Earlier this week, Michigan State quarterback Aidan Chiles bluntly stated he cared nothing about the Spartans' fans.
Today, the care factor for this Michigan State season, Jonathan Smith's second at the helm, is slipping further into oblivion.
Pegged by oddsmakers as more than a touchdown favorite at home against one-win UCLA, Michigan State instead was blown out, 38-13, in East Lansing, Michigan, by the visiting Bruins.
"I don't think there's a lack of care (within the players) there," Smith said postgame.
He also said the obvious: this performance was not remotely good enough.
In a season in which UCLA already has fired its coach, these two programs nonetheless looked headed in opposite directions in the present.
UCLA upended former No. 2 Penn State last week at home, scoring 42 points in the process; the Bruins have 80 across eight quarters of ball under interim coach Tim Skipper.
The Spartans, meanwhile, are just 3-9 in Big Ten Conference games since Smith took over the program prior to the 2024 season.
They are riding a three-game losing streak, dropping every game by at least 11 points and being outscored by 50 points against the trio of Nebraska, USC and UCLA.
Panicking, Smith says he is not.
"I'm not pressing a huge panic button here," Smith said. "But there is an extreme urgency to get this thing in a better place."
How bad are things for the Spartans?
Plenty of media outlets already are reporting on Smith's contract in terms of buyout numbers; by the way, it's nearly $40 million for Michigan State brass to dispatch Smith this soon into his seven-year pact, but Smith could leave at a reduced rate on his end because the dysfunctional Spartans already have fired Alan Haller, the athletics director who brought Smith from the West Coast to the Midwest.
Additionally, Saturday's humiliating loss registered as the Spartans's third in a row, as noted above. Worse? In 18 games as head coach, Smith already has three separate three-game losing streaks.
Eight times in just 12 total Big Ten games since Smith took over, the Spartans have lost by double digits; they have six league losses by 22 or more points.
Chiles, like Smith, arrived at Michigan State via Oregon State. The Spartans offense on Saturday mustered barely 250 yards' offense against a Bruins squad that last month gave up 35 points and 450 yards to Jason Eck's first-year New Mexico program.
It's folly to think perhaps the Spartans are done losing. Their schedule still features Indiana, Michigan, Penn State and Iowa, among others.
Smith, who's seen his career head coaching record dip to 42-45 overall, further said Saturday he was surprised by his team's performance.
The reality? The Spartans showed who they have been and who they are.
A wayward ship, listing in broad daylight.