Things got off to a surprising start in Bloomington. After Michigan State took a touchback on the opening kick, the first play from scrimmage was a 3-yard loss on a Makhi Frazier run. That was not the surprising part. Next play was a checkdown to Frazier for no gain. Still not the surprise. On 3rd & 13, Aidan Chiles hit Omari Kelly for 20 yards and a first down. That was the surprise. The Spartans then picked up another 1st down with a pair of runs of 6 and 9 yards. But on the next series, Indiana
forced a 4th down which, unlike any of the opportunities a week ago, MSU picked up, this with a 9-yard shot to Nick Marsh. From there, a false start penalty on MSU led to the drive stalling, but MSU was close enough to kick the field goal, which Martin Connington knocked in from 38. MSU 3-0!
Indiana answered how you would imagine a drive by a Heisman-candidate QB against a horrible defense going. The Hoosiers went 75 yards in 11 plays for a touchdown, scoring on a 13-yard pass from Fernando Mendoza. Indiana 7-3.
Now here is where things got real crazy. Michigan State picked up 3 first downs on 5 plays to get all the way to the Indiana 26. Then, after another loss of 3, MSU worked their way to another 4th down, and Chiles scrambled 2 yards to just barely make it to the line to gain. A Brandon Tullis rush of -2 and a holding penalty had MSU back to the 28. From their, Chiles went 13 yards to Chrishon McCray and then 15 to Marsh for a touchdown to put the Spartans back up. MSU 10-7!
Another predictable response from Indiana. 5 plays for 75 yards and a touchdown. Indiana 14-10.
On their 3rd possession, MSU got a pair of 1st downs and crossed midfield again, but then got held up. Aidan Chiles was tasked with the punt, which he nearly Eckley’d, but it just rolled into the endzone before the Spartan gunners could catch up to it.
Indiana needed less than 2 minutes to move 80 yards on 8 plays for another touchdown. Indiana 21-10.
With 59 seconds left in the half, MSU took over and were not content to just let time run out. Chiles got his team almost to the 50 while using their timeouts, but then took a sack to end the half. Offense looked better than we have seen in a few weeks, but the defense could not get the potent Indiana offense off the field. Aidan was 20/22 for 178 and 1 TD at the break. Indiana had 230 total yards to MSU’s 193.
Weather delay announced at halftime? Now I can watch Ole Miss vs. Georgia!
Okay, the delay did not last too long. Not long enough to knock Mendoza off his game. 4 plays for 75 yards, capped off with a 48-yard strike from Mendoza to Omar Cooper. Indiana 28-10.
At this point, I’m betting some of you are tuning out. Let me know in the comments.
MSU took over and began moving. They got to 3/3 on the day on 4th downs when Chiles hit Omari Kelly for 16 on a 4th & 2. That got the ball down to the Indiana 34, but that is where the drive died. Three plays later, Connington came out for a FG attempt from 50, but his kick sailed right.
Indiana took over from the 32. This led to their shortest drive of the day, going only 68 instead of 75 or 80. But a touchdown nonetheless as Mendoza hit Elijah Sarratt down the left side as the defender never turned his head to see the ball coming. Indiana 35-10.
After a drive-opening 10-yard pass to Jack Velling was ruled to be only 9 yards, back-to-back holding calls on MSU made it 2nd & 21. Obviously a running play then. 3rd & 18 pass got knocked down over the middle. Punt time. From his 17, Eckley’s 50 yarder was returned to the Indiana 49, so we should be back on offense very soon.
Indiana actually did not score, though they were about 2 inches away from another touchdown. Going for it on 4th & 4, Mendoza’s pass was caught in the corner of the endzone, but the receivers heel came down on the white of the perimeter to turn the ball over to MSU.
On a 3rd & 2 on a drive that started at the 8, Chiles called his own number and dashed 64 yards to the opposing 20. But an incomplete pass followed by an intentional grounding penalty eventually put the Spartans in a 4th & 13. Predictably, Chiles was sacked on that play, MSU’s first unsuccessful 4th down play of the day.
Taking over with just under 9 minutes to play, Indiana turned to the ground game to burn clock. After 10 straight runs, Indiana was forced to a 4th & 1, and after rethinking the plan, Cignetti sent on his kicker who converted from 31. Indiana 38-10.
With 1:56 to go, Alessio Milivojevic came into the game. On his first play, he ran right and gained a first down. 2nd play was a check to Elijah Tau-Tolliver, who may have been MSU’s best RB today, and ETT scrambled for another 1st. Next play, 18 yards to Evan Boyd. After that, 22 more to Boyd. Then a sack to lose 2 yards. Two incompletions later, Smith sent Connington out to kick a field goal and ruin my point prediction. Indiana 38-13.
Indiana took one knee to make the game go final. MSU falls 38-13. The loss was not as bad as I thought it would be, and the Spartans actually showed some fight and a backbone in this one, but the talent discrepancy was on full display. On to Hate Week…
