Michigan State’s Offense Has Hit Rock Bottom

“The world breaks everyone, and afterward, many are strong at the broken places.” — Ernest Hemingway

Michigan State might become a strong offense one day, but that day is not today.

Another abysmal offensive performance, this time producing a measly three points in Saturday’s 31-3 loss to Wisconsin, proved just how far away the Spartans truly are.

How far away are they from being a playoff team? Very.

How far away are they from being a bowl team? Also very.

How far away are they from competing for the Big Ten? You get the picture.

At this point, Michigan State may even be far away from winning a single conference game.

The offense lacks playmakers. The Spartans came into the season with one proven difference-maker in Cam Edwards, and he was lost to injury just 12.5 quarters into the season.

Now, Michigan State is relying on castoffs and young players doing everything they can to push drives toward the end zone. Unfortunately, getting there has become almost impossible.

Through five weeks, the Spartans are averaging fewer than two touchdowns per game. Michigan State has scored just nine touchdowns all season — nearly half as many as the second-lowest total in the Big Ten, Michigan's 15.

And it gets worse.

The Spartans remain the only Big Ten team that has not scored 100 points this season.

Heading into Week 5, Michigan State's 88 points were already the lowest total in the conference and the only mark below 100. Surely the Spartans would finally reach triple digits against Wisconsin, right?

Incorrect.

Michigan State managed just three points, bringing its season total to 91.

That leaves the Spartans 24 points behind Michigan's 115, the next-lowest scoring total in the conference, and 42 points behind Washington's 133.

If Michigan State wants to become a competitive football team, the offense has to find a way to score — and score quickly.

The top offenses in the Big Ten are currently averaging around 45 points per game. Michigan State is averaging just 18.

That gap tells the story.

So, can offensive coordinator Nick Sheridan turn the ship around?

Probably not.

Right now, this offense looks more like a lost cause than a senior's attention during the final week of school.

Sheridan has had offenses firing on all cylinders before, so the potential is clearly there. But through five games, the play-calling has often seemed to come at the worst possible moments.

Whether it is calling a painfully predictable screen pass or replacing the starting quarterback with the backup just as the starter begins to find a rhythm, Michigan State has repeatedly struggled to build any sort of offensive momentum.

The Spartans were always going to go through growing pains this season. Rebuilding a program that spent the past few years in the cellar was never going to happen overnight.

Unfortunately, it is much quicker to tank a program than it is to rebuild one.

Michigan State's 2026 season is quickly approaching the point of being all but over. The Spartans now need four wins in their final seven games to reach a bowl game.

If that goal becomes unrealistic, then the next step is much simpler: win two Big Ten games.

That would double last year's conference win total and, at the very least, give Michigan State something to build on.

But before any of that can happen, the offense has to find a rhythm.

Right now, it has yet to come close.