Grades for Michigan State's performance at Nebraska

Lansing State Journal

Michigan State's La'Darius Jefferson tries to pull away from Nebraska linebacker Tyrin Ferguson during the second half on Saturday. Jefferson carried seven times for 16 yards.

Lansing State Journal columnist Graham Couch grades the Spartans on a scale of 1-10.

OFFENSE: 3

The weather made offense difficult for both teams. Keep in mind, Nebraska’s high-powered offense didn’t do much against MSU’s defense, either. But the Spartans struggled to use an effective running game to string together drives and, in three trips inside the red zone, wound up with two field goals. Connor Heyward carried 21 times for 80 yards and did so with consistency and one explosive run. Same for quarterback Rocky Lombardi, who was effective on the ground, more so than through the air, where he completed 15 of 41 passes for 146 yards and one interception.

DEFENSE: 9

Nebraska had tallied at least 450 yards of offense in seven straight games — its most prolific stretch in program history. That’s saying something. MSU allowed the Huskers 248 yards Saturday, their fewest since their early season debacle at Michigan, when QB Adrian Martinez was coming off an injury. MSU’s defense, with help from the weather, kept Martinez and Co. in check, forcing turnovers or punts on Nebraska’s first eight possessions. The defense essentially allowed six points — two field goals, given that one of the Huskers’ three field goals came off an MSU turnover. This, against an offense that had scored at least 30 points in each of its last five games.

SPECIAL TEAMS: 7

It was a tough day for the kicking game. Matt Coghlin hit the post on a 41-yard field goal in what turned out to be a critical miss. It should have been a 26-yard attempt, if not for unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on tight end Matt Dotson. Coghlin made two field goals, from 34 and 26 yards, respectively. There were no major gaffes in the punting game. William Przystup averaged 42 yards per punt on seven kicks. Kicks with the wind were usually approaching 50 yards. Kicks against it were lucky to crack 30. The return game yielded nothing of consequence on either side.

COACHING: 4

The defensive staff has this unit rolling and seemingly undeterred by a struggling offense. That’s a sign of character and leadership, players and coaches alike. The offensive side of things wasn’t very good Saturday. MSU threw the ball way too much — 41 times, including on 16 of 17 plays to end the game. That shouldn’t happen when you’re running the ball somewhat effectively in tough conditions on the road in a 6-3, then 6-6, then 9-6 game. But it did.

BOTTOM LINE

The Spartans are 6-5 overall and 4-4 in the Big Ten and yet still maybe headed to a Florida bowl game, most likely the Gator Bowl in Jacksonville on New Year’s Eve or even still the Outback Bowl in Tampa, though that would likely require Penn State to grab a New Year’s Six bowl spot. Either way, this isn’t the season MSU wanted or envisioned. It’ll finish 7-5 after thumping Rutgers next week and then begin prep for a bowl game it hopes is a launching point to better times, primarily offensively.

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Contact Graham Couch at gcouch@lsj.com. Follow him on Twitter @Graham_Couch.