EAST LANSING - After pulling within seven points at USC, Michigan State needed another stop but couldn't get one.
The Spartans allowed quarterback Jayden Maiava to dance around the pocket evading defenders before scrambling to move the sticks on third down as the Trojans pulled away for a win.
Four games, only six sacks and zero against its two Power 4 opponents. Michigan State's pass rush was following a familiar and losing blueprint from last year before waking up. Although the Spartans are coming off a second straight road defeat, they finally got to the quarterback with five sacks in last week's 38-27 loss at Nebraska.
"Obviously there was some pressure created. I thought our edge guys did a good job, I thought we got some good collapse of the pocket as well," defensive coordinator Joe Rossi said Wednesday while praising work put in by defensive line coach Legi Suiaunoa and rush ends coach Chad Wilt. "The other thing I think you'll note in that game is there was good, tight coverage and I think anytime the quarterback has to hold the ball, that's going to give an advantage to the rush. I think it was a good game of complimentary football between the back end and the front end. ... That's what we're capable of so let's continue to build on it."
Michigan State's five sacks against Nebraska's Dylan Raiola were its most in a game since recording seven in the 2024 season-opening win against Florida Atlantic. The five were also split between a handful of different players in all three levels of the defense - defensive end Jalen Thompson, tackle Alex VanSumeren, EDGE David Santiago, linebacker Darius Snow and safety Malik Spencer.
"I thought they played with a response, aggressive mindset," coach Jonathan Smith said of the defense after giving up more than 500 yards to the Trojans.
After falling behind 14-0 midway through the first quarter following the first disastrous special teams blunder of the day, Michigan State's defense firmed up. The Cornhuskers returned a punt 57 yards to the Michigan State 26 and, following the sudden change, Spencer got the sack on first down. Santiago picked up one on second down before Thompson dropped Raiola for a 10-yard loss on third down. That would have been ruled a sack but an off-target snap resulted in it scored as a team rush.
"You have the work and you can work, work, work, work, work, work but then when you get a little bit of affirmation for the work, then it's like, OK, that feels good," said Rossi, who also coaches linebackers. "That motivates me to work more. To be able to kind of get home a little bit and have some success adds to the confidence. I think it adds to the desire to prepare and work really hard."
After going without a sack in two of the first four games, Michigan State players and coaches talked about how close they were on numerous occasions. A bye week following the loss at USC led to an internal review and tweaks.
"I know as far as getting to the quarterback, teams have been getting the ball out quick on us," VanSumeren said. "It's not just about beating the O linemen, you've got to beat the ball too. Turning up our clock has been a huge emphasis from Coach Legi as far as beating the guy even quicker."
You either get there or you don't and you could see the added juice it brought to the defense. What were essentially three straight sacks against Raiola led to the sellout crowd at Memorial Stadium booing an offense that lost 32 yards in a three-and-out.
"It was a great confidence builder," said Snow, who picked up his first career sack. "When you have a gameplan and you practice it throughout the week and you see success during practice and then you go out and see success during the game, it's always a positive effect."
Michigan State (3-2, 0-2 Big Ten) will attempt to snap a two-game skid when hosting UCLA (1-4, 1-1) on Saturday (Noon, BTN) in a matchup that's now a lot more intriguing. The Bruins, under interim coach Tim Skipper, pulled off a stunning 42-37 upset against then-No. 7 Penn State last week.
UCLA's top threat is quarterback Nico Iamaleava, who completed 17 of 24 throws for 166 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions to go with 16 carries for 128 yards and three scores against Penn State. The 6-foot-6, 215-pound transfer from Tennessee made huge plays scrambling after the pocket broke down.
"That's always so deflating for a defense - hey, you're in good coverage, you've got people covered up and then the quarterback pulls it down and rushes not only for a first down but he goes and gets an explosive play," Rossi said. "That was to me a big difference maker in that game."
Iamaleava's going to be a problem for the Spartans to contain but there should be opportunities to get him to the ground. The Bruins are tied for 99th in the nation in sacks allowed per game (2.4) and Michigan State will need its pass-rush surge to be more than a flash in the pan.
"It's all about the next one," Snow said,"all about the next one."