Spartans plan to respond to reality check at Iowa

IOWA CITY - They got their butts whipped. Check.

They had no excuses. Check.

They will move on. Check.

They still control their own destiny. Not so fast.

In the aftermath of Saturday's 37-6 beating by Iowa, Michigan State's coaches and players agreed the previous three-plus hours at Kinnick Stadium provided a reality check that the fifth-ranked and previously unbeaten Spartans probably needed.

“Everybody has been patting us on the back for quite a few weeks here, so now they will kick us to the curb a little bit,” MSU Coach Mark Dantonio said. “We will respond and be ready to play next week and move forward.”

That would make up for a game in which Michigan State spent most of the afternoon going backward offensively and defensively. As MSU all-world linebacker Greg Jones bluntly put it: “We didn't come out to play.”

“We were prepared and we weren't surprised,” Jones said, “We have to be more of a gang-tackling type of team and have to get that reality back.”

Iowa proved it was for real by driving 80 yards on its opening possession to take a 7-0 lead. The score quickly mushroomed as the Iowa defense intercepted Kirk Cousins three times with one of those being returned for a touchdown and another leading to a TD three plays later.

“Iowa is too good a team, certainly on defense, to do anything to negate what you're trying to do offensively,” said MSU offensive coordinator Don Treadwell, whose unit was held to 31 yards rushing and 258 overall. “Turnovers were a key factor in this one.”

Cousins completed 21 of 29 passes, mostly short-yardage slants, but the three picks were deadly.

“They were completely on me,” Cousins said.

Despite the loss, the Spartans are tied with Ohio State for the Big Ten lead at 4-1.

They can win at least a share of the conference championship by winning their remaining three games.