3 reasons IU football lost to Michigan State: Offense holding Hoosiers back

BLOOMINGTON – Indiana lost out on its best hope yet of a win over a top-10 team, falling 20-15 to No. 9 Michigan State at Memorial Stadium on homecoming despite an exceptional defensive performance. The Hoosiers fall to 2-4, significantly narrowing their path toward a third-straight bowl appearance. The Spartans improved to 7-0.

Here are three reasons why it happened.

With redshirt junior Michael Penix Jr. out with a separated AC joint, Indiana fans got to see the quarterback they had been clamoring for. However, redshirt junior Jack Tuttle dealt with some of the same turnover problems his predecessor did this season before his injury, and that helped the Hoosiers squander an outstanding performance by the their defense. Tuttle threw two interceptions and also fumbled the ball on a sack inside the Indiana 30-yard line.

In the first half, the Hoosiers allowed just 57 yards and two first downs. They walled up against Michigan State tailback Kenneth Walker III, the nation's leading rusher coming into the game and an emerging Heisman Trophy candidate, holding him to just 22 yards on 10 carries before the break and 84 yards on 23 carries in the game. He had been averaging 152.2 yards per game on the ground.

But the Spartans still had seven points on the board at halftime thanks to a 30-yard first-quarter interception return for a touchdown by Michigan State linebacker Cal Haladay. Tuttle never saw him step in front of a slant route run by tight end Peyton Hendershot and threw the ball right into Haladay's arms.

The Hoosiers' defense managed their own interception in the third quarter, a pick by safety Josh Sanguinetti that stopped a Michigan State drive into Indiana territory. However, Tuttle was intercepted again five plays later when he floated a pass under pressure into the arms of defensive back Darius Snow. The Spartans got to start the drive at their own 39-yard line and scored five plays later when quarterback Payton Thorne found tight end Tyler Hunt wide open for a 12-yard touchdown.

Tuttle was later sacked in the fourth quarter and coughed the ball up at the Hoosiers' 20-yard line. Indiana was fortunate that didn't turn into points, with cornerback Noah Pierre's interception giving the Hoosiers the ball back. Tuttle had a few solid moments in the game, completing 28 of 52 passes and leading one touchdown drive. However, his 188 passing yards weren't nearly enough to make up for the giveaways.

The Hoosiers were already one of the worst teams in the Big Ten at turning red-zone opportunities into touchdowns, scoring just 11 on 21 trips coming into Saturday's game.

They missed out on two more opportunities in Saturday's first half, having to settle for Charles Campbell field goals on drives that reached the Michigan State 6- and 7-yard lines in the first half. The Hoosiers had outgained Michigan State 217-57 in the first half and had just three field goals to show for it.

The Hoosiers finally got in the end zone on a 1-yard touchdown run by senior running back Stephen Carr with 12:56 to go, but they failed to score the 2-point conversion that would have tied the score.

The red-zone issues were just part of the Hoosiers' overall struggles. They actually outgained Michigan State 322-241 in the game and had 24 first downs to Michigan State's 14. However, they had four three-and-outs and scored on just one of their second-half drives.

Thorne entered Saturday's game as one of the most efficient passers in the Big Ten with 14 touchdowns against two interceptions. He wasn't quite that on Saturday, but made just enough big plays to get the Spartans the points they needed.

He actually set up the Spartans' lone offensive touchdown with a reception on a reverse pass from Hunt for 15 yards at the Indiana 19. It was a leaping catch in front of two Indiana defenders, and he managed to get a foot down just inside the boundary. It was originally ruled incomplete, but the call was changed on replay. Two plays later, Thorne found Hunt wide open on a play-action pass for a 12-yard touchdown.

Thorne finished with 14 completions on 26 attempts for 126 yards and that touchdown, and also rushed for 10 yards.