In a shocker, Michigan State won its first Big Ten game of the season and leaves Ann Arbor with the Paul Bunyan Trophy, taking it to East Lansing for the first time since 2021. On a night when the offense scored just a touchdown in the final two minutes, the Spartans came out on top.
Here’s a look at the Wolverines’ position grades from a night to forget:
Quarterback – D-
Tommy Carr struggled all night long. From his opening-drive interception to the end of the game, he never found his footing as a passer.
What was arguably more surprising is he never found his footing as a rusher either. Credit to Michigan State’s defense for generating pressure and containing Carr, but 14-for-26 for 138 yards and two interceptions will win very few games in college football.
Running backs – D
The running backs got knocked down an entire letter grade on one play — a fumble by Bryson Kuzdzal. What was a solid first half from Kuzdzal, 35 yards on six carries which was good for 5.8 per carry, turned into a second half that ended in 54 rushing yards by the entire offense. They weren’t a factor in the passing game either, and offensive coordinator Jason Beck never gave Jordan Marshall or Savion Hiter enough opportunities to see if either could turn things around, aside from a one-yard touchdown by Hiter.
Wide Receiver – D+
Another group that got knocked down an entire letter grade on one play — a fumble by Andrew Marsh with less than five minutes to play. Aside from that negative play, Michigan’s wide receivers honestly didn’t have much of an impact on the game, combining for just 125 receiving yards. A late-game 31-yard reception from JJ Buchanan inflated that number and brought a slight silver lining to the performance of the group, but they didn’t impact the game too much in one direction or another.
Tight End – D+
The tight ends, yet again, were essentially a non-factor in the pass game. Jalen Hoffman had the group’s only reception in the first half for four yards. After a week where Michigan got both Hogan Hansen and Mason Bonner going vs Rutgers, the tight end room returned to what it’s been doing for most of the season: next to nothing.
Offensive Line – F
One of the most underrated plays that drastically impacted the outcome was a perfect example of why the offensive line is continuing to struggle. On 3rd-and-1 in the red zone at the end of a 13-play 71-yard drive, both interior offensive linemen had a complete breakdown of fundamentals that led to a loss on the play and what ended up being a missed field goal the next play. The rest of the night was more of the same, as Carr was sacked six times if you include the one on the two-point try at the end of the game.
Defensive Line – C
Much of the defensive line’s grade has less to do with its own performance and more to do with how well Michigan State’s offensive line played. The running stats alone for the Spartans tell a major story for the Wolverines’ defensive line, as Brandon Tullis ended with 86 yards and Kenneth Williams had 41 yards. John Henry Daly had a strong first half, finishing with 2.5 tackles for loss and two sacks, but was quiet in the second half. The rest of the defensive line didn’t provide much of a spark either, combining for just two more tackles for loss.
Linebackers – C+
The linebackers fall into a very similar boat as the defensive line, as Troy Bowles had a good night, leading the team with 15 tackles. However, a late hit out of bounds certainly didn’t help when all was said and done. Oftentimes, the Spartans’ running backs escaped and broke tackles on Michigan’s linebacker that turned two-yard gains into 10+ down the field.
Secondary – B-
The only slight bright spot for Michigan on the night was its secondary. Zeke Berry had another good night, making a great tackle to prevent a touchdown and drawing an offensive pass interference penalty on another play. It still wasn’t a great performance considering they gave up 188 passing yards and didn’t record a turnover, but overall they did their job.
Special Teams – F
The special teams didn’t necessarily lose Michigan the game, but in no way did it accomplish its goals. The two most notable plays were a missed field goal from 26 yards out by freshman Jacob Baggett, who replaced sophomore Trey Butkowski after he missed four of his six field goals in previous two games. Punter Cam Brown also had a 36-yard punt that gave Michigan State the ball at the 50, ultimately ending in the Spartans’ first field goal.
