What Was Learned from Michigan State's Lopsided Loss to Oregon?
After losing by multiple touchdowns to top teams for the second consecutive week, Michigan State coach Jonathan Smith had no time for moral victories.
Following Friday's loss to Oregon, Smith noted that the small mistakes Michigan State got away with against lesser opponents earlier in the season are bound to be significantly more costly when playing top teams like Ohio State and Oregon.
"I don't know about what I learned,” Smith said. “When you play really good teams, the small errors are going to get exposed. Execution is going to be tougher, and we're not there yet."
The Spartans played well during the first three games of the season. If they were fully healthy, they would likely have beaten Boston College, but they have now lost two demoralizing games to some of the best teams in the country.
Smith noted that it is his first year in East Lansing, and rebuilds take time. He fully believes his team will bounce back over the next few weeks, as their schedule will get significantly more manageable after the bye week.
"Year 1 and everything, but I do think this team, we're going to bounce back, we're going to keep working, we're going to stay together," Smith said. "I think we've got some good leadership, player-led. Guys that understand this is a team, and we're going to keep working together as a team."
As bad as Smith and the Spartans' three-game losing streak may feel, they must keep things in perspective. The Spartans were ahead of schedule after winning the first three games of the season. They may have lost three games in a row, but are still on track. They may still technically be ahead of schedule, considering how highly ranked Ohio State and Oregon are.
Michigan State enters its bye week searching for answers after another disappointing outing against a Big Ten opponent. They are 1-2 in the conference and will face Iowa in two weeks after taking time off to regroup.
The Spartans are right where many rebuilding college football programs are after five games under a new coaching staff. No turnarounds happen overnight, and they won’t for Michigan State. The important thing for the Spartans during their time off will be to get as mentally and physically healthy as possible for the second half of the season.
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Ezekiel is a former Sports Editor from the Western Herald and former Atlanta Falcons beat writer.