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Oct 4, 2025; Lincoln, Nebraska, USA; Michigan State Spartans linebacker Jordan Hall (5) celebrates after an interception during the game against Nebraska at Memorial Stadium. Kylie Graham-Imagn Images

The Awkwardly Important Week Ahead for MSU Football

Originally posted on Michigan State Spartans on SI
By Jacob Cotsonika | Last updated Oct 7, 2025 11:00 AM ET

For a few weeks, it looked like Michigan State's homecoming game against UCLA this coming Saturday was going to be a relatively easy win. Just a few days ago, the Bruins were 0-4 with losses to Group of Five squads UNLV and New Mexico. They lost their Big Ten opener to Northwestern, as well.

Then, during the middle of MSU's 38-27 loss at Nebraska, UCLA pulled off the biggest upset of the college football season by taking down previously No. 7 Penn State. The result was so seismic that the Nittany Lions dropped out of the AP Top 25 entirely on Sunday.

Michigan State needs a win. It's tough to imagine the Spartans making a bowl game if they lose this one. With UCLA suddenly becoming a threat after appearing to be the worst Power Four team in the country, it all kind of puts MSU in an awkward position. For this episode of the Michigan State Spartans Insider Podcast, I talk about the mixture between awkwardness and importance this week has for MSU football.

Watch the MSU Spartans Insider Podcast here:

In addition, a partial transcript of Jonathan Smith's opening statement from his Monday press conference has been provided.

Jonathan Smith

SMITH: After watching the tape, I kind of recapped some things. Obviously, we'll start with special teams. A lot that hurt us in that game. If you think about punt, obviously, you give up a punt block for a touchdown. It can be tough to overcome. And so you look at it, we missed identification, really, out of three guys, and so the three guys are misidentified, and that starts with our preparations.

Coaches, schematically, you know, looked at some things. Probably didn't emphasize, on the road, crowd noise on the punt play, we got a lack of communication that way. So that hurt. And then it continued on the punt side in the coverage aspect.

And so there's a couple things that go with that. One is that when you get protected, and now you kick it and it's about placement. We've got a big-time punter (Ryan Eckley), and he's got a big-time leg in this old adage, and kind of out-kicking your coverage. Well, yeah, he kicks it deep, but also the placement of it. We've got to get it closer to the sideline and use the sideline as help.

In coverage, at the same time, wherever he kicks the thing, we've got to be able to cover better than we did. Out of the lane or two. Good athlete returning it, but that did not help us.

You think about field position throughout, that's a problem. So we've got to get better there. Which has been a strength for us.

Let's face it, the first four games the punt unit have been a strength. Was not last Saturday.

Kickoff return, we've got the unfortunate one in the ball. You know, we've got to be able to field the ball. They're kicking off to us. However, the wind made be tough. The communication between the two (Sam Edwards and Jay Coyne). Got deep trust in the two that are trying to field it. They've got to communicate better.

But that was a huge momentum play for them, in regards to the game. They came back. We took the lead, came back (from down 14-0), the game's tied (21-21), and they get the ball with an extra possession. So special teams-wise, a lot to clean up that we need to do. Especially when you play on the road.