MSU Improved in a Major Arena That Will be Crucial Down the Road

Michigan State was finally able to clean up the penalties in its loss to Boston College on Saturday.

Aidan Champion, Michigan State on SI

Jonathan Smith was clearly frustrated with Michigan State's 11 penalties against Prairie View A&M.

It had been the third straight game in which the first-year Spartans coach's squad finished in double-digits in penalties, a recipe that will hold you back in a formidable Big Ten conference.

As Michigan State looks to leave its Week 4 loss to Boston College behind it and focus on its looming matchup with No. 3 Ohio State, it does have something quite encouraging it can build off from its first defeat of the season.

The Spartans committed just three penalties against the Eagles this past weekend, showcasing the fact that they do, in fact, have the ability to be disciplined.

"We did a good job on the penalty side," Smith said on Monday. "You got not just avoiding penalties, [but] being smart around the quarterback and the sideline."

Smith said there was "not a ton different" he did to emphasize the need to limit turnovers; the players took it upon themselves.

"We're learning, we're progressing, our awareness was better around the sideline," he said. "I think we played with better technique at times and that kind of thing. Again, offensively, on the road, to have the one false start was better; we'd love to get it to zero. But there was nothing out of me. I go back ... we want to be player-led. Those guys have taken some ownership and did a better job on the penalty side."

Cleaning up this area of the game is huge for a Michigan State team that's about to host its best opponent of the season. When going against a much superior opponent, the last thing you can afford to do is shoot yourself in the foot.

While the Spartans fell in dramatic fashion on Saturday, there's some good to take away from the loss, including the lack of penalties. Their games against Florida Atlantic and Maryland could have easily gone the other way, and if they had, penalties would have been one of the main factors.

It makes you wonder how much wider the win margin could have been in those victories had the violations been kept to a minimal.

Michigan State will have to carry its discipline from Week 4 into this meeting with the Buckeyes, one of the most dominant teams in all of college football right now.

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