A brutal wave of pregame and mid-match casualties left the Spartans depleted, forcing a depleted roster into a desperate battle of attrition against a surging Nebraska squad.
Michigan State's loss to Nebraska on Saturday night was a painful reminder of how far the Spartans still have to go before they can compete for a spot among the Big Ten's elite.
Through the first four weeks of the season, that realization would be fair. However, the circumstances surrounding Saturday's loss deserve some additional context.
The Spartans lost four starting players between pregame warmups and the final whistle, leaving both sides of the ball severely depleted. What began as a competitive matchup quickly turned into a battle of attrition that Michigan State simply couldn't afford to lose.
Injuries Began Before the Game Even Started
The trouble started before the opening kickoff when starting cornerback Tre Bell went down with an injury during warmups.
Bell wasn't listed on either availability report and had been participating in pregame preparations. Yet, before long, he was on the sideline in sweatpants, forced to watch as his teammates struggled to contain Nebraska's passing attack.
His absence was particularly damaging considering backup cornerback Tyran Chappell had already been ruled out before the game. With two cornerbacks unavailable, Michigan State was forced to dig deeper into its secondary before the game had even begun.
For a defense already facing a difficult matchup, it was an ominous start to what would become a brutal night.
The Spartans Suffered Devastating Injuries on Both Sides of the Ball
Once the game kicked off, both teams settled into a relatively competitive rhythm. There were hard-fought drives on either side, but neither team was able to establish complete control early.
Then came the injuries.
On one particularly devastating play, Michigan State lost two of the most important pieces of its offense.
The most notable injury was to running back Cam Edwards, the Spartans' prized transfer portal addition who arrived in East Lansing after producing back-to-back top-10 rushing seasons at UConn.
Edwards brought that production to the Big Ten and showed no signs of slowing down to begin the season. He led the conference in rushing yards through the first two games before Notre Dame's formidable defense limited his production.
Saturday presented an opportunity for Edwards to remind everyone just how dangerous he could be, even against quality competition.
He got off to a promising start, slicing through the defense and making an impact in the passing game, including a significant 21-yard reception.
Unfortunately, that reception ended in disaster.
Following a low tackle near his right knee, Edwards was left writhing in pain on the field. The injury appeared to involve a hyperextension of the knee, and he was eventually taken off the field on a stretcher.
Although Edwards later returned to the sideline on crutches with his knee immobilized, he did not return to action.
The same play also claimed another important piece of Michigan State's offense. Starting offensive lineman Connor Moore, one of the few returning starters on the Spartans' offensive line, was seen entering the medical tent and did not return. He reportedly suffered a back injury.
Losing both players on the same play was a devastating blow to an offense that was already searching for consistency.
The defense wasn't spared, either.
Shortly after the offensive injuries, Michigan State suffered another significant loss when defensive leader Jordan Hall went down with a leg injury.
Hall had been a major presence for the Spartans, recording 13 tackles against Notre Dame. His return to the field just 13 months after undergoing ACL surgery had already been an important storyline for the defense.
Now, Michigan State was forced to watch him leave the field on a cart.
With Brady Pretzlaff already unavailable for Saturday's matchup, Hall's injury left the Spartans without their top two linebackers.
Michigan State Must Find a Way to Survive
By the end of the night, Michigan State was dealing with an injury situation that would challenge even the deepest teams in college football.
The Spartans finished the loss without their top four linebackers, four of their top five cornerbacks, a starting offensive lineman and their starting running back.
That's an enormous amount of production, experience and leadership to lose in a single game, particularly for a team still working to establish its identity under head coach Pat Fitzgerald.
Of course, injuries aren't an excuse for every shortcoming, and Michigan State still has plenty of areas to address following its loss to Nebraska. But the sheer number of key players unavailable cannot be ignored when evaluating what happened Saturday night.
Now, the Spartans face another difficult challenge against a Wisconsin team coming off an upset victory over Penn State.
The familiar football mantra of next man up has never been more relevant in East Lansing.
Michigan State will need contributions from players who may not have expected to see significant playing time this early in the season. With its depth being tested on both sides of the ball, the Spartans will have to find a way to regroup quickly.
The road ahead was already difficult. After Saturday's injury-plagued loss, it just became a whole lot tougher.
