Michigan vs. Michigan State: Game Grades, Analysis for Wolverines and Spartans

Brady Hoke has long praised his players' work ethic, practice habits and attitudes. He says that the Wolverines "work hard every day," but he's disappointed that they're not being rewarded for their labor. 

"We made some progress during the week, we thought, but we've got to go back to work," he said following Michigan's (3-5, 1-3) 35-11 loss to Michigan State (7-1, 4-0) at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing. 

The loss marked the sixth in the past seven series meetings. Hoke's 1-3 versus the Spartans. 

Long story short: Michigan State executed at the right times; Michigan did not. 

Let's take a look at the game grades on both sides. 

Positional Unit	First-Half Grade	Final Grade
Passing Offense	D	D
Rushing Offense	D-	D-
Pass Defense	D+	D
Run Defense	D	D
Special Teams	C	C
Coaching	D (it was an actual game in the first half)	F

Positional Unit	First-Half Grade	Final Grade
Passing Offense	A	A
Rushing Offense	A (Langford rushing TD on first drive	A- (More Langford)
Pass Defense	B	B+
Run Defense	A-	A-
Special Teams	B	B
Coaching	A	A

Passing Offense

UM: This section gets a "D" for Devin, both Gardner, the quarterback, and Funchess, the No. 1 receiver. 

Gardner avoided being sacked at every turn, but he completed just 15 of 30 passes for 121 yards and zero touchdowns. He threw two interceptions, one of which was a pick-six by Spartans DB R.J. Williamson. 

Funchess, Michigan's top weapon, had five catches for 64 yards, but none of them seemed to make much of a difference. 

MSU: In an effort to coordinate grades with initials, let's give Connor Cook a "C." OK, so it's not to match initials. That was a bad joke. However, Cook was indeed average Saturday. He didn't erupt for huge numbers, throwing for a modest 227 yards, a stat heavily aided by his 70-yard touchdown toss to Tony Lippett. 

Rushing Offense

Leon Halip/Getty Images

UM: Same story, different week. There is no rushing game at Michigan. None. It gets a "D-" since its leading back was De'Veon Smith, who scored the Wolverines' first offensive touchdown versus Michigan State since 2011. The sophomore finished with a team-high 39 yards. 

MSU: Jeremy Langford's three touchdowns sunk Michigan. Like last year, he delivered a dagger late in the game that deflated any hopes of a Michigan comeback. He finished with 177 yards, just six yards shy of the mark set by Minnesota's David Cobb, who gashed the Wolverines defense for a season-high 183 earlier this year.

But more impressively, Langford's riding a streak of 12 consecutive 100-yard Big Ten games, breaking Curtis Enis' record set at Penn State in 1996 and 1997. 

The Spartans will get an "A" for running wild, but not too wild, over the Wolverines. It was a subtle take-down to the ground. 

Passing Defense

Leon Halip/Getty Images

UM: Cook was decent, so that means the Wolverines weren't exactly on their A-game. But Jarrod Wilson and Jeremy Clark made a couple of key stops. Wilson recovered a fumble. Lippett was the only Spartans receiver to really do damage. 

But all things considered, the Wolverine secondary has now become a weakness. Forget about it being a strength. Michigan's corners, safeties and overall pass defense get a "D," which has been a common grade for the entire team this season. 

MSU: A pick-six by Williamson, holding Funchess to crumbs and not allowing Gardner to do much at all—Michigan State's DBs get a "B+" for the evening. 

Rushing Defense

Al Goldis/Associated Press/Associated Press

UM: You know the score, just flip things around. Michigan State rushed very well, meaning that Michigan didn't defend very well. During his postgame presser, Hoke said that tackling was an issue that he plans to address this week in practice. 

Team 135's run defense had stood up to most before it met Langford...and then it cracked. It gets a "D."

MSU: The Spartans deserve an "A-" for holding Michigan to 65 net yards rushing. Doug Nussumeier, Michigan's offensive coordinator, may want to start checking the want ads if his group doesn't get something going soon. 

His offense is worse than that of Al Borges, who was fired after the 2013 season for having an offense that was better than this year's group. 

Special Teams

UM: Matt Wile made a 48-yard field goal. Dennis Norfleet danced a little bit, which now figures into the game grades, and the Will Hagerup punted well. A grade of "C" seems just fine. 

MSU: Michigan State kicker Michael Geiger hasn't been perfect. The Spartans are used to having kickers who are pretty close to that. Geiger missed his only attempt, a 36-yarder. Mike Sadler averaged 37.5 yards per punt. 

The Spartans will get a "B" for special teams. 

Coaching

UM: Again, and this can't be stressed enough: Hoke's staff is failing the players, at least when you use winning football games as the standard from which to measure. He's gets an F for Saturday. 

MSU: Mark Dantonio's game plans work wonders versus the Big Ten, especially the Wolverines. He gets an A- for Saturday, but also for the fact that he owns Michigan. 

Follow Bleacher Report's Michigan Wolverines football writer Adam Biggers on Twitter @AdamBiggers81