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Michigan State Football: 3 hot takes from disappointing loss to Purdue

By Connor Muldowney

Nov 6, 2021; West Lafayette, Indiana, USA; Michigan State Spartans running back Kenneth Walker III (9) runs for a touchdown in the first half against the Purdue Boilermakers at Ross-Ade Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 6, 2021; West Lafayette, Indiana, USA; Michigan State Spartans running back Kenneth Walker III (9) runs for a touchdown in the first half against the Purdue Boilermakers at Ross-Ade Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports /
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Nov 6, 2021; West Lafayette, Indiana, USA; Michigan State Spartans running back Kenneth Walker III (9) scores a touchdown while Purdue Boilermakers cornerback Jamari Brown (7) defends in the first half at Ross-Ade Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 6, 2021; West Lafayette, Indiana, USA; Michigan State Spartans running back Kenneth Walker III (9) scores a touchdown while Purdue Boilermakers cornerback Jamari Brown (7) defends in the first half at Ross-Ade Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports /

2. Kenneth Walker III is still the Heisman frontrunner

You have to be a special type of running back if your “off day” is 136 yards and a touchdown on 6.8 yards per carry. Kenneth Walker III did just that against the Boilermakers in a loss.

The Wake Forest transfer had over 100 yards in the first half on just 17 carries on Saturday and because Michigan State didn’t have the ball much in the third quarter and runs to the short side of the field (which seemed to be Jay Johnson’s go-to in the second half) weren’t working, he finished with just 33 yards on five carries in the second half.

Walker III probably should have gotten a larger workload, but the Spartans were playing from behind all game long and he still had himself a 130-plus yard day, putting him over 1,300 yards and 15 touchdowns on the season.

The pace he’s on will put him near 1,800 rushing yards and 20 touchdowns by the end of the regular season and that still keeps him ahead in the Heisman race.

Many were ready to put a fork in his Heisman hopes on Saturday, but he had a big game behind an offensive line that was playing a few guys out of position because of injuries and missing its starting left tackle. If that’s not Heisman-worthy, I don’t know what is.

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