Michigan State Hopes Deficiencies Displayed in First Game Are Not Fatal Flaws

Michigan State hits the road to take on Maryland in its first Big Ten game of the season. It hopes the issues it saw against Florida Atlantic last week were just a blip on the radar.

Aug 30, 2024; East Lansing, Michigan, USA; Michigan State Spartans quarterback Aidan Chiles (2) throws a first down in the first quarter against the Florida Atlantic Owls at Spartan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dale Young-Imagn Images / Dale Young-Imagn Images

Michigan State opens up Big Ten play against Maryland on the road in what will be Coach Jonathan Smith’s second game as the team’s head coach.

Michigan State had many changes this offseason and is still developing as a team. The Spartans walked away from their game against Florida Atlantic with the win and many positives to be happy about, but they knew they had plenty of room to improve as a team.

Michigan State’s defense was the bright spot during the team’s first game, shouldering the load during the second half, as the offense did not score a point. This gave the Spartans defense to be tested early in the season, as they were forced to protect a six-point second-half lead in a game they were favored to win by nearly two touchdowns. Michigan State’s defense only allowed Florida Atlantic’s offense to convert on two third-down attempts the whole game.

However, Michigan State’s offense was a different story. Quarterback Aidan Chiles and Michigan State’s offense were out of synch against the Owls, as Chiles completed less than half of his passes and threw for just over 100 yards. While Michigan State was able to rush for nearly 200 yards, 63 of the team’s 179 yards came on one run by running back Kay’Ron Lynch-Adams, the team’s backup running back.

Smith and the Spartans' offense will likely find a groove as the season continues, as many of the offense’s issues are fixable. However, that assumption could prove false if the offense continues struggling throughout the season. 

Michigan State has a schedule most teams in the country are glad they do not have to play, including a four-game stretch where it plays two teams that were ranked in the top five of most preseason polls. As Coach Smith and Michigan State prepare to take on that difficult task, they hope the issues they witnessed on the field against Florida Atlantic were just because it was the first week of the season for a team with a new head coach, quarterback, and offensive scheme. If not, the Spartans could be in for a difficult season ahead.

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