Things are going from bad to worse for the Michigan State football program. The team currently stands at 4-5, coming off an absolutely embarrassing loss Illinois where they blew a 28-3 lead. Adding to the already disappointing season, Spartans fans were dealt even more on theme news as star linebacker Joe Bachie tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs and has been suspended by the Big Ten conference.

Bachie has been a stand-out defensive player for the Spartans this year, putting up 37 tackles, 3.5 sacks, and an interception. He’s been an integral part of the Spartans’ defense ever since his freshman year and was voted to be a captain this year along with QB Brian Lewerke. The Spartans will have a substantial void to fill at linebacker with the final four weeks of the season coming up quickly.

Bachie’s suspension has piled onto a rough year for the Spartan program. Not only has the team underperformed on the field, but they are also losing a lot of guys to transfers. This year alone, six players have left MSU and joined the transfer portal — most notably RB Connor Heyward who saw a significant amount of time at the beginning of the season.

To make matters worse, MSU’s famed 2016 20 men recruiting class is down to only seven players. Coming off the 2015 College Football Playoff bid, the Spartans were riding high and secured the 17th ranked recruiting class in the country. Head Coach Mark Dantonio even referred to the class as the “Dream Team”.

As a Spartan fan myself, I have to be honest: this program is plateauing. Ever since losing to the University of Alabama in the College Football Playoff in 2015, the Spartans have failed to dominate on a national level.

It’s Michigan week and a win against them could turn the season around. But with the way they have been playing as of recently, that’s not looking very likely. The Spartans will have to reboot in the offseason. One of the main concerns Dantonio must address is his offensive staff, which has made the MSU offense more boring than the Bengals’s.