MIXED FEELINGS: This is worrisome!!!The hard truth about Michigan State football

This is a slippery slope.

After jumping out to a 10-0 lead in the first quarter on Saturday, it seemed like Michigan State football might pull off a stunning upset against No. 13 Indiana. However, everything fell apart in the second quarter as Indiana scored 47 unanswered points, ultimately defeating the Spartans 47-10 in East Lansing. This loss leaves Michigan State with a disappointing 4-5 record and just three games remaining in the season.

Describing the situation as demoralizing hardly captures the extent of what happened on Saturday. Michigan State simply couldn’t keep up with one of the most improved teams in college football, led by Curt Cignetti. Despite their early lead, they couldn’t maintain momentum into halftime, revealing a sobering truth: this rebuild will take longer than fans anticipated.

Although this is still Year 1 and Michigan State has shown improvement across various metrics compared to last year, it has been tough to witness the Spartans being overmatched by teams like Ohio State, Oregon, and Indiana—a season where they were expected to be competitive with the Hoosiers. The gap in performance was stark, reminiscent of a Ford Pinto going up against a Corvette.

While hiring Jonathan Smith seemed promising, some of his comments following the Michigan game raised concerns, particularly his realization of the intense rivalry with the Wolverines only after the loss. He should have approached that game with the same intensity he had when facing Oregon during his time at Oregon State; that game is crucial on the schedule.

Adding to the disappointment was Aidan Chiles’ struggles before leaving the game with an injury, and his backup, Tommy Schuster, didn’t perform any better. After a strong start, the Spartans were dominated for 45 minutes on their home field. Additionally, the current recruiting class for 2025 appears underwhelming, which means Smith will likely need to lean heavily on the transfer portal.

This team could finish with 6-7 wins this season and improve to 8-9 next year, but for this to happen, a significant reset is required, and Smith must understand that expectations in East Lansing are considerably higher than they were in Corvallis. Losing by 37 points at home to a team they were expected to compete with is unacceptable.

So, Spartan fans, brace yourselves for a potentially long rebuilding process. Patience will be essential as there is still a considerable journey ahead.