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    • MSU coach puts Indiana football on par with OSU, Oregon
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    MSU coach puts Indiana football on par with OSU, Oregon

    Umito Posted on

    EAST LANSING, MI — Michigan State coach Jonathan Smith has a unique perspective on the Big Ten title race.

    Smith is currently the only coach in the conference to have faced Ohio State, Oregon and Indiana this season. Michigan and Purdue will join this club in the coming weeks, but the Spartans are exclusive members at the moment and haven’t performed well in any of these conference games.

    Michigan State took a 10-0 lead Indiana football Saturday, but were shut out over the final three quarters and lost 47-10. No. 13 Hoosiers (9-0; 6-0 Big Ten) set a record for the best start in program history.

    Smith gave IU high marks when asked after the game how he would compare the three teams.

    More: Inside Indiana football, QB Kurtis Rourke’s return from injury as Hoosiers remain perfect

    “I think the physicality, the D-line gave us problems,” Smith said of IU. “I think they’ll compete pretty well out there in that ball park. I think their execution, they don’t fight, when the plays are there to be made, they make it happen and I think they can play with anyone.

    Indiana had a season-high seven sacks (the most since a win over Illinois on Nov. 11, 2017) and 15 tackles for loss (the most since a loss to Penn State on Nov. 12, 2016) while holding Michigan State to -36 on the ground. meters.

    It was the fewest rushing yards allowed in program history.

    He then praised the “great job” Cignetti did in building the roster – he signed 51 new players (27 transfers) after taking over and installing his project. Cignetti brought almost his entire offensive coaching staff from JMU as well as several assistants on the defensive side of the ball.

    “Give him credit for what he did,” Smith said.

    Indiana and Oregon are tied atop the Big Ten standings with identical 7-0 records in the conference. Ohio State and Penn State are tied for second at 6-1. The Hoosiers face Ohio State on November 23.

    Michael Niziolek is the Indiana reporter for the Bloomington Herald-Times. You can follow him on @michaelniziolek and read all of its coverage by clicking here.

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