Michigan State went 5-7 the previous year, and Tucker decided to keep all the coordinators. So, without a question or a doubt, it was a make-or-break year for this staff. Well, it didn't take too long for that to be answered, as Mel Tucker is no longer the head coach of the program, and the team is giving Houser the keys to the offense.
The Spartans opened Big Ten play 0-2 after losses to Maryland and a tough late-game loss to Iowa two weeks ago. So, Michigan State and interim coach Harlon Barnett would hit the road to Rutgers to break a three-game losing streak that started with a loss to Washington. Let's see how things unfolded for MSU.
1st Half
Right away, the new MSU starter would get his chance and not disappoint. He was walking the Spartans down the field on his opening drive for a 14-play, 75-yard touchdown drive capped by a pass to Foster. Michigan State would hold a lead the rest of the half from there.
However, the game was played pretty sloppy on both sides. Rutgers would struggle with 70 penalty yards in the first half. But turnovers would become a real story, as there would be five cough-ups combined in the opening 30 minutes. Michigan State would force two interceptions but were not able to capitalize. Rutgers would give the ball up one more time before the half-ended and allow Michigan State to go for a quick score late in the second quarter to give the Spartans a 14-6 lead. Houser would account for his second touchdown of the day and run in a QB draw. Michigan State would get into the red zone one last time before halftime and tack on a field goal. Michigan State would lead at halftime 17-6.
Michigan State would hold Rutgers to just 36 first-half rush yards and didn't give up a touchdown. Houser would finish the first half with 74 passing yards with a touchdown and 29 yards added on the ground and gave himself another score.
In what was a sloppy first half was salvaged nicely for the Spartans.
2nd half
Rutgers would open the second half with the ball and not do anything with it. They were going quietly and making this MSU defense look like they had two weeks to prepare. The struggles would continue in the third quarter as Rutgers wouldn't score another point that stanza.
Turning things over to Houser, he identically opened the second half to the first. Leading the charge for a Michigan State 14-play 75-yard plus drive, this time finished with a Mosely touchdown grab. Michigan State now led 24-6 late in the third quarter.
Rutgers struggling to move the ball, would get tremendous help to open the final quarter of play. Michigan State would give the ball away on a punt attempt backed up, and Rutgers landed on it for a touchdown to bring the score within 11; just like that, Rutgers had help and momentum. Following the punt slip, MSU would go three-and-out and give the Scarlet Knights the ball right back with ample time to string some plays together. Rutgers would ride that spurt of energy. Going down the field and in the blink of seven minutes, Rutgers put up 15 points to make it a 24-21 game. The pressure back was applied to MSU.
It was 24-6 to begin the quarter, and everything went Rutgers' way. The muffed punt touchdown was followed by the three and out, with another touchdown, a recovered kickoff in the rain, and one play later, this game was 27-24 Rutgers with 8:21 left.
Things would continue to worsen as MSU went three and out again.
That would be how things would wrap up, as Rutgers wouldn't let the Spartans touch the ball again. The meltdown of Michigan State would be complete as 24-6 turned into one the worst losses not only this season but in a long time. The list of games MSU fans never want to visit again grew another today.
It was just a total collapse and created an even worse situation for what has already been an adverse season for Michigan State. The final score is Rutgers 27 and Michigan State 24.
Closing
There are not many words to describe what has occurred the last month with the Michigan State football program, but I have to hope it changes at some point. This was a collapse as Michigan State saw an 18-point lead evaporate in less than five minutes. The Spartans fall to 2-4 and (0-3) for the second straight season. What could have been an excellent breakout game for Michigan State's new quarterback, Katin Houser, turned into another incompetent coaching performance, costing these players a win. This has to be up there with recent games this program has seen since 2016, but the hurt from this one will sting for a while.
Michigan State will return to East Lansing to bring one of the best teams in the country to Michigan.