Michigan State’s 38-27 loss to Nebraska in Lincoln on Saturday left plenty to be desired in a game the Spartans could — and perhaps should — have won. Coming off a bye week, the performance raised more questions than it answered, as the team continues searching for an identity heading into the toughest stretch of its 2025 schedule.

Let’s take a look at where a few players are trending as the Spartans move into Week Seven, with a homecoming matchup against UCLA in East Lansing scheduled for this Saturday (noon Eastern Time on the Big Ten Network).

OL Ashton Lepo - stock down

The offensive line delivered a deflating performance on Saturday against Nebraska, preventing the Spartans from ever finding their rhythm. Quarterback Aidan Chiles was under constant pressure, often scrambling for his life on most dropbacks — something that clearly impacted his play as the game went on. He was also sacked four times.

With starting left tackle Stanton Ramil out due to injury, the Spartans move right tackle Conner Moore to the left side and started Ashton Lepo at right tackle. Lepo’s 41.9 Pro Football Focus grade was the lowest among the group, and the struggles were apparent on the field as Lepo was consistently beaten by the Nebraska defensive line.

What began as a promising start to the season for the offensive line has since been derailed by injuries and tougher competition. Lepo logged 66 snaps, while redshirt freshman Rustin Young took the other six, earning a noticeably higher PFF grade of 62.1. With the recent setbacks and visible on-field issues, it remains to be seen whether the coaching staff will make adjustments moving forward, but a shakeup on the offensive line would not be surprising.

DL Jalen Thompson - stock up

The biggest surprise from Saturday’s game came from the defense, which turned in its best performance of the season — tallying five sacks, seven tackles for loss and a takeaway. It was the most energized showing from that unit so far, even with a few mistakes early and late in the game. Leading the charge was defensive end Jalen Thompson, who seemed poised for a breakout and delivered with four tackles, including a sack and two tackles for loss. He nearly recorded an additional sack after he tackled Nebraska quarterback Dylan Raiola far behind the line of scrimmage after a bad snap, but it was officially ruled as a tackle for loss.

If the Detroit native can string together consistent performances as a pass rusher, it could be a major boost for this defense. Raiola has struggled all year with holding onto the ball too long, so it remains to be seen whether this was a one-off effort or a sign of real progress.

QB Alessio Milivojevic - stock up

A collective breath was held when starting quarterback Aidan Chiles exited the game early in the second quarter after taking a hard hit on a red zone sack. In his place, redshirt freshman quarterback Alessio Milivojevic took over and immediately capitalized, connecting with tight end Jack Velling on a two-yard leaping touchdown to pull Michigan State within one score.

Later, with the game largely out of reach, Milivojevic led an impressive, seven-play, 75-yard touchdown drive — showcased by a few sharp throws and capped off by his own one-yard touchdown run.

Given that his only two previous pass attempts as a Spartan before the game against Nebraska had both resulted in interceptions, this outing was a major step forward for the young signal-caller. More importantly, it gave Michigan State confidence that they have a capable backup quarterback — something that was far from certain heading into Saturday.