Michigan State (2-6) still looking for answers after loss to Minnesota

Minneapolis — Michigan State has only itself to blame for Saturday's 27-12 dud against Minnesota.

The Spartans' pedestrian offense failed to capitalize on good field position gifted by their defense's two early takeaways. It didn't get any better as the game went on, leading to interim coach Harlon Barnett to make a late change at quarterback. 

Meanwhile, the Spartans' defense was good in the first half but was worn down as Minnesota won the possession battle by a long shot. 

"We've been talking about finish, finish, finish and we didn't quite finish like we needed to," interim head coach Harlon Barnett said. "We'll just keep talking and harping on it and working on it, try to get better at it, but that's where the breakdown came in the fourth quarter and didn't finish."

Michigan State falls to 2-6 on the season and has lost six straight with no signs on the horizon that there are better days ahead. 

"It's definitely frustrating," receiver Montorie Foster Jr. said. 

The Spartans keep asking themselves the same questions but haven't found any answers to correct this season's course. 

"It's what do we do the next game? How do we come out the next game? How do we give it our all the next game? How do we watch film better? How do we execute better? How do we do things just simply better?" Foster said. "That's really where we at right now. Just going on to the next game, we just got to keep stay on the fight."

The Spartans’ offense once again failed to find its rhythm. Michigan State finished with 299 total yards, while Minnesota reached 400. The Spartans had five three-and-outs and failed to convert on nine of its 13 third-down chances.  

In his third career start, quarterback Katin Houser showed signs of regression yet again. He had several head-scratching passes, including one that nearly made it into the stands behind the Gophers' sideline. 

Houser completed 12 of his 22 passes for 117 yards.

BOX SCORE: Minnesota 27, Michigan State 12

Michigan State needed something — anything — to spark some sign of life in the fourth, down 17-6. 

The Spartans turned to their backup quarterback Sam Leavitt early in the fourth, and he got to work.

Leavitt led Michigan State 75 yards down the field before finding receiver Tyrell Henry in the end zone. The 9-yard catch was Leavitt’s first career touchdown pass and gave the Spartans their first touchdown since the third quarter of the Rutgers game two weeks ago. 

They went for two points, but were stopped outside the end zone. Still, Michigan State, down 17-12 with 8:37 left in the fourth, had hope. 

At least for a minute. 

The Spartans’ momentum was extinguished almost immediately after they failed to recover an onside kick. Then, the Gophers, aided by a 10-yard Michigan State holding penalty, responded quickly. Jordan Nubin scored his second rushing touchdown of the game. Dragan Kesich, last week’s Big Ten Special Teams Player of the Week, kicked it through the uprights to put Minnesota up 24-12.

Leavitt did enough to have the Spartans potentially considering yet another change at quarterback. He led Michigan State in rushing, recording 52 yards on six carries, and completed eight of his 12 passes with one interception.

"Sam came in and moved the ball, obviously, he used his legs as well as his arm," Barnett said. "He did a really good job." 

The Michigan State defense's start couldn't have made Barnett happier. The Spartans ended Minnesota’s first two drives with forced fumbles. 

But only six points would come out of those turnovers as Michigan State failed to take advantage of the favorable field position. 

Up 6-0, Michigan State mustered another stop, with Simeon Barrow getting a hand on Kesich’s 35-yard field goal attempt. 

The Gophers managed to close out the first half scoring 10 straight points.

"Our guys held up," Barnett said. "They did a really good job again through three quarters, 10 points, that's a heck of a job and we got to find a way to build on that." 

Minnesota was without its top running backs, including Darius Taylor, who leads the Big Ten in rushing this season. But that didn’t matter.

The Spartans struggled, especially in the second half, with stopping the Gophers’ ground game. Nubin became explosive in the fourth quarter. He capped an 82-yard scoring drive with an 18-yard run that put Minnesota up 17-6. 

A 31-yard field goal toward the end sealed the deal for Minnesota and left the Spartans once again questioning what went wrong. 

"All of our guys have gone through a lot," said Jaden Mangham, who had a fumble recovery and interception against the Gophers. "It's definitely been tough this year but we have to keep playing, we have to keep producing, even with everything going on. But I think we just have to keep playing and keep executing." 

The Spartans will return home with little to hang their hats on. They’ll host Nebraska next Saturday. Meanwhile, the Gophers improve to 5-3 on the season and 3-2 in the conference.

mkenney@detroitnews.com

Twitter/X: @madkenney