Michigan State huddles up during the second quarter in the game against Boston College on Saturday, Sept. 6, 2025, at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing. Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Why MSU OL's Performance is Sign of Things to Come

Originally posted on Michigan State Spartans on SI
By Carter Landis | Last updated Sep 9, 2025 12:00 PM ET

The Michigan State Spartans are 2-0 after a thrilling 42-40 double overtime victory against the Boston College Eagles last Saturday.

Many things stood out about how MSU was able to pull off the victory, including the resilience of the defense to stand tall at the end of the game and quarterback Aidan Chiles’ excellent game.

However, one of the most impressive things was how well the offensive line played as a whole. There were moments where Chiles had to scramble, and they allowed four sacks, but it was a performance the unit can hang its hat on.

Will the O-Line continue its improvement as the season progresses?

If the Spartans want to be a bowl team, it has no choice.

Offensive line improvement

Teams that send pressure give MSU issues, but that should improve as the team sees more reps together. Jonathan Smith, Jim Michalczik, and the MSU staff like to rotate offensive linemen, which may need to change if the team wants to find a solid starting five.

The Spartans have Youngstown State on the schedule this upcoming Saturday, and that game should be a chance for the Big Ten-level offensive line to dominate a lower-level defensive line. Expect MSU’s trenches to be in control for the entire game.

However, Smith and the Spartan staff are not focused on the Penguins regarding offensive line development. The Big Ten season looms after this game, and that is where MSU fell apart last season.

After being 3-0 in 2024, the Spartans went 2-7, including losing six conference games. Much of that failure came from how poorly the offensive line played.

This season, Michalczik knows his unit cannot have another collapse, so he and the staff added multiple starters. Those investments appear to be paying dividends thus far.

Montana State transfer Conner Moore just had an excellent game against the Eagles. According to Pro Football Focus, he allowed just one pressure and did not allow a sack.

MSU needs more from this group moving forward, as it will see excellent defensive lines from future Big Ten opponents.

We saw tangible progress from this MSU offensive line, as it did not let a few bad plays disrupt the entire game flow. If the Spartans’ O-Line can keep that up and improve in all facets, this unit should be one of the better ones in the conference.

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This article first appeared on Michigan State Spartans on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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