Strong Start Turns to Disastrous Collapse as Spartans Trounced by Indiana
EAST LANSING, Mich. -- Michigan State took a major step backward as it heads into the second bye week of its 2024 campaign.
It seemed early on in the Spartans' meeting with No. 13-ranked Indiana on Saturday that an upset was in the making. But for the second straight week, Michigan State would give up a 10-0 lead, and all of its momentum with it.
Only this time, it didn't down to the wire. Not even close.
The Spartans were humiliated on their home field as the undefeated Hoosiers obliterated them, 47-10.
Michigan State's defense took it to Indiana's offense to start the contest, forcing back-to-back three-and-outs. In between those drives, the Spartans' offense put together an eight-play, 52-yard drive that ended with a field goal. The series was highlighted by a 33-yard catch by Spartan wide receiver Nick Marsh on what was just the third play of the possession.
Marsh would finish the game with 78 yards and a touchdown on five receptions.
Following that second three-and-out forced by its defense, Michigan State's offense returned to the field with an opportunity to extend its lead. And it did just that.
The Spartans would march down to the red zone before eventually facing third-and-long. But Chiles would save the drive, escaping what would have been a blindside sack from his left and taking off for a 9-yard gian to pick up the fresh set of downs.
A couple of plays later, the sophomore quarterback found Marsh in the end zone for an 18-yard touchdown catch.
Michigan State led, 10-0.
But the absence of points wouldn't last for an Indiana team that had produced just 10 total yard until that point.
The Hoosiers answered with a seven-play, 75-yard touchdown drive that was capped off by a 17-yard reception by Indiana wide receiver Zach Horton.
The deficit was back to 3 points.
Next, it was the Spartans' offense's turn to begin to implode, as three plays into the following drive, Chiles threw an interception.
Indiana would get the ball back on its own 45-yard line with a chance to take the lead. But the Spartans' defense returned to its early success, forcing another three-and-out after it looked as if the Hoosiers had found the answer on their previous possession.
Unfortunately for Michigan State, a responding drive that showed signs of promise with two big gains from Marsh and Aziah Johnson would end with an unsuccessful third-down conversion. Facing just fourth-and-1, the Spartans punted form their own 27-yard line.
Indiana's offense would pick back up on that next drive, finding the end zone in just four plays, exposing Michigan State in the air with 38- and 25-yard gains that came back-to-back.
Michigan State found itself down 14-10 after being the only opponent the Hoosiers have trailed against so far this season.
The Spartans' offense, in need of ending their scoring drought, would only continue to struggle as Chiles threw yet another interception on the day. He has thrown 11 in total this season.
Indiana capitalized on the takeaway, scoring a second consecutive touchdown, this time on six plays. With that, the Hoosiers stretched their lead to 21 points with just over 2 minutes to go in the first half. They would carry that edge into halftime.
Michigan State opened the second half with the ball but was unable to take advantage of it. And after another three-and-out for the Indiana defense, Spartan punter Ryan Eckley's punt was blocked in the end zone. In an effort to prevent the Hoosiers from recovering the ball for a touchdown, Eckley batted it out of the end zone and was penalized for it. A safety would be award to the Hoosiers, increasing their lead to 23-10.
Indiana's offense would follow that dominant defensive series with a six-play, 65-yard touchdown-scoring drive to make it a 30-10 lead.
Michigan State would finally start to show a resurgence on offense on the following drive but would be stopped on downs once it crossed midfield. Chiles was injured on the drive, having suffered what appeared to be a wrist injury, and was replaced by Tommy Schuster for the final two plays of the possession. Chiles did not return to the contest.
Chiles went 16-of-24 on the day, throwing for 193 yards and a touchdown.
The Hoosiers continued to thrive offensively, marching down for more points, though, this time, the Spartans held them to a field goal. Even so, the lead grew to 33-10.
Indiana would expose Schuster on the next drive, sacking him for a loss of 14 on third-and-long after pressuring him the play before, which nearly led to an interception.
On the Spartans' punt attempt, a bad snap would force Eckley to take off with the ball. He was taken down at Michigan State's 21-yard line, setting up an eventual Indiana touchdown.
The Hoosiers held a 40-10 advantage with less than a minute gone in the fourth quarter. They would add one more touchdown before all was said and done.
47 unanswered points.
Michigan State will get its second bye week following Saturday's loss. It will look to regroup before it heeads back on the road to take on Illinois.
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