Kinnick stadium is not a place teams want to enter running on low spirits, especially when night falls. Both the Michigan State Spartans and Iowa Hawkeyes enter Saturday after less than ideal showings in their last games.
Iowa was dominated in about every relevant facet versus Penn State in State College, being out-gained 397-76 in total yards. Conversely, MSU out-gained Maryland in total yards, but untimely turnovers on its own side of the field made the game lopsided, losing 31-9 in East Lansing.
The Spartans (2-2, 0-1 in Big Ten play) still have some of their toughest matchups to come this season, with plenty of things to patch up.
The Spartans gave the ball away five times against the Terrapins. Teams rarely, if ever, win with that many turnovers. The program has been in a state of flux for the past few weeks following the suspension of head coach Mel Tucker (who has now officially been fired from the university), and concerns about the mood in the locker room have already mounted and were reportedly addressed following the loss to Maryland.
After the Maryland game, acting head coach Harlon Barnett said he asked his players if anyone felt like they wanted to leave, but he said no players raised their hands, and as of Monday, he hadn't yet had anybody tell him they were ready to shut their season down. Of course, with Tucker's firing now official as of Wednesday, Michigan State players have a 30-day window to enter the transfer portal if they chose to do so. We will soon find out if there will be any movement on the roster in the near future.
Michigan State was able to drive multiple times deep into Maryland territory, including to the one-yard line, but was eventually stopped on fourth-and-and-goal on that drive late in the first quarter. Later, the Spartans were held to a 37-yard field goal by kicker Jonathan Kim late in the second quarter. A nine-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Noah Kim to wide receiver Tyrell Henry in the third quarter was all the touchdown MSU could muster in the game.
Kim threw two bad interceptions and left the game early in the fourth quarter after a sack and did not return. He was pulled in place of backup quarterback Katin Houser as the Spartans were looking for an offensive "spark," but Barnett made it clear in postgame comments that Kim will be the starter still moving forward, and reiterated that earlier this week during his media availability on Monday.
There were a few positives coming from the Maryland game, including a much-improved pass defense performance and tight end Maliq Carr's rejuvenation game. The offense being able to move the ball well was good to see, but limiting turnovers is obviously crucial. We’ll see if the Spartans can take care of the ball against an always stout Iowa defense in Iowa City.
Now that we've discussed the present of Michigan State football, let's review the past.
For this week’s playback, we go back to 2011 when MSU dominated Iowa in Kinnick Stadium to take control of the Big Ten’s Legends Division.
Spartan Football Playback: Michigan State vs. Iowa (2011)
Opponent: Iowa Hawkeyes
Date: Nov.12, 2011
Location: Kinnick Stadium (Iowa City, Iowa)
Final Score: 37-21, Michigan State
All-time Matchup Record: Iowa leads 24-22-2
2011 Game Recap:
The Spartans were winless in Iowa City for 22 years and took their frustration out on this day with a spot in the inaugural Big Ten Championship Game on the line.
MSU quarterback Kirk Cousins threw for 260 yards and three touchdowns and wide receiver B.J. Cunningham caught a pair of them as the Spartans snapped a seven-game losing streak in Iowa dating back to 1989.
The year before, Michigan State was pounded by the Hawkeyes in Iowa City, by a final score of 37-6, and was never able to get anything going offensively. This matchup was much different.
On the first drive of the game, Cousins found Cunningham alone in the middle of the end zone for a six-yard TD pass, putting the Spartans ahead 7-0. Cousins, following an interception by MSU defensive back Johnny Adams, connected on a 17-yard touchdown pass to running back Edwin Baker to give the Spartans a 14-0 lead halfway through the first quarter.
MSU also dominated on the ground, as running back Le'Veon Bell ran for 112 yards, including a 25-yard touchdown run up the middle of the Hawkeyes' defense to put the Spartans up 24-7 late in the second quarter. A fumble on the ensuing kickoff recovered by MSU set up another Cunningham touchdown to put the game somewhat out of reach at halftime.
Iowa scored twice early in the second half to cut the deficit to 13, but the comeback effort stopped there. The score went final at 37-21.
This game was the last major roadblock on the way to Indianapolis for the Spartans, who won their final two games of the season to clinch a spot in the first Big Ten Championship game.
Unfortunately for Michigan State, the Spartans went on to lose the conference championship game that season in heartbreaking fashion to Wisconsin.
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