Michigan State's Anelu Lafaele celebrates after forcing a fumble against Western Michigan during the first quarter on Friday, Aug. 29, 2025, in East Lansing. Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Player Grades for MSU's Opening Victory Over WMU

Originally posted on Michigan State Spartans on SI
By Carter Landis | Last updated Aug 30, 2025 6:00 AM ET

The Michigan State Spartans are 1-0 after a season-opening victory over the Western Michigan Broncos, 23-6.

MSU had things rolling in the first half, leading 21-0 at halftime. Things fell apart in the second half, however.

The efficient offense the Spartan Stadium crowd saw in the first half disappeared, as the team failed to score a touchdown after halftime. Jonathan Smith and his staff must figure things out before MSU takes on Boston College next week.

The special teams unit and defense played well in this game, as those two groups were a large reason the Spartans came away victorious.

After digesting MSU’s Week 1 opener, let’s hand out some grades for these Spartans after a victory.

Defensive end Anelu Lafaele

The Wisconsin transfer looked impressive in his first-ever collegiate action.

Lafaele finished with one tackle going for a loss, a sack, and a forced fumble. The former four-star high school recruit showed flashes of what made him such an intriguing prospect.

His impact on the game went beyond the stat sheet, as he was constantly in the backfield making plays on ball carriers and the quarterback. As defensive coordinator Joe Rossi continues to look for an answer across from Jalen Thompson, Lafaele could be an answer.

Grade: A-

Offensive tackle Conner Moore

Moore’s Spartan debut certainly could have gone better.

When watching the game, you could see that Moore was getting pushed around a bit, especially by WMU defensive lineman Nadame Tucker. We knew it might take him some time to adjust to playing at the Big Ten level, but he is not there yet, and he still turned in a lackluster performance.

MSU needs more out of its starting right tackle moving forward, as the opponents will only get more difficult. Can MSU rely on Moore to turn things around quickly?

Grade: C-

Running back Makhi Frazier

This was one of the better Spartan running back performances in recent memory.

The redshirt freshman from Texas took 14 carries for 103 yards and a touchdown. He took control of the top running back spot and made several impressive and advanced moves on Friday evening.

MSU’s run game looked improved in this game, and Frazier played a large part in that. He has the chance to keep it going next week against a tougher opponent.