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Michigan State football among worst disciplined teams in college football

chris solari, detroit free press
·3 min read
19

IOWA CITY, Iowa — Looking back at Michigan State football’s 26-16 loss at Iowa and looking toward the Spartans’ bye week before traveling to Rutgers.

3 things we learned

Penalties persist: The lack of discipline continues for MSU, a constant even before coach Mel Tucker’s suspension and firing. The Spartans committed 10 penalties for 94 yards against the Hawkeyes, including four in the fourth quarter. MSU's offense got flagged four times for false starts in the final 16:10, three coming on third down. The Spartans have been penalized 40 times for 358 yards in five games this season; their eight penalties per game rank 117th out of 130 teams in the Football Bowl Subdivision, and their 71.6 yards penalized rank 118th.

Michigan State quarterback Noah Kim scrambles on a keeper in the first half of MSU's 26-16 loss Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023, in Iowa City, Iowa.
Michigan State quarterback Noah Kim scrambles on a keeper in the first half of MSU's 26-16 loss Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023, in Iowa City, Iowa.

Zone’d out: MSU continues to be inconsistent on offense with Noah Kim at quarterback. The junior went 25 of 44 for 193 yards with three interceptions vs. Iowa. Kim over his past three games combined has completed 55 of 107 passes (51.4%) with six picks to one touchdown. The Spartans have scored one touchdown in Kim's past 34 drives, his 9-yard scoring pass to Tyrell Henry in the third quarter against Maryland. MSU's 21.6 points per game is tied for 103rd in the FBS, and the 371.4 total yards per game rank 82nd.

Bright spot: The defense, despite struggling with missed tackles again, put together a strong showing while missing linebacker Jacoby Windmon, who is done for the season. The 61 rushing yards allowed were a season low for MSU's defense, while the 222 total yards given up is the best against three Power Five opponents — and a far cry from the 713 given up two weeks earlier to Washington. The Spartans rank second in the nation in third-down defense (23.1%) after holding Iowa to 2 of 13. The 115 rushing yards they allow per game rank 39th in the nation, and the 341.8 total yards given up rank 48th.

Next up: Rutgers Scarlet Knights

Matchup: Michigan State (2-3, 0-2 Big Ten) at Rutgers (4-1, 1-1).

When: Noon, Oct. 14; SHI Stadium, Piscataway, New Jersey.

TV/radio: TBD, WJR-AM (760).

Know the foe

The Scarlet Knights coasted to their final nonconference win of the season Saturday, dominating lower-division Wagner, 52-3. Rutgers visits Wisconsin for a noon kickoff next Saturday, and the Scarlet Knights have defeated Northwestern and lost at Michigan so far in Big Ten play. The Spartans have won eight of the nine meetings between the two schools since Rutgers joined the Big Ten in 2014. The lone loss was a 38-27 defeat to open the 2020 season. MSU has lost once in six visits to Piscataway since 1990, a 2004 defeat.

Contact Chris Solari: csolari@freepress.com. Follow him @chrissolari.

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This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan State football among worst disciplined teams in nation