Michigan State football returns to grind against another top-10 team in Penn State

EAST LANSING — Darrell Stewart zipped from the practice field to the weight room, then back to Michigan State’s indoor football field for some stretching and interviews.

For the team’s top humorist two years running, the time for joking around is over.

“I kind of veer away from funny so much since the past two weeks hasn’t been as pleasing,” the senior said.

The Spartans are coming off humbling back-to-back losses to two top-10 teams in Ohio State and Wisconsin, and they are facing their third top-10 team in a row for just the third time in program history when No. 6 Penn State visits Spartan Stadium on Saturday (3:30 p.m., ABC).

[ Dantonio preaches Spartans need to 'drive forward' ]

It is a critical point for the Spartans (4-3, 2-2 Big Ten), who are coming off just the second shutout loss of coach Mark Dantonio’s 13-year tenure, a 38-0 defeat against the Badgers on Oct. 12.

That also was their first shutout loss to a Big Ten opponent since Michigan’s 14-0 win on Oct. 21, 2000, when Dantonio was an assistant for Bobby Williams.

Ten days later, following a bye week in which they spent more time away from football, players said they understand the urgency of the final five games. Getting their minds right and focused solely on the unbeaten Nittany Lions (7-0, 4-0) is critical, Dantonio said.

“A little refreshing,” said senior quarterback Brian Lewerke, who went to the Lions-Vikings game on Sunday. “We tried to sit back and relax and take in what we’ve done this season and refocus and get ready for the next game.”

MSU has struggled on both sides of the ball the past two games.

The Spartans have been held scoreless for the past six quarters and 93 minutes, 36 seconds of game play. They have not scored a TD in 100:36, since early in the second quarter of a 34-10 loss at Ohio State. Their last rushing score came midway through the first quarter against Indiana on Sept. 28, an elapsed 173:04.

On defense, they have given up 30 points in three straight games for the first time since the end of the 2009 season, when they allowed 37 to Purdue in a win, and then 42 to Penn State and 41 to Texas Tech in two losses.

“It’s definitely frustration,” senior defensive end Kenny Willekes said. “We came into the season with high expectations of the defense. Then when three teams in a row put up 30 points on you, you gotta look at yourself in the mirror and hold yourself accountable.”

Those expectations included the goal of winning a fourth Big Ten title since 2010 — that has all but evaporated. Anything loftier than that — including a second trip to the College Football Playoff and a New Year’s Six bowl berth — also has disappeared.

MSU still can win 10 games for the seventh time under Dantonio, but that would require winning the final five games and a bowl game. The Spartans get another week off after facing Penn State; host Illinois on Nov. 9;  then head to Michigan on Nov. 16. Their final two games are at Rutgers on Nov. 23 and at home against Maryland on Nov. 30.

For many of the seniors, particularly on defense, who opted to return instead of pursuing the NFL draft, they also realize their time to produce one final memory-making run is dwindling.

“That bye week really helped us turn things around,” Stewart said. “We had a couple great practices, so I’m pretty sure we’re ready to go (Saturday). … You just gotta be that older guy to be able to let people know that things are gonna happen, mistakes are gonna happen. But it’s the man who attacks adversity that wins.”

Contact Chris Solari at csolari@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @chrissolari. Read more on the Michigan State Spartans and sign up for our Spartans newsletter.