East Lansing — Football season was back Friday night at Spartan Stadium. Tailgates buzzed in the parking lot as students packed the bleacher seats hours before kickoff. All waiting to see whether the Spartans’ hyped-up offseason overhaul had yielded a team that would live up to its promises.

Friday’s performance was a good first step.

Michigan State took down Western Michigan 23-6 to open the season. In the process, it answered some big offseason questions like who would lead the run game, and how a depth-driven defense might mesh. It also showed some of the same old issues that plagued this team last season, namely in pass protection.

Michigan State’s defense started with a scare as Western Michigan quarterback Brady Jones dotted up cornerback Joshua Eaton and receiver Tailique Willia

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