Brian Lindgren, offensive coordinator of the Michigan State Spartans

In Jonathan Smit‘s debut as head coach of State of Michiganthe Spartans took a convincing 16-3 lead into halftime against VUBefore heading back to the locker room, Smith evaluated his team’s performance in the first half, starting by complimenting MSU running back Kay’Ron Lynch-Adams‘ 63-yard touchdown run.

“It was blocked pretty well,” Smith said. “We hadn’t used that scheme. That was the first time we showed it, and that guy’s got some speed, he’s hitting right into the A-gap, which is what we want. That’s a big play.”

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Smith’s breakout run accounted for more than half of Michigan State’s 111 first-half rushing yards. He wasn’t the only Spartan making a statement in the ground game, though.

MSUs Aidan Chili’s also found the end zone on a quarterback draw. Chiles completed 6 of his 13 pass attempts in the first half for 72 yards. While Chiles’ numbers weren’t exactly flashy, he showed determination after throwing an interception on the game’s first play.

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Of course, Michigan State’s offense wasn’t the only reason it took a 16-3 lead into halftime. The Spartans’ defense was spectacular in the half, allowing FAU just 117 total yards of offense.

FAU was able to complete just one of six third-down attempts. Additionally, MSU squeezed two turnovers out of the Owls — both interceptions. Still, Jonathan Smith would like to see his defense be more disciplined in the second half of the game.

“(FAU) does a good job of changing some looks and things,” Smith said. “The biggest problem we have defensively is extending their drives with the penalties.”

Michigan State inducts Mark Dantonio into Ring of Honor

Few coaches have achieved sustained success on the field. State of Michigan to like Mark Dantonio — and no one in modern times has matched that. So it probably wasn’t a difficult decision for the Spartans to honor the former head coach during the 2024 season.

Dantonio will be inducted into the Spartan Stadium Ring of Honor prior to Michigan State’s Sept. 28 game against State of Ohio in East Lansing. This ceremony will take place a few months before Dantonio is officially inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in December.

Athletic Director Alan Haller announced the ceremony in a letter to the entire campus on Tuesday as the new sports season gets underway.

“Players from throughout his era will join with the Spartan faithful to honor a coach whose impact extends far beyond the games he won and the titles he captured,” Haller said in the letter. “Through their excellence on the field, those Spartan teams created a lifetime of memories for our community.”

Andrew Graham from On3 also contributed to this article.