Takeaways, observations from Michigan State’s blowout loss vs. Penn State

DETROIT – An ugly season finally came to an end with a brutally one-sided game.

Michigan State (4-8, 2-7 Big Ten) was hammered in a 42-0 loss by No. 11 Penn State (10-2, 7-2) on Friday night at Ford Field in Detroit.

Here are takeaways and observations from the game:

* Complete domination. Penn State looked like a team poised to land another New Year’s Six bowl bid while Michigan State appeared to not even belong on the same field as it will miss the postseason for the second straight year.

The Nittany Lions brought a stingy defense to Detroit and suffocated the Spartans. Michigan State finished with only 53 yards of total offense on 47 plays to set a record for the lowest output in program history. That knocked the 56 yards gained in a 1947 loss to Michigan out of the top spot.

It was just as bad on the other side of the ball as Penn State racked up 586 yards and wore down a shorthanded Michigan State defense. The plus side for the Spartans and their fans – at three hours and six minutes, it was the shortest game of the season.

Friday’s loss closes out a turbulent season for Michigan State after coach Mel Tucker was suspended two games into the schedule and then fired for cause on Sept. 27 amid allegations of sexual misconduct. Interim coach Harlon Barnett closed with a 2-8 mark and program records he’d prefer not to have on his resume – fewest yards in a game (53 on Friday), most yards allowed to an opponent in a game (713 by Washington in a 41-7 loss on Sept. 16) and the worst home defeat (49-0 to Michigan on Oct. 21) in the 100-year history of Spartan Stadium.

* Michigan State’s longest drive was eight plays for 46 yards on the opening possession of the game. Quarterback Katin Houser started strong by completing his first five passes and moved the Spartans just outside the red zone before being intercepted on third down. That was one of only two times Michigan State crossed midfield and both were in the first half.

The Spartans went into halftime with 85 yards of offense and then proceeded to lose 32 over the final 30 minutes. Nine of their 12 possessions were three plays or less and their five total first downs – the fourth-lowest total in program history – included only one in the second half.

Houser was under pressure all night and absorbed five of Penn State’s seven sacks that resulted in 64 yards lost. The offense line was overwhelmed and the redshirt freshman who was the only scholarship quarterback available for the Spartans took plenty of hits before being pulled midway through the fourth quarter for walk-on Andrew Schorfhaar. Houser finished 11-for-19 for 87 yards and an interception while being blanked for the second time in his seven starts to close the season.

The early bright spots in the passing game evaporated quickly as Michigan State’s wide receivers combined to finish with only five receptions. Tight end Maliq Carr led the team with four grabs for 34 yards.

It was also very difficult to find running room as the Spartans finished with minus-35 yards of rushing – the second-worst total in program history after minus-48 in a loss against Alabama in 2011. Nathan Carter had eight carries for 39 yards.

* The Spartans got stops to force field goal attempts on Penn State’s first three drives of the game and went into halftime trailing only 13-0 despite giving up 308 yards of offense. Then the flood gates opened and the Nittany Lions did what they wanted on the ground and through the air while racking up explosive plays and four touchdowns in their first five possessions of the second half.

Michigan State brought an injury-plagued and thin roster into Ford Field and the defense was worn down late after being on the field for nearly 20 minutes in the first half. True freshman linebacker Jordan Hall capped a strong season with a career-high 12 tackles and picked up another sack to finish second on the team with 4.5 for the year.

* Punter Ryan Eckley was the special teams standout for the Spartans as he averaged 54.0 yards on nine attempts with a long of 63 and two downed inside the 20. He also made a touchdown-saving tackle on a return.

Michigan State’s Jonathan Kim has a big leg with four made field goals of at least 50 yards this season – including a long of 58 – and was eager to test his range indoors late in the season. He had to settle for one kickoff as his only action of the game with zero opportunities to split the uprights.

* Athletic director Alan Haller’s decision six months ago to move the home finale from a Saturday in East Lansing to Friday night at Ford Field was met with mixed reviews by fans. But, there was a strong turnout with an announced attendance of 51,927 – a number that looked about right and not another ridiculously inflated total for tickets sold.

The crowd was loud early and it could have been a great atmosphere until the finish if Michigan State fans had more to cheer for. Instead, those in green and white were resigned to booing conservative play calling before heading to the exits.

* Friday’s game was the last for a staff and roster assembled by Tucker and major changes are coming. Although Barnett made another pitch after the game to land the full-time job, multiple reports indicated Oregon State head coach Jonathan Smith has emerged as the top target for the Spartans and a deal could be finalized this weekend.

Haller declined to comment to MLive about the search after the game. Following a 31-7 loss at Oregon on Friday night, Smith said “no decisions have been made.”

Michigan State’s search will need to be concluded soon with the transfer portal set to open again Dec. 4 and the recruiting early signing period Dec. 20 to 22. Whoever takes over the program will need to quickly assemble a staff, attempt to retain players and piece together a recruiting class on the fly.

Just two years ago, the Spartans won 11 games and finished in the top 10 of the national rankings, only to go 9-15 since. Counting this year, Tucker’s four-year tenure will include three missed bowl games and he never made a change in his coordinators on offense (Jay Johnson), defense (Scottie Hazelton) and special teams (Ross Els). Sticking with the status quo before being removed from the job obviously didn’t work.

Michigan State played four teams ranked in the top-11 of the nation at the time of the game this season. The Spartans were outscored by a combined margin of 170-10 in losses against Washington, Michigan, Ohio State and Penn State and a much-needed program shakeup is coming soon.