Positives? Certainly. There almost always are, and there is plenty to look forward to as the 2023 football season unfolds.
Michigan State asserted control in the second half on Friday in handing Central Michigan a 31-7 loss in the season opener at Spartan Stadium.
The Chippewas entertain New Hampshire in their home opener on Kramer/Deromedi Field at Kelly/Shorts Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 9 (1:30 p.m.).
CMU redshirt quarterback Bert Emanuel Jr. turned in an efficient performance, picking up 128 combined rushing and passing yards in just his second career start.
And the Chippewas led, ever so briefly, after Emanuel tossed his first-career touchdown pass late in the second quarter, a 12-yarder to Chris Parker.
But Michigan State, which looked lethargic throughout the first half, hit the gas and went to the fastbreak,
answering immediately by going 84 yards in seven plays in just 57 seconds to take a 10-7 lead on a Nathan Carter 2-yard run.
The Chippewas still had plenty of punch early in the second half as Emanuel drove them from their own 35-yard line to the MSU 34 on their first possession of the third quarter.
But the drive ended with an interception. And after that, it was all MSU.
The Spartans extended their lead to 17-7 on a Jalen Berger 12-yard run with 2:42 to play in the third quarter,
and then less than two minutes into the fourth Noah Kim tossed a 10-yard TD pass to Tyrell Henry to make it 24-7.
The Spartans got another score with just over 9 minutes left on an 8-yard Kim-to-Maliq Carr TD pass.