EAST LANSING, Mich. — For the past week, Mel Tucker has been preaching consistency.
Michigan State's first-year coach had yet to see it from his team through the first three weeks and was desperately seeking some form of it on Saturday against No. 10 Indiana.
Well, the Spartans were consistent, all right; however, it was hardly the sort of consistency Tucker was looking for.
Once again, Michigan State did its best to beat itself, turning the ball over three times in the first half and four times total as Indiana took advantage, piling up 17 points off those turnovers and cruising to a 24-0 victory at Spartan Stadium.
It was the first time Michigan State was shut out at home since Oct. 12, 1985, when Michigan beat the Spartans, 31-0.
It's become a familiar pattern for the Spartans (1-3), who have repeatedly hurt themselves in all three losses. It was no different against the Hoosiers as Rocky Lombardi was intercepted twice in the first half and the Spartans lost a fumble — this one getting jarred from running back Anthony Williams on his only carry of the game.
Redshirt freshman Payton Thorne, who replaced Lombardi in the second quarter, threw his first interception in the fourth quarter, though Indiana failed to turn that one into points.
Indiana quarterback Michael Penix Jr. and wide receiver Ty Fryfogle feasted on the gifts from the Spartans, which allowed the Hoosiers an average starting field position of their own 46 with four drives starting inside the Michigan State 30.
Penix finished with 320 yards passing and two touchdowns while Fryfogle had 11 receptions for 200 yards, including both of the touchdown strikes from Penix. Stevie Scott III added a touchdown run for the Hoosiers, who outgained Michigan State, 433-191.
Lombardi was just 3 for 7 before he was pulled while Thorne went 10 for 20 for 110 yards.
Things started well enough for the Spartans as Shakur Brown intercepted Penix in the opening drive of the game. However, Michigan State quickly reverted to hurting itself as Lombardi's handoff to Jordon Simmons was fumbled on third-and-2. Lombardi recovered it but Michigan State was forced to punt.
After the Spartans' defense forced an Indiana punt, Lombardi was picked off on the first play of the next series by Tiawan Mullen, setting up the Hoosiers' first score, an 8-yard run by Stevie Scott III with 2:11 left in the first quarter.
Michigan State gave it right back on the next series when Anthony Williams fumbled at the MSU 16 where Indiana recovered. Two plays later, Penix hit Fryfogle with a 16-yard scoring pass to push the lead to 14-0 with 1:14 left in the first quarter.
Brown's second interception thwarted the next Indiana drive, but Lombardi was intercepted on the next play by Mullen again, leading to a 21-yard field goal from Charles Campbell and a 17-0 lead for Indiana with 9:22 to play in the second quarter. Michigan State was forced to punt on its next drive and the Hoosiers responded with a 65-yard connection from Penix to Fryfogle to push the lead to 24-0 with 4:56 left in the first half.
Neither team was able to score in the second half, though Michigan State never truly threatened, failing to convert on fourth down twice while the Hoosiers were on cruise control.
