Michigan State’s offense got an abysmal 3 out of 10 grade from Graham Couch after their brutal 31-13 loss to Nebraska, and honestly, that might be generous. This unit struggled massively, putting up a paltry 13 points against the Cornhuskers. Think about that, just thirteen points! They did manage one decent touchdown drive before halftime, where they actually looked like they knew what they were doing by speeding up the tempo. And yeah, they racked up 22 first downs, which was the same as Nebraska, along with three other trips deep into Nebraska territory. But let’s be real, the offense was *largely* a struggle for MSU in this game, and those 13 points truly feel like a fair total for how anemic they were. Something’s gotta give.
QB Woes and a Leaky O-Line
Look, both Alessio Milivojevic and Cam Fancher threw bad picks. You just cannot have that, especially when your team is desperate for points and trying to claw its way back into a game. Milivojevic got absolutely hammered out there, sacked a whopping five times! Graham Couch even pointed out a couple of those might have been his fault for holding the ball too long, but let’s be fair, the offensive line was clearly not giving him nearly enough time to make his reads either. That pass protection was nowhere near a winning level, period. It was just not good enough to compete. Cam Fancher didn’t fare much better in his snaps either, taking a brutal 15-yard sack that you simply cannot afford to take as a quarterback. Sure, he was under duress on that particular play, but good QBs have to find a way to avoid those drive killers and keep the chains moving. If Michigan State wants to get anywhere this season, that pass protection absolutely has to get sorted out NOW. It’s a colossal problem holding this offense back.
Patterson’s Grind Can’t Save Everything
The one actual bright spot? Jaziun Patterson stepping up huge in the running game. After Cam Edwards went down with an injury, Patterson took over, grinding out 54 yards on 16 carries and even punching in a touchdown. He ran hard, he ran efficiently. It’s clear as day they’re gonna need him to keep doing exactly that moving forward if they have any hope of consistently moving the ball and putting up points. But here’s the kicker: even with Patterson doing his thing and that one pretty good drive before halftime, the offense as a whole just couldn’t consistently get it done. Getting well into enemy territory three other times is nice for statistical purposes, but it means absolutely nothing if you can’t convert those opportunities into points. The whole offense needs to be a lot, lot better, especially right out of the gate and when they cross the opponent’s 50-yard line. You just cannot leave points on the field like that. It’s completely non-negotiable for a team that wants to win.
This wasn’t the showing any Spartan fan wanted to see on September 26, 2026. The 31-13 loss stings, and Graham Couch’s blunt assessment that “13 points is a fair total” for how rough it felt out there speaks volumes about the offensive struggles. Head coach Pat Fitzgerald and his crew have got some serious film to review after this one. If Michigan State wants to turn this around, they’ve absolutely got to come out firing from the jump next time. They need to convert those trips into opponent territory into actual scores and find some consistent offensive rhythm. The season’s still rolling, but these are exactly the kinds of performances that dig you a hole fast. It’s time to get it right, and fast.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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