Michigan State’s win over Michigan on Saturday night did more than snap up a rivalry victory. It put two Spartans in the Big Ten spotlight.
On Monday, the conference handed out weekly honors to fifth-year kicker Liam Boyd and fifth-year cornerback NiJhay Burt after MSU’s 15-6 road win. Boyd was named Special Teams Player of the Week, while Burt earned Defensive Player of the Week.
“Just to win a game like this, to win a rivalry game, to win it on the road, with as much adversity as we’ve been through, you have to have guys step up,” MSU head coach Pat Fitzgerald said after Saturday’s game.
Boyd did exactly that, and then some. His career-high five field goals supplied every point the Spartans scored.
He finished the first half with a burst, drilling kicks from 21 and 37 yards in the final 93 seconds to send Michigan State into halftime with a 6-0 lead. He kept it rolling after the break, adding three more from 38, 24 and 49 yards as MSU built a 15-0 cushion on the way to the 15-6 final.
The Asheville, North Carolina, native and Charlotte transfer has already made his mark this season. He also connected on five field goals in the opener against Toledo, the most ever by a Spartan kicker in his MSU debut.
Boyd is now one of only two Michigan State kickers, alongside Paul Edinger, to have five field goals in two different games in the same season. He’s 16-for-19 on the year, and his 16 made kicks are tied for third in the Big Ten.
Burt’s day was just as packed. The cornerback posted a season-high six tackles and added an interception, a pass breakup, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery. He was responsible for two of Michigan State’s season-best four takeaways, helping a defense that limited Michigan to 192 total yards and a season-low 54 rushing yards while also piling up five sacks and seven tackles for loss.
Now in his second year in East Lansing after transferring from Eastern Illinois in 2025, Burt has started the last three games at cornerback and four games overall this season. His first takeaways as a Spartan arrived at the perfect moment.
Michigan State, now 3-6 overall and 1-5 in the Big Ten, turns next to Washington. The Spartans will host the Huskies on Saturday, Nov. 14, at 4:15 p.m. at Spartan Stadium, with the game set for Big Ten Network.
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Michigan States Michigan Win Just Earned Even More Big Ten Respect
Michigan States win over Michigan already carried plenty of weight in East Lansing, but the aftermath only added to the sense that the Spartans made a statement in the rivalry game. Cornerback NiJhay Burt and kicker Liam Boyd were both honored by the Big Ten for their roles in the 15-6 victory, with Burt earning defensive recognition and Boyd taking special teams honors after a night in which Michigan States defense and kicking game did the heavy lifting.
Boyd accounted for all 15 points with five field goals, while Burt turned in a disruptive performance with six tackles, an interception and a forced fumble. The defense held Michigan to a season-low 192 yards and came away with four takeaways, the kind of all-around effort that tends to travel well beyond one Saturday in October and gives the Spartans a little more credibility inside the conference. [Read more 🡒]
Michigan State Finally Gets The Test That Will Reveal A Lot
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For Michigan State, the appeal is obvious: a chance to see how its experience holds up when the opponent is fast, talented and accustomed to being tested at the highest level. Jeremy Fears Jr. is part of that veteran core the Spartans are leaning on, and this game comes with the kind of pressure that can sharpen a group quickly. Duke is in the middle of a demanding run of top-10 opponents, so neither side is getting a soft landing, and that is exactly why this one should reveal plenty about where Michigan State really stands. [Read more 🡒]