It wasn't exactly the performance of a team worthy of competing for a Big Ten championship.

But that is the key for this team. Saturday's loss did not end its hopes for winning a conference title.

"That's the beautiful thing about being in a conference, I guess, is that our conference still remains intact," coach Mark Dantonio said. "All of our goals remain intact. We'll get ready to play Central Michigan next week and we'll look forward to that."

What it did do was indicate areas the Spartans need to improve dramatically if they hope to be in the hunt for the Big Ten's first championship game in Indianapolis in early December.

"Our season is not over because of this game," safety Trenton Robinson said. "We still have the goal that we want to be in Indy and the Big Ten championship game. I'm sure in everybody's mind this game is done and we have to forget about it and move forward."

While there were plenty of issues for Michigan State to address following Saturday's loss, the biggest has to be the play of the offensive line.

There is no doubt the Spartans have the skill players to compete in the Big Ten and the young defense has come along quickly.

But up front on offense, the Spartans are simply being overmatched at this point. Michigan State ran for only 29 yards against Notre Dame and quarterback Kirk Cousins was hit far too often.

"Obviously our offensive line is a bit of a concern because we're relatively young there," Dantonio said. "We can't have the penalties that occurred in the fourth quarter. We can't have those things happening for us and we've got to get a push and run the football.

"But whether it's the offensive line or whether it's the tight ends or whether it's the fullback, all these things enter into running the football.

"The same with pass protection — it's a running back potentially that has the problem with pass protection or it's a tight end, or it's a route problem or it's a coverage or whatever or it could be the quarterback.

"So it all plays together and there's no one group of people that's saying, 'OK, they can't run the ball so it's the offensive line.' That's not really how it works."

While it will be up to the coaching staff to iron out the problems with assignments and technique, it will be up to the players to get straightened out mentally.

The Spartans have talked often about the great chemistry and leadership on this team. Now it will be put to the test, starting with their final nonconference game this week against Central Michigan.

"At times like this, your teammates look toward you to see how you handle this," running back Edwin Baker said. "I'll be going to practice, coming into film and learning from my mistakes. I'll pick the team up and do my part to help us move forward."

Wide receiver B.J. Cunningham said the process of focusing on the next game already had begun.

"We talked about it in the locker room," said Cunningham, who caught 12 passes for 158 yards. "We have to keep our head up because we still have conference play and still have another game next week. Everybody will keep their head up and we'll try to go 1-0 every week and still win the Big Ten. We're not fazed by this at all."

Central Michigan at Michigan State

Kickoff: Noon Saturday, Spartan Stadium, East Lansing

TV/radio: ESPNU/WJR

Line: MSU by 23 1/2

Series: MSU leads 4-3 (Central 29-27, Sept., 2009).

Did you know? Central is coached by former MSU assistant Dan Enos.

From The Detroit News: http://detnews.com/article/20110919/SPORTS0202/109190328/Loss-doesn-t-dash-Michigan-State-s-title-dreams#ixzz1YdjetxHf