MSU football begins new era with 16-10 escape of Florida Atlantic

It all came together again for the MSU community Friday night: “Go Green, Go White” echoed throughout Spartan Stadium, signifying the return of college football for another season in East Lansing.

Fans striped the stadium in green and white as they watched the dawn of a new era for MSU football under head coach Jonathan Smith. It began on the right foot, with the Spartans surviving 16-10 against Florida Atlantic University in an overall sloppy football game. 

On a night where MSU fans hoped to see their Spartans flourish under a new coaching staff and culture, it was turnovers and personal fouls that were the headliner. Smith and company escaped their first rodeo in the win column, but not after committing four turnovers and five personal foul penalties that included one ejection. 

However, it was the one personal foul call taken back by the officials that made the biggest difference. 

Up six late in the fourth quarter, MSU’s defense was called upon to make a stand on fourth and one for FAU near midfield. FAU quarterback Cam Fancher looked to scramble for it, then slid late just before the first-down marker. MSU was flagged for two personal fouls on the play: a late-hit targeting and unsportsmanlike conduct after the play.

When officials went to the booth to review the targeting call for possible ejection, they reversed their original call and deemed Fancher was short. The unsportsmanlike conduct penalty was enforced on MSU’s possession. FAU got the ball back one more time and couldn’t capitalize. 

MSU emerged victorious through it all, but the discipline displayed on the field Friday was a concern for the Spartans. 

“We had too many (penalties) without question,” Smith said postgame. “Again, we want to play with some aggression, but we gotta have some technique at the same time.”

With anticipation high and expectations large, MSU’s offense, led by sophomore transfer quarterback Aidan Chiles, faltered early. On the first play of the game, Chiles tossed a 50-50 ball to senior wide receiver Montorie Foster Jr. The ball, fought for by both Foster and FAU defensive back Kahzir Brown, ended up in the hands of Brown, who made a toe-tap play to secure the interception.

After an offseason bubbling with hype around MSU’s new centerpiece, Chiles’ first pass as a Spartan was intercepted.

While MSU’s offense started off slow, it was Joe Rossi’s defense that shined early on, forcing a three-and-out on FAU’s first drive thanks to a sack by sixth year defensive end Khris Bogle. On the Owls’ second drive of the game, backed up on their own one-yard-line with the Spartan crowd roaring behind them, sixth year defensive tackle D’Quan Douse got to Fancher, sacking him for a safety to put the Spartans up 2-0.

On MSU’s third drive, Chiles began to come into his own, looking more comfortable and completing quick passes over the middle. Smith even showed some guts, going for it on fourth and one at MSU’s own 45, with running back Nate Carter reaching the line to gain. 

Yet, while Chiles looked better, the rest of the offense couldn’t get going, particularly up front. For MSU’s offense, this trend against a below-average FAU front seven raised some red flags – lack of gap coverage, allowing pressure on the quarterback and not getting down the field on screens all contributed. 

With 1:40 left in the first quarter, Foster fumbled after a unsuccessful third-down screen pass in the red zone. FAU recovered. 

Tough, gritty and relentless MSU defense became the trend of the first half. On FAU’s next two drives, Fancher threw interceptions to defensive backs Angelo Grose and Nikai Martinez, giving Chiles and MSU the perfect opportunity to capitalize. 

Chiles showed off his dual threat ability on the ensuing drive, running through the middle of the Owls’ defense and spinning his way into the end zone for MSU’s first touchdown of the season.

The score brought some life back into Spartan Stadium and MSU’s offense. The new faces were beginning to play together in harmony as transfer running back Kay’ron Lynch-Adams cut his way through the middle of the Owl defense for a 63-yard score, the longest touchdown run for MSU since Kenneth Walker III in 2021. MSU led 16-0. 

With a 16-3 halftime lead, MSU couldn’t put the game out of reach. Chiles threw his worst ball of the night, a telegraphed outside throw that was picked by FAU defensive back Phillip Dunnam for 58 yards the other way. 

Instead of being up 23-3, FAU marched down the field and scored a touchdown on a fourth and one in the red zone. In the blink of an eye, the Owls were a touchdown away from taking the lead. 

The life was sucked out of the stadium as fast as it once re-entered. 

Smith said the offense needs to fix its turnover issue, committing four Friday. 

“First, we need to take care of the ball,” Smith said. “I mean, we’ve got three opportunities, really, in the red zone, and we turn the thing over. Don’t get a fourth down conversion. That’s quite a difference. That’s 21 points.”

With a chance to take a two-score lead with a field goal, Smith rolled the dice and went for a fourth and one in the red zone. Carter was stuffed, with the chance to give the lead back to the Owls. 

With 3:07 left in the game and a few timeouts to work with, FAU was in good territory to upset the Spartans in East Lansing. However, like it had all day, Rossi’s defense came up clutch, dominating FAU’s offensive line. First came a sack by senior linebacker Jordan Turner to make it third down, then Angelo Grose’s pursuit to keep Fancher from scrambling on fourth.

On a night where Aidan Chiles and the offense were the story heading in, it was MSU’s defense that saved the day.

MSU plays it first Big Ten opponent next Saturday, Sept. 7 on the road at Maryland. Kickoff is scheduled for 3:30 p.m.