Kicker Jonathan Kim also had to keep the Ducks from breaking one, and he sent two of his three kickoffs for touchbacks before hitting a 42-yard field goal on his lone attempt in the fourth quarter.

Coaching: C

The bye week comes at an optimal point for Jonathan Smith, a break after three straight losses. But for a long time Friday, the Spartans looked every bit as overmatched and overwhelmed as they did during the first half of the season under their first-year coach. There’s little clay to knead at this point for offensive line coach Jim Michalczik, who is slowly molding true freshmen Rakeem Johnson and Rustin Young into a unit decimated by injuries and transfer portal losses. Offensive coordinator Brian Lindgren has to work around that, too, and his brave fourth-and-2 deep ball from Chiles to Marsh is a blueprint for what he wants MSU to be in the long run — even if the lack of a run game often takes those opportunities gone. chances.

Defensive coordinator Joe Rossi’s halftime adjustments and his motivating his troops to finish strong also deserve mention, though Oregon’s offense ultimately finished this game down by half due to their dominance in the first two quarters.

Contact Chris Solari: [email protected]. Follow him @chrissolari.

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