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Michigan State football searches for answers amid QB question vs surging Indiana

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2 months ago

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Michigan State football searches for answers amid QB question vs surging Indiana


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EAST LANSING – There remain a lot of questions about why Michigan State football fell apart against UCLA. And about the future of the coaching staff.

Offensive coordinator Brian Lindgren knows its his job to find the answers. In a hurry. With a dominating and punishing Indiana defense waiting.

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“I told the offense I’m gonna do all I can to put together an awesome plan this week, to put you guys in the best position to go make plays and go win a game on Saturday,” Lindgren said Tuesday, Oct. 14.

As Year 2 with coach Jonathan Smith and Lindgren continues to spiral, with the Spartans mired in a three-game losing streak, the Hoosiers and second-year coach Curt Cignetti are flourishing. After earning a College Football Playoff berth last season, No. 3 Indiana is 6-0 overall and 3-0 in the Big Ten as it prepares to host MSU (3-3, 0-3).

ANALYSIS: Jonathan Smith era of MSU football is in peril. It’s hard to see a path forward

The Spartans are coming off a humiliating 38-13 homecoming loss to the Bruins on Saturday in which the offense fell apart after opening with a touchdown drive for the fifth time in six games this season. MSU had 253 yards of total offense, six drives of four or fewer plays and watched starting quarterback Aidan Chiles get knocked out of the game early in the third quarter. Chiles is questionable for the 3:30 p.m. game in Bloomington, Indiana (Peacock).

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Lindgren and Smith had the entire team watch the UCLA game back together rather than as position groups. Both he and Lindren felt that helped create better accountability.

As for why the Spartans, playing at home, lacked the competitive bounce-back and fight they showed in their previous losses on the road at USC and Nebraska?

“I don’t know if I completely have the answer,” tight end Jack Velling said Tuesday. “I think we still have the fight, just it wasn’t clicking. Really, I don’t have the answer to that. But we still got full confidence in this team and this staff.”

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The Spartans scored fewer than 18 points against a conference opponent for the seventh time in 15 Big Ten games under Smith and Lindgren. Chiles has started every game since arriving with the staff as a transfer from Oregon State before last season. MSU is 3-9 in conference play and 8-10 overall under Smith.

But it was the dismal, lifeless showing against UCLA that enraged MSU fans and have them calling for changes. Smith and Lindgren hear it and have said the need to improve is urgent.

“The pressure at this level comes with the job, it comes with the territory. It’s part of it,” Lindgren said. “You got people in the building that you trust and you’ve worked with before. When you get to times of adversity, you just gotta keep going to work and trust that those around you are gonna take care of their business and get the job done at a high level.”

Lindgren said Cignetti’s success has been structured around 13 players he brought with him from James Madison in 2024, when the Hoosiers went 11-2 and 8-1 in the Big Ten to finish No. 10 in the US LBM Coaches Poll. Indiana lost in the CFP first round at Notre Dame, 27-17.

In the Hoosiers’ 47-10 blowout win at MSU last season, they sacked Chiles (who also left that game with an injury) and backup Tommy Schuster seven times.

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Should Chiles be unable to play this week, the Spartans would give redshirt freshman Alessio Milivojevic his first career start against an IU defense tied for third in the Football Bowl Subdivision with 22 sacks this season, No. 4 in both total defense (229 yards per game) and scoring (11.3 points) and sixth in passing yards allowed (142.2).

MSU’s offensive line has given up 15 sacks of the elusive Chiles this season, which ranks tied for 25th-most allowed nationally. He finished 8-for-17 passing for 66 yards with a lost fumble on his one sack against the Bruins.

[ MUST LISTEN: State of the program. Subscribe to the “Spartan Speak” podcast for new episodes weekly on Apple, Spotify or anywhere you listen to podcasts. ]

The less-mobile Milivojevic took over early in the third quarter, and finished 8-for-18 for 100 yards with a touchdown. However, the Bruins already were leading by 17 points when Milivojevic entered the game and stretched it to 31 by the end of the third quarter while mostly playing soft coverage with minimal front-seven pressure the rest of the way.

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“Alessio, we’ve got a lot of trust in him,” Lindgren said. “I think it’s definitely gonna be a challenge. That defense gives you a ton of different looks in the secondary. They’re super-active up front. … It would be a challenging game but an opportunity that he would welcome.”

Milivojevic is 14-for-27 for 171 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions in 50 career collegiate snaps the past two seasons (24 against UCLA, 12 against Nebraska, 12 against Western Michigan and two last season against Rutgers).

Also if Chiles is ruled out, that likely would mean true freshman Leo Hannan – who has yet to play – would be the backup. Lindgren said he did not consider giving Hannan a series late in the UCLA game to give him his first experience in college.

“It wasn’t necessarily discussed,” Lindgren said. “I think Leo would be ready if we put him in there. Looking back at it, that would’ve been something that I think would have been good. It’s always nice to get a young guy a little taste of action before he’s maybe forced into action at some point.”

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

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Indiana

How trajectories of Indiana, Purdue turned Bucket game into one-sided rivalry

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6 hours ago

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November 29, 2025

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How trajectories of Indiana, Purdue turned Bucket game into one-sided rivalry


WEST LAFAYETTE — Indiana football is firmly in control of the Old Oaken Bucket. 

The No. 2 Hoosiers (12-0, 9-0 Big Ten) beat Purdue 56-3 on Friday night at Ross-Ade Stadium to keep the trophy in Bloomington for a second straight year.

Indiana has put together consecutive wins against the Boilermakers that rank among the most dominant pair of victories in the history of the series.

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This is the first time in eight decades the Hoosiers have held their rival without a touchdown in two straight games. Their margin of victory in the wins (119 points) is the most in program history and third most all-time for either team. 

The other games on the list? Those happened back in the 1890s. 

Indiana coach Curt Cignetti has fueled the Hoosiers recent success, but he took a measured approach when talking about the current state of the rivalry.

“The fact that we’ve outscored them like we have, it’s just a fact where we are at and where they are at right now,” Cignetti said. “They are going to get better, there’s no doubt in my mind that they are going to get better. Coach (Barry Odom) is going to do a great job of improving that roster and coaching that football team, they sort of hit rock bottom, it timed up with my arrival.”

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Odom steered clear of addressing the rivalry head on as well. He thanked the fans for supporting the team throughout the 2025 season even though they didn’t give them much to cheer about.

“I’ll get it fixed,” Odom said.

The game on Friday night showed he had a long way to go as did the makeup of the crowd. By the final whistle, the sections behind IU’s bench were completely full of fans decked out in crimson.

“I think we pretty much took over the stadium tonight,” Indiana linebacker Aiden Fisher said. “This game, this rivalry, means a lot to former players, alums and fans, everybody included in Indiana football. When you travel like that, it can feel like a home environment at times, it’s special.”

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Want more Hoosiers coverage? Sign up for IndyStar’s Hoosiers newsletter. Listen to Mind Your Banners, our IU Athletics-centric podcast, on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. Watch the latest on IndyStar TV: Hoosiers.



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How to Watch Indiana vs Purdue: Live Stream NCAA College Football, TV Channel

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24 hours ago

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November 28, 2025

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How to Watch Indiana vs Purdue: Live Stream NCAA College Football, TV Channel


The Indiana Hoosiers face the Purdue Boilermakers in this Black Friday college football matchup at Ross-Ade Stadium.

How to Watch Indiana vs Purdue

  • When: Friday, November 28, 2025
  • Time: 7:30 PM ET
  • Live Stream: Peacock (watch now)

The Hoosiers come into this rivalry showdown riding one of the greatest seasons in program history. Indiana is 11-0 overall and 8-0 in the Big Ten, ranked No. 2 nationally in the College Football Playoff rankings. With a win tonight, Indiana could complete its first-ever perfect regular season and punch a ticket to the conference championship. Offensively and defensively, they’ve been elite with their offense averaging over 40 points per game this year, and their defense allowing one of the lowest points-per-game marks in the country.

On the other side, Purdue enters at 2-9 (0-8 in the Big Ten), having lost nine straight games. The gap between the two teams in terms of consistency, depth and momentum is massive, not helped by the fact that last season Indiana crushed Purdue 66–0, the worst loss in series history for the Boilermakers. That said, rivalry games often carry a different kind of intensity, and Purdue, now under a new head coach, may push hard for pride and a spoiler-upset, especially playing at home under the lights at Ross-Ade Stadium.

This is a great college football matchup that you will not want to miss; make sure to tune in and catch all the action.

Live stream Indiana vs Purdue on Peacock: Start your subscription now!

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You can watch college football, as well as other live sports, on Peacock all season long, in addition to the wide array of other entertainment options available on the streaming service for an affordable price.

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County-by-County: Snow forecast for Central Indiana

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2 days ago

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November 28, 2025

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County-by-County: Snow forecast for Central Indiana


It’s Thanksgiving weekend and the WRTV weather team has broken down, by county, what to watch for as snow is set to hit several parts of Central Indiana. We likely start out Saturday dry then snow fills in around midday. Temperatures will be close to the freezing mark, so it is likely we switch over to a rain snow mix. Most in Central Indiana will pick up a few inches of snow with higher totals north and more of a rain/snow mix south. It will be a heavy wet snow so it will compact as it falls

HEADLINES

  • Winter Storm Watch from I-70 north
  • Main impacts Saturday afternoon and evening
  • Changes to rain for most late Saturday/Early Sunday

BOONE
Winter Storm Watch
Main impact: Saturday afternoon and evening
Snowfall: 3 to 6 inches
Winds: Gusts up to 25 mph

HAMILTON
Winter Storm Watch
Main impact: Saturday afternoon and evening
Snowfall: 2 to 5 inches
Winds: Gusts up to 25 mph

HANCOCK
Winter Storm Watch
Main impact: Saturday afternoon and evening
Snowfall: 2 to 4 inches
Winds: Gusts up to 25 mph

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HENDRICKS
Winter Storm Watch
Main impact: Saturday afternoon and evening
Snowfall: 2 to 4 inches
Winds: Gusts up to 25 mph

HOWARD
Winter Storm Watch
Main impact: Saturday afternoon and evening
Snowfall: 3 to 7 inches
Winds: Gusts up to 25 mph

JOHNSON
Main impact: Saturday afternoon and evening
Snowfall: 1 to 3 inches before changing to rain
Winds: Gusts up to 25 mph

MARION
Winter Storm Watch
Main impact: Saturday afternoon and evening
Snowfall: 1 to 4 inches
Winds: Gusts up to 25 mph

MONROE
Winter Storm Watch
Main impact: Saturday afternoon and evening
Snowfall: 1 to 3 inches before changing to rain
Winds: Gusts up to 25 mph

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MORGAN
Winter Storm Watch
Main impact: Saturday afternoon and evening
Snowfall: 1 to 3 inches before changing to rain
Winds: Gusts up to 25 mph

To see more counties, click here to be taken to our Weather Alerts page.





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