Michigan State football defeated Iowa with a big win in their home opener on Saturday night to improve to 4-3 on the season.

The Spartans came out of their bye week looking like a new team, showing improvements on both offense and defense.

With the win, Michigan State enters the big rivalry game against Michigan with a huge momentum advantage after a big win over the Hawkeyes.

Before we move on to Michigan, let's take a look at the five takeaways from MSU's huge win over Iowa:

1. Aidan Chiles is making progress

With his movement and his smart, precise throws, Aidan Chiles had a great performance against Iowa on Saturday night. He had two “OMG WHY” throws, but honestly that’s an improvement over what we’ve seen in the past.

This game shows that Chiles is constantly improving.

2. MSU's defense looked very solid

A 75 yard run was a black eye, the rest of the day? MSU's defense continued to show that they are a solid unit. Matches with Oregon and Ohio State distorted the view of the Spartans' defense, but MSU competed against an Iowa offense that shows it dominates weaker opponents. MSU is not a weaker opponent.

3. The running offense was big

Jonathan Smith promised he would find ways to improve the running game. In the first game of proof, the Spartans rushed 40 times for 212 yards, an average of 5.3 yards per carry, and they did it against a solid Iowa defense.

4. Use the bye week effectively

Michigan State faltered, losing three straight games to start the bye week, with Iowa facing a daunting task after the bye. Jonathan Smith seamlessly used the bye week to full success, showing an improved Spartans team against a solid Iowa team.

5. A big win for the outlook for 2024

In Jonathan Smith's first year, making a bowl game and winning more than six games was essential to gaining momentum in building his program. At 3-3 and with a still very difficult schedule, some of those prospects looked bleak. At 4-3, the Spartans are now ahead when it comes to achieving their 2024 goals.

This article originally appeared on Spartans Wire: Five takeaways from Michigan State football's win over Iowa