Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1537537
A U G U S T 2 0 2 5 9 7 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M It wasn't all that long ago that Michi- gan State appeared poised to challenge Michigan as the preeminent program in its home state. But Mark Dantonio stepped down after the 2019 season, Mel Tucker lasted just four years before being waylaid by off-the-field troubles, and now Jonathan Smith is in his second year trying to clean up the mess. Having played and coached at Oregon State, Smith knows how hard it is to at- tract attention when you've got an elite in-state rival just down the road. He guided the Beavers to a 25-13 record his last three years in Corvallis, so he's got the right résumé for the job. Does he have the offense, though? Quarterback Aidan Chiles was up and down as a sophomore in 2024, and ball security was a big part of the problem. Chiles finished the year with 11 inter- ceptions and 5 lost fumbles. Those give- aways were devastating for a Michigan State offense that struggled even when it was able to hold onto the ball, ranking 110th in the FBS with an average of 333.4 yards per game. The good news for Michigan State is that Chiles got better as the season went on; only 4 of his turnovers occurred in the Spartans' final six games. For the year, he completed 59.4 percent of his passing attempts for 2,415 yards and 13 touchdowns. Another encouraging sign is that the Spartans are returning Chiles' favorite target. Receiver Nick Marsh, a player that Penn State had very much hoped to sign, impressed as a true freshman, catching 41 passes for 649 yards and 3 touchdowns. His reception and yardage totals were both Michigan State fresh- man records. The Spartans hit the transfer portal in hope of providing Chiles and Marsh with some help. They signed wideout Omari Kelly, who had 53 catches for 869 yards and 4 touchdowns at Middle Ten- nessee State as a junior. And to elevate their running game, they brought in Elijah Tau-Tolliver, who had 950 yards rushing and 317 receiving at Sacramento State last year. Of course, for those play- ers to make the desired impact at the Big Ten level, Michigan State will need to see improvement from an offensive line that returns only one starter. The defense brings back three mem- bers of last year's starting secondary, notably senior safeties Nikai Martinez and Malik Spencer. Martinez is a name to remember, coming off a junior season in which he totaled 51 tackles and a pair of interceptions. The Spartans allowed only 206.9 yards per game through the air last year, ranking 46th in the FBS, and they did so despite not putting much pres- sure on opposing quarterbacks, amass- ing only 19 sacks in 12 games. They'll be looking for promising defensive end Jalen Thompson to help turn up the heat after starting 16 consecutive games dat- ing back to the end of his freshman year. The schedule isn't everything the Spartans could have hoped for. They avoid Ohio State and Oregon, and their games against Michigan and Penn State will be in East Lansing. However, they open with consecutive road trips to USC and Nebraska, raising the specter of an 0-2 start to Big Ten play. And following a visit from UCLA comes a trip to Indiana, a team that beat the Spartans 47-10 last year. Improvement won't come easily. — Matt Herb N O V . 1 5 | T I M E T B A | T V T B A | S P A R T A N S T A D I U M | E A S T L A N S I N G , M I C H . Wideout Nick Marsh was a big-play threat as a true freshman, totaling 10 receptions of 20 or more yards. PHOTO COURTESY MICHIGAN STATE ATHLETICS GAME 10 MICHIGAN STATE 2025 SCHEDULE Date Opponent 2024 Result Aug. 29 Western Michigan — Sept. 6 Boston College L, 23-19 Sept. 13 Youngstown State — Sept. 20 at USC — Oct. 4 at Nebraska — Oct. 11 UCLA — Oct. 18 at Indiana L, 47-10 Oct. 25 Michigan L, 24-17 Nov. 1 at Minnesota — Nov. 15 Penn State — Nov. 22 at Iowa W, 32-20 Nov. 29 Maryland* W, 27-24 * at Ford Field, Detroit QUICK FACTS All-Time Series: Penn State leads, 19-18 Last Meeting: Drew Allar threw for 292 yards and 2 touchdowns, and Penn State outgained Michigan State by 533 yards in a 42-0 victory at Detroit's Ford Field on Nov. 24, 2023 Head Coach: Jonathan Smith (5-7 in one season at Michigan State; career coaching record: 39-42) 2024 Record: 5-7, 3-6 Big Ten Returning Starters: 11 (5 offense, 5 de- fense, 1 specialist) RETURNING LEADERS Rushing: QB Aidan Chiles (225 yards, 3 TD) Passing: QB Aidan Chiles (2,415, 13 TD) Receiving: WR Nick Marsh (649 yards, 3 TD) Tackles: S Nikai Martinez (51) Sacks: DT Alex VanSumeren (1.5) Interceptions: S Nikai Martinez (2) BEST-CASE SCENARIO Aidan Chiles could take a big step forward as a second-year starter at quarterback, elevating the offense and propelling Michigan State to its first bowl appearance in four years. WORST-CASE SCENARIO The offense could continue to strug- gle against a challenging schedule that serves up road trips to USC, Nebraska, Indiana, Minnesota and Iowa.