Michigan State Defensive Line Shines in Tough Loss

It was a perfect Saturday afternoon. An array of colors spread across the trees throughout the state of Michigan. No matter where you looked, the vibrant yellows, oranges and reds of fall stood out. The air was crisp, with a hint of winter early in the morning, but as the sun rose, so did the warmth of autumn.

It was the perfect day for an upset, and the Michigan State Spartans came oh so close.

Ultimately, the game came down to Northwestern's defensive line, which got a hand on what would have been the go-ahead field goal attempt by Liam Boyd. The Wildcats then drove down the field and kicked their own go-ahead field goal, sealing a 24-21 victory as they left East Lansing with a win.

However, the Spartans' loss did not come down to one specific position group. In fact, Michigan State's defensive line played out of its mind, highlighted by two players who are becoming, or are about to become, household names in East Lansing.

Entering Saturday's game, my offseason breakout prediction, Anelu Lafaele, had shown flashes of potential but was still searching for that career-defining performance.

Lafaele entered the game with three solo tackles and seven total tackles on the season. He had recorded half a sack in the second game of the season against Eastern Michigan, but that remained his only quarterback hit until the previous week against Illinois.

Then he faced his former teammate, Aidan Chiles.

Perhaps Lafaele had faced Chiles enough times in practice to recognize his tendencies and anticipate his movements. Or maybe there was simply something special in his breakfast that morning. Whatever the reason, Saturday was the day Lafaele delivered the career-defining performance he had been waiting for.

Lafaele broke through early, getting to Chiles on a crucial third-and-15. It was a drive-ending play the Spartans desperately needed, especially after struggling to generate that kind of pressure consistently throughout the season.

Then, in the second quarter, Lafaele was back in the backfield. He worked around the tackle, used excellent angles and wrapped up Chiles for his second sack of the game.

Lafaele finished with four total tackles, including one solo tackle and three assisted tackles, along with two sacks, two quarterback hits and two tackles for loss.

Roberts entered the game as arguably Michigan State's best defensive player, with 18 total tackles and 2.0 tackles for loss on the season.

He delivered another phenomenal performance, consistently creating pressure up the middle and wreaking havoc in Northwestern's backfield early and often.

Roberts assisted on two sacks, recording his first sacks of the season while adding seven total tackles, including one solo tackle and six assists.

It was a beautiful sight to see the big man creating chaos on nearly every opportunity against his former teammate.

Anelu Lafaele and Ben Roberts weren't the only Spartans making life difficult for Northwestern's offense.

Keahinst Thompson and Eli Coenen each recorded half a sack, both teaming up with Roberts to bring down Chiles. Thompson added five assisted tackles, while Coenen contributed two of his own.

Together, the defensive line consistently found its way into the backfield against a Northwestern offense that entered the game with one of the Big Ten's top three rushing attacks.

The Wildcats' ground game was stifled, and Michigan State's defensive front gave the Spartans a chance to pull off the upset.

Considering the circumstances, the performance was even more impressive. Michigan State entered the game without its top four cornerbacks and two linebackers, leaving the defense shorthanded at multiple levels.

Yet the defensive line rose to the occasion.

The Spartans came up just short of the victory, but their defensive front showed what it is capable of when everything clicks. Lafaele delivered his breakout performance, Roberts continued to establish himself as a force, and the rest of the group contributed to a collective effort that kept Michigan State in the game.

And what a day it was.