Lansing Sun

Michigan State University achieved a 3-0 record under head coach Jonathan Smith's leadership, marking the team's first such start since 2021. Smith is now the fifth MSU head coach to begin their tenure with a 3-0 record, following Mark Dantonio in 2007, Bobby Williams in 2000, George Gauthier in 1918, and Frank Sommers in 1916.

Saturday's game against Prairie View A&M was the first meeting between the two teams. With a decisive 40-0 victory, Michigan State improved its all-time record against NCAA Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) teams to 9-0. The Spartans have outscored their FCS opponents by a combined score of 372-81 across these nine matchups.

On offense, Michigan State scored a season-high of 40 points. Sophomore quarterback Aidan Chiles completed 12 of his 19 passes for 173 yards and one touchdown. He also rushed three times for eight yards, including a six-yard touchdown run on the opening possession. Graduate backup quarterback Tommy Schuster made his debut for MSU after transferring from North Dakota, completing eight of ten passes for 97 yards and scoring his first rushing touchdown as a Spartan.

Redshirt junior running back Nathan Carter carried the ball eight times for 93 yards and scored on a career-long sixty-yard run. Graduate running back Kay'ron Lynch-Adams led the team with fifteen carries for sixty-three yards. Redshirt freshman wide receiver Aziah Johnson recorded his first career touchdown reception with a seventeen-yard catch from Chiles.

Defensively, Michigan State secured its first shutout of the season and its first since defeating Akron on September 10, 2022. Redshirt junior Charles Brantley set a school record with a one-hundred-yard interception return for a touchdown in the second quarter. Fifth-year senior linebacker Jordan Turner led the defense with seven tackles while senior linebacker Cal Haladay added four tackles and tied his career-high with one sack.

Special teams also contributed significantly; graduate placekicker Jonathan Kim successfully converted both field goal attempts but missed an extra point after making twenty-eight consecutive PATs previously in his career. Redshirt sophomore punter Ryan Eckley punted once for fifty-five yards.