Michigan State has lost four consecutive football games after the Spartans were beaten soundly at home against Ohio State, 49-20, on Saturday evening.This defeat extends the longest Spartan losing streak of the Mel Tucker era, and the program's worst stretch of games since losing five consecutive in the midst of the 2019 season. That year, Michigan State finished with a 7-6 record and a bowl victory, but bowl season may leave these Spartans behind this year.After talk of competing for championships throughout the offseason, Michigan State doesn't have much left to compete for after falling to 2-4 overall and 0-3 in Big Ten play.Anyone who follows the sport or this team knew that, outside of a miracle, Michigan State had little chance today against the Buckeyes, Philipp Grubauer Men Jersey and the game played out the way all of us expected. Ohio State averaged 8.3 yards per play on their way to raking up 614 yards of offense.The Spartans' pa s defense will be what gets talked about again after surrendering 361 yards to OSU quarterback C.J. Stroud, who threw six touchdown pa ses while completing 81 percent of his throws. However, Michigan State's run defense was no better, allowing 5.2 yards per carry as the Buckeyes ran for 237 rushing yards.But, again, even before this year began most of us knew it would be difficult for Tucker and the Spartans to compete with Ohio State.What has made the 2022 season an absolute disaster is what Michigan State has looked like against each of the other Power 5 programs they've Jeremy Lauzon Women Jersey competed against this year. The Spartans are now 0-4 against Power 5 opponents, with an average margin of defeat of 20.3 points per game. Michigan State has regre sed in all three phases offensively, defensively and special teams from last season.Tucker made changes to his defensive coaching staff this offseason, bringing in D-line coach Marco Coleman and pa s rush specialist Brandon Jordan, but more changes are needed.There's no defending defensive coordinator Scottie Hazelton anymore. Michigan State has been beat up defensively all season, mi sing guys like Darius Snow, Xavier Henderson, Jacob Slade and more, and that's certainly been a factor. Colin Blackwell Jersey But Hazelton's struggles go well beyond this season, and beyond the injuries as well.Scroll to ContinueThe Spartans will finish this season with one of the nation's worst defenses again, and at some point the players on that side of the ball need to hear a new voice. A new defensive scheme wouldn't hurt either.Offensively, Michigan State offensive line continues to be a liability, and the Spartans can't get the ball to their playmakers on that side of the ball as a result.The Spartans have weapons in Jayden Reed, Keon Coleman, Tre Mosley and a trio of tight ends. The running back room, which took a large step backwards talent-wise without Kenneth Walker, but there are still good players back there.But without competent O-line play, none of that matters. Today, Ohio State routinely pre sured quarterback Payton Thorne while only rushing four guys. Thorne had no where to go with the football with seven Buckeyes in coverage, and wound up being sacked four times tonight.Offensive line coach Chris Kapilovic has a strong reputation, and I'm not ready to put his feet to the fire yet, despite the results we've seen on the field. Michigan State simply doesn't have the Jimmy's and Joe's up front to compete against the defensive fronts they've Carson Soucy Jersey seen.With championship hopes having long departed, and bowl eligibility in jeopardy, the only thing left for Tucker and his program is finding out which guys he wants to go forward with, and which guys need to be shown the door.This season has looked more like the growing pains we expected this program to endure when former head coach Mark Dantonio retired in February of 2019. Michigan State was spoiled last year when Kenneth Walker III carried the Spartans to an 11-2 record.Without Walker, it's clear as day that the rebuild is very much still on-going in East Lansing, with a long road ahead.Tucker's first two and a half years in East Lansing have been unusual, to say the least, considering he was hired very late in Haydn Fleury Men Jersey the proce s in 2019, and had to navigate COVID protocols for much of his first two seasons.Recruiting has been a strength, but it will take multiple cla ses for Michigan State to build the depth needed to compete in this conference. I'm willing to give Tucker more time for that, but how this season has looked could put a damper on the momentum MSU has had on the trail. Michigan State's athletic department and boosters put their faith in Tucker when they signed him to a 10-year, $95 million contract extension. I'm not ready to call that decision a mistake yet, but the head coach needs to prove he was worth that investment by the moves he makes going forward.