Couch: 3 quick takes on Michigan State football's 31-10 loss at Oregon

Couch: 3 quick takes on Michigan State football’s 31-10 loss at Oregon

Posted by Admin October 5, 2024 Football

1. Aidan Chiles isn’t why MSU lost this game, but his fumble was crushing

EUGENE, Ore. – I don’t think Michigan State had a chance to win this game, given everything else we saw Friday night.

But Aidan Chiles didn’t give himself or his team a chance to see how the game might have unfolded if the Spartans had struck first — as they were in position to do, when Chiles fumbled near the goal line, turning the ball over to Oregon instead.

Chiles is relatively inexperienced and doesn’t have a running game to help him or seasoned offensive line to protect him — but he’s got to kick this turnover habit soon. It’s costly and increasingly demoralizing. This particular fumble was the worst of his 11 turnovers yet (eight interceptions and three fumbles). Because it was just a matter of protecting the football. Basic stuff. And it was such a lost opportunity.

The game eventually got away from the Spartans — whose defense, for the first time really, struggled to tackle in space and whose offense went nowhere after that initial drive until very late. Thus the final score was what it was: 31-10 in favor of Oregon. A slow but seemingly certain death after that fumble.

Chiles doesn’t have so many of the advantages around him that Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel has. And Gabriel, who was making his 54th career start at his third different school, threw two interceptions in or near the end zone Friday night. Oregon, not trusting Gabriel, then put together a seven-play, 55-yard touchdown drive without throwing the football.

MSU doesn’t have that luxury. This season, it’s mostly on Chiles, who made his sixth career start Friday. He’s gifted enough to look like he’s ready for that sometimes — tantalizingly so. But he’s not.

The interceptions when he’s trying to make a play when MSU needs him to make a play — understandable. The fumble against Ohio State after his head was yanked around by his face mask — more explainable for Chiles than for the officials who missed the call.

But on first-and-goal from the 2-yard line in a scoreless game after you just completed a 44-yard pass to Nick Marsh on fourth down, stunning the crowd and putting yourself at end zone’s doorstep …

That can’t happen. Not in your first start or your sixth. Or in high school football.

I’m sure Chiles knows it. He’s said as much about less-brutal turnovers. But he’s got to play like he understands it.

2. MSU’s defense takes a step back

Oregon might turn out to be the best offense the Spartans face this season. Maybe the Ducks are ready to roll now. We’ll learn more next week when they host Ohio State.

MSU’s defense certainly wasn’t much in the way of resistance.

Other than two marvelous touchdown-preventing interceptions — by Malik Spencer and then Charles Brantley — this was one-way traffic all night.

Oregon’s 214 rushing yards was a season high against the Spartans. The Ducks converted 8 of 12 third and fourth downs with their first unit and, because they were averaging 7 yards per play with their starters, they didn’t run into those pivotal downs all that often.

What stood out is MSU’s poor tackling — most noticeably against slippery Ducks running back James Jordan, who carried 24 times for 166 yards, with six carries of 13 yards or more..Tackling in space has been a strength of this MSU defense until now. Perhaps this group just wore down — they were on the field for 60% of the game and it felt like 80%.

They probably won’t face another offense this season as explosive as what they have the last two weeks in Oregon and Ohio State. Still, this performance Friday night was worse than against the Buckeyes, both statistically and to the eye. Time to regroup.

3. A badly needed bye week

The only real positive for MSU to take away from Friday night is that it has 15 days before its next game and the two opponents the Spartans definitely can’t beat are in the rear-view mirror.

A 3-3 start was always very likely at the midpoint of the season. It just doesn’t feel great right now. The hard truths about where the Spartans stand have been revealed of late, by Oregon more than anyone.

This team needs to get away from this season for a minute. Fans probably do, too. Let MSU basketball and hockey and Les Miserables at Wharton Center take center stage for the next week.

If the Spartans can find their mojo again at home against Iowa in two weeks, their world will feel a lot more hopeful.

I don’t know if a bye week has ever been better timed.

Contact Graham Couch at gcouch@lsj.com. Follow him on X @Graham_Couch.