Michigan State had an elite defense that, at times, spent too much time on the field, which led to teams taking advantage.
Mark Dantonio prides himself on being able to run the football and control the clock. However, the injuries piled up and the offense was anemic. The narrative at the end of the regular season was if MSU could just get healthy enough on the offensive line that they would be much more competitive.
Then the Spartans laid an egg against Oregon in the RedBox Bowl with the final score being 7-6. Michigan State continued to struggle to open holes and provide the creases for the running backs.