Bye week will help Spartans regain confidence, prepare for Buckeyes
A heartbreaking loss is always tough to overcome, especially when your next opponent is ranked #6 in the nation. However, the Spartans get a week off before they play the Buckeyes on October 15th in Columbus. Steve Grinczel of MLive writes that this bye week gives MSU a great chance to recover and get ready.
The Spartan defense that was suspect entering the season still is. But, with a bye this Saturday, MSU (4-1, 1-1 Big Ten) has at least until its Oct. 15 game at Ohio State to address some pressing issues, including faulty place-kicking.
Health, both mental and physical, may be even a bigger concern this week.
“People definitely have their heads down, but we have to get them back up with this bye week coming up,” said middle linebacker Kaleb Thornhill. “We’ve got to pick it up and move on.”
In a similar article for the Lansing State Journal, Joe Rexrode says that the extra week will give the Spartans a chance to fix their kicking woes and analyze the first half of the season.
“These are tough losses to come off of,” MSU senior receiver Kyle Brown said of the rivalry crushers - Saturday’s failure, last season’s 45-37 defeat in triple overtime, and a 27-20 loss in 2003. “We have two weeks this year, though. Last year we lost a heartbreaker to Michigan, but this year we have the bye week and I think we will be ready.”
That extra time also can be used suffering and replaying the key plays against the Wolverines that could have turned the devastating loss into a program-building win. This could be a long two weeks. But the Spartans preferred to stiffen their lips and think of it in a positive way Saturday.
“It’s a good thing,” junior defensive end Cliff Ryan said, “because we can look back at our first half of the season and see what we’re doing well and see what we need to improve on.”
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