Michigan State’s win over Michigan last Saturday night brought more than bragging rights. It also delivered a pair of Big Ten weekly honors on Monday, with fifth-year placekicker Liam Boyd earning Special Teams Player of the Week and fifth-year cornerback NiJhay Burt taking Defensive Player of the Week.
Boyd was the difference in the Spartans’ 15-6 victory, accounting for every point on the board. He matched his career high with five field goals, opening the scoring with two kicks in the final 93 seconds of the first half. He drilled a 21-yarder and then a 37-yarder to send MSU into halftime with a 6-0 lead.
He kept rolling after the break. Boyd finished a 17-play, 79-yard drive that burned 10:41 off the clock with a 38-yard field goal in the third quarter, then added kicks from 24 and 49 yards in the fourth to stretch the lead to 15-0.
The Asheville, North Carolina, native, who transferred from Charlotte in January, also made five field goals in the season opener against Toledo, the most ever by a Spartan kicker in his first game wearing Green and White. He became just the second kicker in Michigan State history, along with Paul Edinger in 1998, to hit five field goals in two different games in the same season. Boyd is now 16-for-19 on field goals and is tied for third in the Big Ten with 16 makes.
Burt made his case on the other side of the ball with a complete stat line. He posted a season-high six tackles and added an interception, a pass breakup, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery as Michigan State’s defense limited Michigan to 192 total yards and a season-low 54 rushing yards.
The Spartans also forced a season-best four turnovers while finishing with five sacks and seven tackles for loss.
Burt has started the last three games at cornerback and has four starts overall this season. In his second year at MSU after transferring from Eastern Illinois in 2025, the Homestead, Pennsylvania, native has 18 tackles in six games.
Michigan State, 3-6 overall and 1-5 in the Big Ten, returns to action Saturday, Nov. 14 at 4:15 p.m. against Washington in Spartan Stadium. The game will air on the Big Ten Network.
In Other News...
Mel Tucker Is Trying To Change The Vibe Around Spartan Football
With Washington coming to town, Michigan State has spent the lead-up trying to make sure the atmosphere matches the opponent. Mel Tucker and athletic director Dan Bartholomae have been out in the student community, making the rounds at local bars, speaking directly to students and pushing them to show up and bring some life back to Spartan football. The pitch has gone beyond words, too, with tickets and concession vouchers handed out as part of the effort.
It is the kind of outreach that says the program understands the game-day vibe has become part of the story around this team. Michigan State is trying to tighten the bond between the football program and the Spartan community, and the timing matters with a marquee nonconference game on deck. Whether all of that translates into a fuller student section and a louder stadium will be one of the more interesting things to watch once kickoff arrives. [Read more 🡒]
Ben Roberts Could Change Everything For MSU Against Washington
Michigan States injury report is starting to look a little more encouraging heading into Washington, and the biggest name on it is defensive lineman Ben Roberts. After being sidelined by injury, Roberts has been upgraded to questionable for the matchup, a sign the Spartans may be getting closer to full strength at a spot where depth can matter in a hurry. Cornerbacks Charles Brantley and Tre Bell, along with backup quarterback Cam Fancher, are also in the questionable mix, leaving plenty of uncertainty as the Spartans prepare for a game that could hinge on availability as much as scheme.
Washington has its own injury question to sort through with star quarterback Demond Williams Jr. also listed as questionable, adding another layer to a game already shaped by health concerns on both sides. Michigan State coach Pat Fitzgerald has said he is hopeful some of the injured players can work their way back later this season, which makes this week feel like more than just a single-game update. For a team trying to stabilize itself, getting Roberts back on the field could be a meaningful step if he is able to go. [Read more 🡒]
Michigan State Women Just Showed How Dangerous This Deep Roster Can Be
Michigan States women kept rolling with a 91-50 win over Oakland, and the most encouraging part for the Spartans was how many different players shaped the game. Theryn Hallock set the tone with a strong all-around showing, while freshmen Manique Bobongie and Lily Williams made their presence felt on both ends of the floor. It was the kind of performance that reminded everyone this roster has more than one way to take control of a game.
Kennedy Blair added another layer to that depth with aggressive defense, rebounding and playmaking as Michigan State stayed comfortably ahead throughout. For a team trying to build momentum, wins like this matter not just because of the margin, but because they show how quickly the rotation can produce impact from top to bottom. The Spartans looked deep, active and difficult to match, which is exactly the sort of problem opponents will have to solve going forward. [Read more 🡒]