Michigan State looks like a broken program in 41-7 blowout loss to Washington

Free Press sports writer Rainer Sabin answers three questions after Michigan State football lost to Washington, 41-7, on Saturday in East Lansing.

Could Michigan State overcome the turmoil of the past week and put up a fight?

The aftershocks from the suspension Mel Tucker had yet to subside by the time the Spartans took the field Saturday. Less than a week had passed since the program was rocked by the publication of a USA TODAY investigation that detailed a sexual harassment claim against the 51-year-old head coach.

The program had been thrust into a full-blown crisis just as it was set to play a pivotal game that would determine the trajectory of its season. Even before the sudden change of leadership, the circumstances were far from ideal for MSU. Washington had smoked the Spartans in Seattle a year ago and arrived in East Lansing as a team in full bloom with a top-ten ranking. Its star quarterback, Michael Penix Jr., had been a thorn in MSU’s side dating back to his days at Indiana and was now playing better than ever with the second-highest passing average in the country.

“We know what the challenge is before us,” acting coach Harlon Barnett said earlier this week.

But could they meet it?

In a word, no.

At times, the Spartans looked like a team that had been thrown into chaos. Across all sectors, they looked discombobulated. When they weren’t leaving Washington’s receivers unguarded, they were routinely missing tackles in space. When MSU’s offensive line wasn’t knocked back, quarterback Noah Kim’s throws sailed off the mark. There were unforced errors, silly infractions and mind-numbing mistakes.

By the end of the first half, the Spartans had been ripped apart, shredded by a powerful opponent, and torn asunder by their own self-inflicted errors.

OH NO: Ex-Mel Tucker recruit Germie Bernard scores Washington's opening TD against Michigan State

Was Michael Penix Jr. as good as advertised?

The Spartans had just made a play for field position when Ryan Eckley dropped a 36-yard punt in the shadow of Washington’s end zone in the second quarter. If there ever were an opportunity for MSU’s defense to rise to the occasion and make a stop, it was now. But as soon as the Huskies snapped the ball from their own five-yard line, Penix dropped back and launched a high-arching pass. Fifty yards downfield, the ball was plucked out of the air by receiver Rome Odunze, causing the crowd to gasp in both horror and amazement. The long completion, a vintage Penix throw, kick-started a three-play scoring drive that had the Washington star’s fingerprints all over it and affirmed why he is one of the best quarterbacks in college football.

Just as he did last year, Penix tormented the Spartans with an array of pinpoint passes that reached their targets running routes at the short, intermediate and deepest levels. Before leaving the game in the third quarter, he completed 27 of 35 attempts for 473 yards and four touchdowns, dissecting an MSU secondary that was rarely challenged in its first two games against Central Michigan and Richmond.

The Spartans simply had no answer for him, which wasn’t all that surprising. Before Saturday, they knew the threat he posed.

“Dude’s a player,” Barnett said.

After picking apart the Spartans during his latest tour de force, he left no doubt about that.

Where does MSU go from here?

This was never going to be an easy year for Michigan State.

Even before the Tucker news dropped like an anvil, the Spartans’ immediate future was clouded with doubt. Saddled with a schedule rated among the ten toughest in the nation, they were projected to finish fifth in the Big Ten East. The consensus opinion heading into MSU’s opener is that it would be a heavy lift just to attain bowl eligibility.

Well, the Spartans’ prospects look even worse after this dreadful performance.

MSU is now, without question, a broken program – left in shambles after Tucker’s suspension. The collapse, of course, was more progressive than it was sudden – beginning a year ago against this very same Washington team. Entering that loss to the Huskies, the Spartans were ranked No. 9 in the coaches poll and brimming with hope about a promising future ahead of them. Since then, they’ve experienced a rapid descent into the deep waters, where they’ve become chum for Top 25 teams to devour. Michigan, Ohio State and Penn State will soon look to take some more bites out of the decaying Spartans.

But by then, they may find only the carcass of Tucker’s failed regime remains.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan State looks like a broken program in 41-7 loss to Washington