Michigan State had an upset win on the road within reach for the second time in four games.
The Spartans (3-1, 1-0 Big Ten) couldn’t finish this time while suffering a 23-19 loss at Boston College (3-1, 1-0 ACC) on Saturday night at Alumni Stadium.
Here are quick takeaways and observations from the game:
* Warts and all, this team continues to show grit. The offense turned to option No. 4 at right guard to start the game while a redshirt freshman walk-on receiver logged first-quarter snaps. Injuries have depleted the Spartans at key positions and they keep making brutal, self-inflicted errors but don’t fold. It was a game they definitely could have won but didn’t deserve to due to back-breaking mistakes.
Two turnovers on the first two touches of the second half leading to 10 points in 13 seconds for Boston College didn’t snap the Spartans. Backed up at the 2-yard line, they turned in their longest drive of the season to reclaim the lead late in the fourth quarter. The Eagles go back in front with less than 90 seconds to play, Michigan State quickly moves within field goal range.
The difference was the final mistake couldn’t be overcome. Aidan Chiles was picked off in the end zone with 36 seconds left, the Eagles ran out the clock and coach Jonathan Smith suffered his first loss leading the Spartans. What could have been a 4-0 start that turned heads going into a brutal stretch starting against Ohio State and at Oregon was washed away on a rainy night on the road.
* It continues to be very clear what Michigan State has in Chiles – a game-changing talent who also looks like he just turned 19. The dazzling plays weren’t enough to overcome critical errors in his fourth career start. Chiles was elusive in the open field with his legs while moving the chains in key spots but also threw a trio of interceptions. Th first two were off target for tight end Jack Velling and the third was a poor decision.
After getting the ball back with 1:28 to play, Chiles was 3-for-3 with passes of 6, 21 and 12 yards to Velling. The Spartans were at the Boston College 36 with 42 seconds left, two timeouts and within range for kicker Jonathan Kim, who was already 4-for-4 on the night. They were moving the ball and heaving into double coverage at Montorie Foster after escaping pressure was obviously not the right decision. Chiles finished 17-for-35 for 241 yards, zero touchdown passes, three picks and ran for 57 yards and a score. He continues to show growth and has tremendous talent but must do a better job taking care of the ball after seven interceptions and a fumble already this fall.
* Behind a makeshift offensive line, an underwhelming run game struggled again. Kay’Ron Lynch-Adams led the team with 15 carries for 61 yards and 38 of those came in the fourth quarter, including 19 on a huge third-and-15 pickup. Five of Nathan Carter’s nine rushes were for zero or negative yards while frequently ambushed by defenders in the backfield. With a young quarterback on the road and a depleted group of receivers, the run game needed to show up consistently but didn’t.
* With the top two right guards – Kristian Phillips and Gavin Broscious – both out due to season-ending injuries, the Spartans went with a shakeup that didn’t include Dallas Fincher, who finished at the spot against Prairie View A&M last week. Starting left tackle Brandon Baldwin moved to right guard and was replaced by redshirt freshman Stanton Ramil, who was already pushing for the starting role. Luke Newman remained at left guard and Tanner Miller at center. It wasn’t a great night for the offensive line, which didn’t generate enough movement in the run game and had protection issues but stuck with its starting five.
* When one of three starting receivers is a redshirt freshman with zero career catches, you have a problem. Next up at the spot and on the field in the first quarter was a second-year walk-on with only five offensive snaps in a blowout against an FCS program. That sums up the depth chart the Spartans took to Boston.
Starters Jaron Glover and Nick Marsh were both out, along with Antonio Gates Jr. while Alante Brown missed his third straight game. Down four of the top five or six receivers on the roster led to Jaelen Smith getting the start and walk-on Jack Yanachik playing first-quarter snaps.
Despite the absences, opportunities were there in the pass game the Spartans couldn’t capitalize on. Chiles missed a pair of deep shots early to Foster before connecting on a third to set up the first touchdown. He overshot the fifth-year senior again on what would have been an easy touchdown in the third quarter before a field goal. Velling was a frequent target but missed throws prevented a larger impact. Foster led the team with 87 yards on four catches while Velling had six for 77 and Aziah Johnson three for 59 in his first career start.
* We’ll see how Michigan State’s defense holds up against Ohio State next week but the change so far under coordinator Joe Rossi has been notable. The Spartans got pushed around a bit early but did more than enough to win the game. They limited Boston College to 292 yards and 2-for-4 in the red zone while coming up with huge stops deep, both after a sudden change and at the end of a drive. Linebacker Jordan Hall’s stuff of quarterback Thomas Castellanos on fourth-and-goal from the 1 early in the fourth quarter was huge but still not enough.
The front seven remains a deep rotation as Khris Bogle continues to shine and fellow ends Quindarius Dunnigan and Anthony Jones and linebacker Jordan Turner all had a sack on Saturday while limiting Castellanos on the ground. Cornerback Charles Brantley had another strong performance while continually throwing around all of his generously-listed 170 pounds to make open-field tackles and another pass break-up. Castellano’s game-winning 42-yard touchdown throw to Logan Bond came as Angelo Grose slipped in coverage for the only pass play of at least 30 yards for the Eagles.
* Michigan State outclassed Boston College on special teams but one mistake was a game changer. Lynch-Adams took over as the deep man on kickoff returns after Johnson made a pair of ill-advised decisions to take the ball out of the end zone at Maryland, then made the same mistake himself. This one was more costly and came with Michigan State looking to add to its lead to start the second half.
Lynch-Adams brought it out from a yard deep and was drilled, resulting in a fumble Boston College recovered at the 5. The Spartans held the Eagles to a field goal but it was still a free three points before Chiles threw a pick on the next snap.
Kim was arguably Michigan State’s player of the game, finishing 4-for-4 on field goals, including a 51-yarder amid the elements late in the first half. A fifth attempt could have tied the game in the final seconds but he never got a chance. Ryan Eckley punted only twice with kicks of 50 and 48 yards, including one under intense pressure in the end zone.
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