Spartans Get Worked by Wisconsin: Offense Doesn’t Get Off the Bus

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Michigan State knew it was going to be an uphill battle, but the Spartans were not prepared for what they faced Saturday afternoon.

It was a perfect day for football, with the sun shining bright while a crisp fall chill hung in the air. The stage was set for Michigan State to play spoiler and ruin Wisconsin’s homecoming festivities.

Unfortunately, the loss of star running back Cam Edwards for the season proved to be too much for the Spartans offense to overcome.

Michigan State entered the game having scored just 88 points through its first four games, the fewest in the Big Ten and the only team in the conference that had yet to eclipse 100 points.

That mark will have to wait until Week 6.

The Spartans offense never got off the bus once it arrived in Madison. Wisconsin drowned Michigan State from the opening drive, jumping out to a 17-0 lead before eventually finishing the job with a 31-3 victory.

The offensive struggles run through every single group, from coaching and the skill players to the offensive line and quarterback.

It starts with an offensive line that had already allowed 10 sacks entering the game. That pressure has seemingly forced the confidence of quarterback Alessio Milivojevic to dwindle to almost nothing.

As a result, his mental clock speeds up, forcing him through his progressions before plays have a chance to develop. Those progressions often fail to create separation, pushing Milivojevic into some of the tightest throwing windows imaginable.

Then there is the running game.

Michigan State is now leaning heavily on a ground attack that no longer has its star. Jaz Patterson can give the Spartans good north-to-south yards, but the breakaway-play ability that Edwards brought to the offense is largely gone.

It is a tough look for a Spartans team desperately trying to regain an identity, not just for itself but for the program as a whole.

The defense was not much better.

Wisconsin put together long, sustained drives, helped by Michigan State’s inability to get off the field on third down early. The Badgers converted their first five third-down attempts, helping build a 17-point lead before the Spartans could finally muster their only three points of the afternoon.

Michigan State also once again struggled to contain a mobile quarterback.

Colton Joseph had more than 50 rushing yards in the first quarter and never let up. Whether with his arm or his legs, Joseph continued converting the plays Wisconsin needed to keep drives alive.

As the Badgers continued to find success on the ground, Michigan State had to creep closer to the line of scrimmage. That left an already injury-riddled secondary vulnerable to big plays.

The Spartans were outperformed in virtually every aspect of the game.

There was no stopping the Badgers offense, which is a testament to how well Wisconsin played. But more importantly, it was another reminder of how far Michigan State still has to go.

The question is quickly becoming whether the Spartans can win a single conference game this season.

As of right now, it doesn't look like it.

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