MSU football: Video analysis on MSU’s 23-19 loss at Boston College
Lansing State Journal columnist Graham Couch and Detroit Free Press MSU beat writer Chris Solari analyze the Spartans’ 23-19 loss at Boston College.
Lansing State Journal columnist Graham Couch breaks down Michigan State’s football game against Ohio State, 7:30 p.m. Saturday. TV: Streaming on Peacock. Betting line: Ohio State -24.
1. Aidan Chiles and MSU’s playmakers
MSU needs needs some offensive juice to stay in this game — explosive plays, extended drives, points at every opportunity. Quarterback Aidan Chiles has shown he’s the sort of playmaker to provide that. He’s also a young quarterback prone to drive-killing and game-changing mistakes. For MSU to win, Chiles will likely need to be pretty close to perfect. But for the Spartans this week, it’s also about just being competitive, which they haven’t been against the Buckeyes in five years. That’s a step MSU needs to take at some point. And for that, the Spartans need Chiles and his playmakers — ideally Nick Marsh and Jaron Glover included — to strike here and there.
This is an Ohio State defense with talent and depth unlike anything MSU has faced this season. There will be less time for Chiles to operate, less space for his receivers. We’re going to learn a bit about the upside of MSU’s QB and the weapons around him.
MORE: Couch: Aidan Chiles is a lot for the heart to handle. But he’s the QB MSU’s football team needs.
2. Can MSU’s offensive line hold up against an imposing Ohio State defensive front?
This is where the game could get ugly. Ohio State’s defensive front is imposing and experienced and, we think, very good. The Buckeyes haven’t played a power-conference team yet, but their body of work extends back to last season. And, frankly, MSU’s offensive line hasn’t controlled the game against non-power-conference competition, so the Spartans might not be much more formidable up front than the teams the Buckeyes have dismantled.
MSU needs its offensive line to hold up Saturday, to keep Aidan Chiles from being under regular duress and to allow its running backs to gain positive yards, even if one or two yards at a time. It’s hard to see this matchup going well for MSU. But if the Spartans are just OK in protection and are able to run the ball enough, then other things become possible. The path to a competitive game begins with MSU’s offensive line not getting creamed.
3. Will Howard and Ohio State’s passing game
I’m a bit of a Will Howard skeptic. Ohio State’s new quarterback — a transfer from Kansas State — is a strong runner with power in his legs and he’s a decent enough passer. If he’s more than that, we’ll know soon, because the Buckeyes’ schedule stiffens over the next five weeks and he’ll never have better weapons in his football career than freshman receiver Jeremiah Smith and senior Emeka Egbuka or a better running game behind him.
Ohio State’s offense under new coordinator Chip Kelly has thus far featured more underneath passing and quick hits than the long throws that C.J. Stroud buried the Spartans with two years ago. How much of that is Kelly? How much of that is Kelly playing to Howard’s strengths? How much is that Ohio State not wanting to show too much against inferior competition? Hard to be sure, but it seems like this is Ohio State’s offense with Howard at QB. That’ll give MSU’s pass rush less time to get home, but its defensive backs more opportunity to make plays in front of them. There’s a load of talent on this Ohio State offense, especially at wideout. That might be enough. But MSU would be wise to try to make Howard an uncomfortable passer.
4. MSU’s defensive front against Ohio State’s offensive line
This is where the Spartans might be able to make to some hay and have some joy. I think MSU’s defensive front, line and linebackers, is legitimately pretty good, with a coordinator in Joe Rossi who seems to understand how to get the best from them. The Spartans have the most sacks (15) in the Big Ten and are the league’s best red zone defense thus far. They’ve tackled well in space and hit opponents with layers of pressure. It’s a confident group going up against the Ohio State unit, the offensive line, with the most questions about it. Thus far, outside of a moment or two against Marshall, the Buckeyes have been in control up front offensively. But the competition doesn’t allow for any real evaluation. Facing this Spartan defense will. If MSU can keep the Buckeyes’ running game below the chunk yardage their backs are averaging and make quarterback Will Howard uncomfortable, maybe this game is competitive — or at least competitive for a while.
5. MSU’s resolve
This is one of those games where MSU can do a lot right and still have moments where everything goes wrong. And one of those games where the defense might work its butt off to get the Buckeyes off the field, only to have the Spartan offense go three-and-out or turn it over. Or MSU’s offense could show a spark, only to be stuffed on 4th-and-1. If the Spartans want this to feel competitive, they’ll have to dust themselves off each time and approach the next play with focus and discipline. MSU has shown some bounce-back this season, especially at Maryland and Boston College. This will be another test of the Spartans’ resolve.
Prediction
It’s hard to imagine MSU being competitive in this matchup. It’s been so long since MSU looked as if it belonged on the field with Ohio State — five years really. I do think this is MSU’s best defense since 2019 and its most gifted playmaker at quarterback in a long while. That makes this worth watching. Ohio State is one of those opponents where the truth about who you are at the line of scrimmage is always revealed. On defense, I think MSU might be OK. On offense, for MSU, this is trouble.
Make it: Ohio State 34, MSU 9
Contact Graham Couch at gcouch@lsj.com. Follow him on X @Graham_Couch.
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Publish date : 2024-09-26 04:15:00
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