Michigan State let one slip away in the final minute, and Northwestern made the Spartans pay.
After MSU had a 33-yard field goal try blocked with a minute left, the Wildcats answered with a quick march down the field and won it on Jackson Kleather’s 34-yard field goal with two seconds on the clock, handing the Spartans a 24-21 loss at Spartan Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
The result drops Michigan State to 2-5 overall and 0-4 in Big Ten play. Northwestern moves to 5-1 overall and 2-1 in the league.
Redshirt sophomore quarterback Alessio Milivojevic put together a strong afternoon, going 19-of-30 for 216 yards and two touchdowns. Redshirt senior wide receiver Crishon McCray was the big-play threat, finishing with three catches for 64 yards, including a 53-yard score. Redshirt freshman Bryson Williams added a 32-yard touchdown grab in the second quarter, while redshirt senior running back Jaziun Patterson carried 15 times for 72 yards.
On defense, senior linebacker Dion Crawford led the way with 14 tackles, including 1.5 for loss and a breakup. Senior linebacker Cam Stodghill added 11 tackles, 1.5 for loss and two pass breakups.
Michigan State had to answer an early Northwestern field goal, and it did so by flipping the field in a hurry. Kenneth Williams’ 44-yard kickoff return set up a 12-play, 49-yard drive that ended with Milivojevic scoring on a 3-yard run on fourth-and-1 to make it 7-3.
Northwestern went back in front at 10-7 when Caleb Komolafe scored from 10 yards out with 11:04 left in the second quarter, but the Spartans grabbed momentum before halftime. Eli Coenen blocked a 41-yard field goal attempt with under three minutes to go in the half, and MSU turned that into a 77-yard drive in 2:01. Milivojevic capped it with a 32-yard touchdown pass to Williams, giving the Spartans a 14-10 lead at the break.
The Wildcats kept chipping away. Jackson Kleather hit a 37-yard field goal early in the third quarter to make it 14-13, and Michigan State answered with its biggest offensive punch of the day. McCray’s season-long 41-yard punt return pushed the Spartans into plus territory, and two plays later Milivojevic found him deep for a 53-yard touchdown that stretched the lead to 21-13 with 11:48 left.
But Northwestern had the last push. Aidan Chiles scored on a 1-yard run, then connected with Alex Honig for the two-point conversion to tie the game at 21 with 7:24 remaining.
Michigan State had chances from there. The Spartans forced a turnover on downs, then ran the ball five times to the Northwestern 15-yard line before Boyd’s 33-yard attempt was blocked. Northwestern took over, Chiles hit three passes for 50 yards, and a 14-yard run helped set up Kleather’s winner.
Michigan State heads to UCLA next, facing the Bruins on Saturday, Oct. 24 at the Rose Bowl. Kickoff is set for either 3 p.m. or 3:30 p.m. ET, with the TV network to be announced later this weekend.
In Other News...
Michigan State Just Entered A Big Ten Recruiting Fight Up Front
Michigan State has added another name to its board up front, extending an offer to Illinois high school standout Ben Coleman, a 6-foot-4, 285-pound hybrid tight end and blocker whose recruiting profile has already put him on the radar of several programs. Coleman is viewed as one of the more highly rated prospects in his state and nationally, which makes this the kind of battle the Spartans have to stay active in if they want to keep pace in the Big Ten trenches.
What makes Coleman especially interesting is the way his game blends size with versatility, giving him a profile that could fit a few different offensive roles depending on how a staff wants to use him. With other schools involved and his recruitment still unfolding, Michigan State is now part of a competition that figures to keep growing as more programs press their case for one of the regions more intriguing blockers. [Read more 🡒]
Michigan State Suddenly Needs Unsung Spartans To Step Up Vs Northwestern
Michigan State is heading into its matchup with Northwestern with the kind of lineup uncertainty that forces depth pieces into the spotlight. With injuries affecting several spots, the Spartans will need more than their headline names to hold up, and that puts added pressure on players like running back Jaziun Patterson and the offensive line tandem of Rakeem Johnson and Robert Wright Jr. in a game where every clean snap and steady assignment matters.
On the other side of the ball, the margin for error looks just as thin. Defensive end Kenny Soares Jr. and cornerbacks Jeremiah Favorite and KJ Deriso are among the players who may have to absorb bigger roles, and Michigan State needs that next wave of Spartans to look ready quickly. The challenge now is whether those unsung players can stabilize the depth chart in time to keep the matchup from turning into a test of survival. [Read more 🡒]
Michigan State Showed 2 Encouraging Signs In A Brutal Northwestern Loss
For much of Saturday, Michigan State had enough going on to make the loss sting even more. The Spartans hung with No. 25 Northwestern deep into a close game, and there were real signs that the program is starting to sort out some problems. The defense generated multiple sacks, with Anelu Lafaele, Ben Roberts and Eli Coenen all getting in on the pressure, while Coenen also came through with a blocked field goal that kept the game within reach.
The offense also showed a little more life under Nick Sheridan, whose playcalling helped Michigan State move the ball more consistently than it has at times this season. Even with limited talent, the Spartans found enough rhythm to stay alive into the final stretch before the game turned on a blocked potential go-ahead kick and a late Northwestern field goal. It was still a brutal loss, but for a team trying to find traction, the performances on both sides offered a small bit of encouragement to carry forward. [Read more 🡒]