EAST LANSING - Michigan State opened the season with a 38-31 win against Utah State.
The Spartans racked up 452 yards of total offense against a team that hasn't lost since but, following the game, missed opportunities were a common theme highlighted by players and coaches.
Now more than two months later, that remains the high-water mark for the offense. Michigan State's defense has played at a high level nearly the entire season, but the team has massively underachieved expectations on the other side of the ball.
"That's an easy question to ask," coach Mark Dantonio said Tuesday of the offensive struggles, "probably a very difficult question to answer.