MSU football: Video analysis on the state of the Spartans ahead of USC
Lansing State Journal columnist Graham Couch and Detroit Free Press beat writer Chris Solari discuss MSU’s hopes and injures ahead of the USC game.
Michigan State football finished its trip to the West Coast with a 45-31 loss to the USC Trojans in the Spartans‘ first Big Ten game of the 2025 season.
The Spartans (3-1) were down only one score to USC (4-0) entering the fourth quarter on Saturday, Sept. 20, at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles. The USC offense, however, was too much for a banged-up Spartans defense.
The Spartans are no longer unbeaten. Last week they earned a 41-24 win against FCS opponent Youngstown State on Sept. 13.
Michigan State quarterback Aidan Chiles scored the first touchdown for the Spartans on a 42-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Crishon McCray. He added a 75-yard touchdown pass to receiver Omari Kelly late in the game to make it a two-score game.
The Spartans experienced two big losses in the game, with linebacker Jordan Hall ejected for targetting in the first quarter and linebacker Wayne Matthews III taken off the field in an ambulance late in the second quarter.
Here’s how this late-night Big Ten battle happened.
Final: USC 45, MSU 31
It’ll be cold comfort for the Spartans after such a long flight and losing so many players on defense, but a 45-31 loss to USC in Los Angeles, especially with how much they fought towards the end, might end up a positive outcome for Michigan State.
The Spartans have a bye next week and next play Nebraska on Oct. 4, with the kickoff time to be determined.
4Q, 2:39: USC 45, MSU 31
Chiles unloaded a throw to transfer receiver Omari Kelly for a 75-yard touchdown down the right side of the field, once again making it a two-score game. It was unquestionably one of Chiles’s most impressive throws of his MSU career, but it probably comes too late to challenge the Trojans. A likely onside kick is incoming.
4Q, 2:57: USC 45, MSU 24
A tush push drove USC quarterback Jayden Maiava into the end zone to push the Trojans above 40 points for the third time this season.
The latest USC score makes it a three-score game with likely not enough time for Michigan State to catch up, especially with the Spartans out of time outs. This one is all but over.
With around 8:20 left in the fourth quarter, the USC defense stuffed the MSU offense deep in MSU territory. The Spartans decided to go for it on 4th-and8 from their own 27-yard line, and Chiles had an open Omari Kelly down the middle of the field. However, the pass sailed just beyond Kelly’s reach, and the Spartans turn the ball over on downs with 6:30 left to play.
USC can put the game away with a score.
4Q, 8:20: USC 38, MSU 24
USC receiver Makai Lemon took the jet sweep on first-and-goal to give USC an easy-looking touchdown in the middle of the fourth quarter. USC once again makes it a two-score game.
A series of small-to-medium gains, including a 10-yard pass to Makai Lemon to convert on fourth down, brought USC into the red zone on a lenghty drive in the middle of the fourth quarter.
MSU brought a blitz on third down which forced an incomplete pass from USC quarterback Jayden Maiava, but a facemask penalty on defensive back Ade Willie gives USC a first-and-goal on MSU’s 4-yard line.
End 3Q: USC 31, MSU 24
USC has outgained MSU by more than 150 total yards so far tonight, and MSU has many key defenders out due to injury or ejection. And yet the Spartans are hanging around, entering the fourth quarter with a one-score deficit.
USC is driving, however, with a 3rd-and-3 on their own 32-yard line to begin the fourth quarter.
3Q, 0:40: USC 31, MSU 24
A 14-yard pass from Chiles to MSU wideout Omari Kelly following the fumble recovery put the Spartans into the red zone. Short gains by running back Makhi Frazier kept the MSU offense churning.
On a 3rd-and-goal from the USC 1-yard line, MSU faked a tush push, Chiles rolled out and found senior tight end Jack Velling for a touchdown. We have a one-score game.
MSU defender Armarion Smith punched the ball out of USC receiver DJ Jordan’s hands, with defensive lineman Grady Kelly recovering the fumble and giving the MSU offense a chance to make this a one-score game with the ball in USC territory late in the third quarter.
3Q, 5:58: USC 31, MSU 17
On a designed running play, Chiles ran into a blob of players on the left side, spun out of the pile towards the middle of the field and walked right into the end zone for a 5-yard touchdown run.
Chiles has 31 rushing yards on seven rushes, in addition to his 122 passing yards. The touchdown capped an 11-play, 87-yard drive and makes this a two-score game.
With new life after USC penalties kept a dying drive alive, MSU running back Makhi Frazier rattled off runs of 7, 6, 11, and 12 yards to bring the Spartans into the red zone for the second time tonight. A personal foul on USC defensive tackle Keeshawn Silver give the Spartans a first-and-goal on the USC 5-yard line.
USC forced a Michigan State punt from their own 28-yard line, but USC linebacker Ta’Mere Robinson ran into MSU punter Ryan Eckley on the kick, which drew a 5-yard penalty. That gave the Spartans an opportunity to convert a 4th-and-2, which they did after an illegal substitution penalty on USC gained the needed yards.
Jayden Maiava throws third touchdown pass
3Q, 11:22: USC 31, MSU 10
Michigan State’s offense started the second half with a three-and-out and punted the ball back to USC. The Trojans made quick work with a four-play, 57-yard drive that ended with a 10-yard touchdown pass from USC quarterback Jayden Maiava to tight end Walker Lyons.
Wayne Matthews III was taken to a level-one trauma center at LA County General Hosptial per Fox’s Alexa Landestoy. Matthews left the game with an undisclosed injury late in the second quarter and was taken off the field in an ambulance.
MSU LB Wayne Matthews III was taken to LA General Hospital, and his motor skills are intact per MSU.
— Chris Solari (@chrissolari) September 21, 2025
According to our Chris Solari, MSU safety Nikai Martinez exited the locker room without a helmet, which could mean he’s not returning to the game.
Martinez left the game after colliding with a teammate, Quindarius Dunnigan, on a helmet-to-helmet collision late in the first half. Dunnigan does not appear to be on the sideline, nor does offensive lineman Stanton Ramil, per Solari.
A Fox report confirmed that all three players will not be returning to the game.
Halftime: USC 24, MSU 10
A last-minute drive brought the Spartans just barely into field-goal territory right before the half, giving kicker Martin Connington an attempt to make a 56-yard field goal, which would have been his career-high.
However, Connington’s attempt went way wide. USC will kick off to start the third quarter.
2Q, 0:37: USC 24, MSU 10.
A seven-yard touchdown pass from USC quarterback Jayden Maiava to receiver Tanook Hines gives the Trojans a 24-10 lead right before halftime.
MSU linebacker Wayne Matthews III went down with an apparent injury. MSU officials attended to him on the field for several minutes and brought him off the field on a spineboard, which could signify a serious injury to the head or neck. Medical personnel moved Matthews into an ambulance.
Players for both teams took a knee while watching Matthews receive medical attention. It is unclear as of yet what injury Matthews suffered.
A thumbs up from Matthews while strapped on a backboard as trainers waved team away from cart before it drove off. Slowly moving across the field to the tunnel.
— Chris Solari (@chrissolari) September 21, 2025
Matthews took over for Hall as the de-facto leader of the defense when Hall was ejected earlier in the first quarter for targeting.
While chasing USC running back Eli Sanders, MSU defenders Quindarius Dunnigan and Nikai Martinez accidentally ran into each other and collided helmet-to-helmet late in the second quarter, keeping them both on the ground for an extended period of time.
They both left the field on their own power, and their injury status is unclear.
2Q, 4:26: USC 17, MSU 10
A couple of scrambles from MSU quarterback Aidan Chiles and a trick play from wide receiver Omari Kelly set the Spartans up with 1st-and-goal from the USC 10-yard line. However, the USC pass rush was ferocious, holding the Spartans to a field goal on the possession.
Kicker Martin Connington makes it a one-possession game with the 29-yard kick.
Michigan State transfer receiver Omari Kelly dropped a backwards pass from Aidan Chiles on a 1st-and-10 from the USC 32. After recovering the fumble, Kelly whipped a pass to an open Michael Masunas, who got a toe down in bounds for a 12-yard gain to get the Spartans in the red zone for the first time tonight.
USC went for it on 4th-and-4 from the Michigan State 48-yard line, with USC quarterback Jayden Maiava finding tight end Walker Lyons on a three-yard pass. However, a swarm of Michigan State defenders tackled Lyons before he could gain the needed yardage, turning the ball over to the Spartans.
When Michigan State linebacker Jordan Hall was ejected from the game for targetting, MSU lost the designated defender who gets direct from the coaching staff through a helmet radio, identified by a green dot sticker on the back of his helmet.
Linebacker Wayne Matthews III has taken Hall’s place as the green-dot defender for the Spartans.
USC has scored on all three of its possessions, showing why they have one of the most prolific offenses in the country. In response to USC’s most recent touchdown, Michigan State went three-and-out, with punter Ryan Eckley nailing a 57-yard punt to put USC down on its own 11-yard line.
2Q, 11:36: USC 17, MSU 7
USC quarterback Jayden Maiava took immediate advantage of an MSU defense without linebacker Jordan Hall, finding receiver Makai Lemon on a 40-yard touchdown pass to give the Trojans the lead.
On the play before, Hall was ejected for targetting on a helmet-to-helmet hit against USC tight end Lake McRee.
Michigan State linebacker Jordan Hall was called for targetting against USC tight end Lake McRee and was ejected from the game as a result.
Hall is a leader on the Spartans defense, winning the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week following the team’s win over Boston College on Sept. 7.
End 1Q: USC 10, MSU 7
The Spartans have driven 22 yards on five plays on their current drive to set up a 2nd-and-8 when the second quarter begins
So far the Trojans’ offensive firepower has shown out and was only a few yards away from scoring two touchdowns on their first two drives. Michigan State is driving, but might have to put up a lot of points this game to keep up with USC.
1Q, 2:38: USC 10, MSU 7
USC once again showed its prowess in their rushing attack with 46 yards on four carries on the drive. Running back Eli Sanders ripped off runs of 12 and 16 yards each to start the drive, with Maiava faking out the entire defense on a designed run that brought the Trojans back ahead.
1Q, 5:27: MSU 7, USC 3
Michigan State quarterback Aidan Chiles found transfer receiver Crishon McCray for a 42-yard touchdown pass to give the Spartans an early lead in the first quarter.
Back-to-back connections from Chiles to receiver Nick Marsh helped set up the scoring play, with Chiles rolling out to his right before launching the ball down the field to an open McCray. Spartans are up 7-3.
Sophomore running back Brandon Tullis started the game over Makhi Frazier, who entered the game for his first play on a third-and-two run that he converted for a first down.
Wide receiver Nick Marsh started the game for the Spartans.
1Q, 9:03: USC 3, MSU 0
USC drove 73 yards in 12 plays on the opening drive of the game, but a key false start penalty and a defensive stand from MSU kept the Trojans out of the end zone.
USC running back Eli Sanders had the longest play of the drive with a 19-yard run, with the Trojans putting up 31 rushing yards on the drive.
Jason Benetti, the primary play-by-play announcer for the Detroit Tigers, didn’t call today’s Tigers game against the Atlanta Braves. Now we know why.
Benetti has been tabbed as the play-by-play man for tonight’s Michigan State game, with former NFL quarterback Robert Griffin III the color commentator.
The Trojans elect to receive the opening kickoff, putting Michigan State on defense to start.
With the Arizona State vs Baylor game ongoing on Fox, the broadcast of the Michigan State vs USC game may begin with the game already in progress.
We’ll provide broadcasting updates here.
In what could be a pretty big blow for the Trojans, USC wide receiver Ja’Kobi Lane has been ruled out of Saturday’s game against Michigan State.
Lane caught 43 passes for the Trojans and led all USC receivers with 12 touchdowns in the 2024 season. And while he has only made nine receptions in three games so far in 2025, he leads the Big Ten with 26.6 yards per reception.
Believe it or not, the 11 p.m. Michigan State vs USC game is not the latest-starting game of the weekend.
That title goes to the Fresno State vs Hawaii game, which is kicking off in Honolulu at midnight ET. The difference, of course, is that the game in Honolulu is kicking off at 6 p.m. local time, with the game at USC kicking off at 8 p.m. local time.
There is no rain in the forecast in Los Angeles tonight, though the LA sky has darkened with clouds as kickoff approaches.
Michigan State confirmed that offensive lineman Luka Vincic will miss the rest of the season after suffering a knee injury in the team’s win over Youngstown State on Sept. 13.
Vincic is in his fourth college season and first at Michigan State after playing at Oregon State from 2022-24. He is eligible to play in the 2026 season after redshirting his first year at Oregon State.
Tonight’s game against USC is a homecoming of sorts for Michigan State quarterback Aidan Chiles and coach Jonathan Frazier, who both grew up in the Los Angeles area.
Chiles, who was born in Long Beach and attended Downey High School, expects to have his parents and other relatives in attendance at the Coliseum. Smith, meanwhile, is from Pasadena and played high school football at Glendora before becoming a four-year starting quarterback at Oregon State from 1998-2001.
Michigan State has eight players listed as out for their game against USC.
WR Alante Brown.DB Caleb Gash.DB Andrew Brinson IV.K Tarik Ahmetbasic.LB Brady Pretzlaff.LS Kayden Schickel.OL Luka Vincic.DL Jalen Satchell.
No Michigan State player is listed as questionable. Though Marsh and Frazier do not appear on the list, it is unclear how many snaps each player will play after both suffered injuries against Youngstown State on Sept. 13.
Marsh and Frazier both taking part in early warmups for MSU. Marsh has a wrap on his right knee.
— Chris Solari (@chrissolari) September 21, 2025
Tonight’s matchup between Michigan State and USC features a pair of Heisman Trophy candidates … sort of.
At +2500 according to FanDuel, USC quarterback Jayden Maiava currently has the 12th-best odds to win the Heisman Trophy, which would make him the ninth-ever Trojan (and fourth USC quarterback) to win the award. And with the USC offense as explosive as it looks, Maiava may end up a serious candidate for the award.
Meanwhile, Michigan State quarterback Aidan Chiles’s Heisman odds are listed at +20000 according to FanDuel — the highest of any Michigan State player, but likely too low for anyone to be considered a serious candidate for 2025.
The Spartans have a huge test in front of them, facing a prolific opponent late at night on the other side of the country. To add to the pressure, tonight’s game may serve as a measuring stick for the program as coach Jonathan Smith continues his second year leading the Spartans.
But as our Spartans insider Chris Solari writes, Michigan State doesn’t necessarily have to win to show that the team is on an upward trajectory.
The Spartans and the Trojans haven’t faced each other in football since 1990, when Michigan State beat USC 17-16 in the John Hancock Bowl in El Paso, Texas on New Years Eve.
The head-to-head record between these two schools is tied at 4-4, with Michigan State winning the last three matchups and USC winning the three before that. The last time Michigan State played USC at the Coliseum was on Sept. 29, 1978, which ended in a 30-9 USC victory.
The most famous matchup between Michigan State and USC was the 1988 Rose Bowl, which Michigan State won 20-17 on a game-winning field goal from John Langeloh in the final four minutes of the game.
This is the first game of the season Michigan State enters as a heavy underdog, and for understandable reasons. The Trojans have the No. 1-ranked offense in the country, averaging 604 yards per game of total offense behind their quarterback Jayden Maiava, who has six passing touchdowns and no interceptions so far in 2025.
Understandably so, our panel of experts predicts USC winning in a clean sweep.
What channel is Michigan State football vs USC on?
Where:Â Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles.
Channel:Â Fox.
Time:Â 11 p.m. ET.
Streaming: Fox One, Fubo (free trial).
Radio:Â WJR-AM (760 in Detroit).
Michigan State vs USC betting odds
Spread: Trojans by 19½ points.
Over/under: 55½ points.
Moneyline:Â USC (-1000), MSU (+625).
All odds are courtesy of BetMGM as of Saturday evening.
Michigan State football 2025 scheduleWeek 1: W, 23-6 vs Western Michigan.Week 2: W, 42-40 vs Boston College.Week 3: W, 41-24 vs Youngstown State.Week 4: at USC, Sept. 20, 11 p.m., Fox.Week 5: Bye week.Week 6: at Nebraska, Oct. 4, TBA.Week 7: vs UCLA, Oct. 11, noon.Week 8: at Indiana, Oct. 18, TBA.Week 9: vs Michigan, Oct. 25, TBA.Week 10: at Minnesota, Nov. 1, TBA.Week 11: Bye week.Week 12: vs Penn State, Nov. 15, TBA.Week 13: at Iowa, Nov. 22, TBA.Week 14 vs Maryland, Nov. 29, TBA (game at Ford Field).
You can reach Christian at cromo@freepress.com.
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