It wasn’t the result head coach Jonathan Smith was hoping for in his first foray into the Michigan versus Michigan State rivalry.
It was a heated contest, and give credit to his Spartans for fighting until the very end, but ultimately, Michigan was the better team on Saturday evening. The Wolverines walked away with a 24-17 win at “The Big House,” and Smith walked away with an appreciation for the intensity of the game.
No, it’s not Michigan versus Ohio State, but it’s darn close.
“Experiencing it, yeah, it’s passionate,” Smith told the media after the contest (h/t Sports Illustrated). “Neither side likes each other, and that’s why I go back to it’s pretty frustrating.”
Smith was undoubtedly frustrated by the missed opportunities in a close game. The Spartans lost a fumble, and kicker Jonathan Kim missed a field goal. MSU also had an opportunity to tie the game on its final drive, but the Spartans failed to convert a 4th-and-5 from the Michigan 16-yard line, thus ending the game.
It was a tough way to lose a very winnable contest. Now, the Spartans need to quickly get themselves back together because a matchup with 8-0 and No. 13-ranked Indiana is next on the schedule.
It’s not going to get any easier, so the quicker the Spartans can put this one behind them, the better.
“We did put a lot into this game, and we put a lot into every game,” Smith said. “I’m pretty confident. We’re going to have to regroup. We’re going to deeply digest this one, and then we move forward. We’ve got a big-time opponent coming in next Saturday. I’m confident these guys will be back to work and ready to go again at home.”
