Column: IU defense fails the offense against Michigan State

EAST LANSING, MICH. — In a game touted as the prolific IU offense against the stout Michigan State defense, it was IU’s defense — or lack thereof — that allowed Michigan State to win 42-28 on Saturday.

Michigan State had only scored more than 40 points twice in its last 21 games coming into Saturday.

It scored 55 this season against Youngstown State and 41 on Sept. 8, 2012, against Central Michigan.

On the opposite side of the ball, the 28 points allowed by the Michigan State defense is the most it has given up since Nov. 3, 2012 against then-No. 21 Nebraska, a game Michigan State lost 28-24.

The Spartans never gave up more than that in the 2012 season.

If it’s not obvious already, the defense failed the Hoosiers.

“It’s basically our defense versus their defense and their defense won,” junior cornerback Tim Bennett said. “They got more stops. They got more third-down stops. They got more tackles in the backfield. Their defense outperformed our defense.”

After forcing Michigan State into back-to-back three-and-outs to start the game, the IU defense wouldn’t stop Michigan State on third down again until the fourth quarter.

The Spartans were 10-for-14 on third-down conversions.

“I think the biggest key to this game was the third-down conversions,” senior safety Greg Heban said, “and we just flat out got beat.”

Of Michigan State’s six touchdowns, three came on third down.

After IU jumped out to a 7-0 lead, the Hoosiers forced the Spartans into third-and-7 from the IU 11-yard line.

With a stop, the damage is limited to a field goal.

Instead, Michigan State got an 11-yard touchdown pass.

With the game tied 7-7, Michigan State had the ball at IU’s 34-yard line facing third-and-6.

With a stop, the Spartans are looking at a long field goal attempt at best.

Instead, they got a 34-yard touchdown pass.

On their fourth touchdown drive, the Spartans had third-and-11 from the IU 44-yard line. A stop on third-and-long forces a punt.

Instead, Michigan State gained 39 yards through the air, setting up a touchdown run two plays later.

“We had a good chance to stop them on third down, and we didn’t,” Bennett said of the team’s performance on third down throughout the day. “Didn’t make the plays that we supposed to.”

This isn’t a stud offense IU was playing.

Michigan State was averaging just more than 28 points per game coming into Saturday, and that’s including the 55-point outlier against Youngstown State.

It’s average at best.

IU needed its defense to step up and make a play. In a matchup like that, you can’t expect the offense to carry the load and score a boatload of points.

The IU offense did its job. Yes, it left opportunities on the field. Sophomore quarterback Nate Sudfeld had a bad day. A very bad day. But that’s what happens when you play a good defense.

The offense scored as many points as it was going to score against a defense like Michigan State’s.

When you score that many points against a defense like that, the most it has given up since November 2012, you have to expect the defense to step up and back up its end of the bargain.

And the IU defense knew that coming into the game.

“We knew going in Michigan State had a great defense,” Heban said. “We knew the offense was going to have a challenge with them all game. I think it was going to come down to the defense trying to stop their offense.

“Their defense is definitely their strongest point. Their offense is improved throughout five or six games. It’s just something we came in knowing we had a chance to stop them, and we didn’t succeed with that.”

Now, IU faces a tough challenge next week. It has to go to Ann Arbor, Mich., to play a team that has already scored more than 40 points four times this season.

Something has to change.

“I just think we have to execute a lot better,” Heban said. “I think the coaches did a good job of putting us where we need to be. We just got to execute as players and have a little more fight and effort to us.”

— robhowar@indiana.edu