PASADENA, Calif. - Michigan State struck first, created a pair of takeaways and got a first-time starting quarterback under center, but UCLA had too much firepower on Saturday afternoon at the Rose Bowl.
The Spartans fell to No. 9 UCLA, 28-10, as the Bruins pulled away after halftime and stayed unbeaten at 7-0 overall and 5-0 in B1G play. UCLA outgained Michigan State, 443-156, and forced three turnovers along the way.
Michigan State’s early spark came courtesy of its defense. On UCLA’s first possession, safety Devin Vaught stripped Anthony Woods and raced 56 yards to the Bruin 15-yard line, and two plays later Kayd Coffman found Kenneth Williams on a 14-yard touchdown pass to put the Spartans ahead 7-0 midway through the first quarter.
Coffman made history in his starting debut, becoming the first true freshman to start at quarterback for Michigan State since Jeff Smoker in 2000. He finished 4-of-10 passing for 42 yards. Second-year quarterback Leo Hannan, a Long Beach native, came on in the fourth quarter and went 9-of-15 for 67 yards.
Williams handled a heavy workload out of the backfield and delivered Michigan State’s most productive rushing day, finishing with a season-high 54 yards on 17 carries. He also added three receptions for 12 yards and totaled 81 all-purpose yards. Fifth-year receiver Chrishon McCray led the Spartans in receiving with three catches for 42 yards.
Michigan State’s defense kept punching back. In the second quarter, UCLA recovered a fumble at the Spartan 19-yard line and turned it into a 7-yard touchdown run by Jaivian Thomas. Later in the quarter, the Spartans got another big play from their secondary when Nikai Martinez scooped up a fumble on third-and-7 from the MSU 34 and returned it 56 yards to the UCLA 19.
But the Bruins answered that takeaway with one of their own. Two plays after Martinez’s return, Coffman was intercepted by Donavyn Pellot, who brought it back 67 yards to set UCLA up at the MSU 21. Wayne Knight finished that drive with a 1-yard touchdown run, sending UCLA into halftime up 14-7.
The Bruins came out of the break and landed the knockout blows quickly. On their first series of the second half, Ty Dieffenbach hit Brian Rowe Jr. for a 63-yard touchdown to stretch the lead to 21-7. UCLA added another score later in the third when Woods finished a 10-play, 70-yard march with a 4-yard touchdown run.
Michigan State got a 46-yard field goal with 6:18 left in the fourth quarter to trim the margin to 28-10, but that was as close as it got.
Vaught and Martinez each finished with eight tackles, and both were involved in the Spartans’ two 56-yard fumble returns. Still, UCLA’s three turnovers forced and big plays through the air kept the game in its control.
Michigan State is off next weekend on a bye before heading to Michigan on Nov. 7.
In Other News...
Michigan State Let A Statement Win Slip In Top 10 Showdown
Michigan State had a chance to turn its Breast Cancer Awareness game at DeMartin Stadium into a statement win, and for a stretch it looked like the No. 6 Spartans might do just that. Andrew Darakdjian gave Michigan State the early edge against No. 7 Washington, setting up a top-10 showdown that carried plenty of weight in the Big Ten race and a little extra energy with the home crowd behind it.
But Washington answered with a Zach Ramsey goal to level the match, and Michigan State had to settle for a 1-1 draw in a game that could have given it a bigger boost. Even so, the Spartans remain tied for first in the conference standings, with another stretch of chances ahead against Green Bay and Rutgers as they keep pushing through the season. [Read more 🡒]
Michigan States Injury Hit Secondary Faces A Brutal UCLA Test
Michigan States secondary enters the UCLA matchup under real pressure, and not just because of the Bruins balanced offense. The Spartans have been dealing with injuries on defense, and that has made an already difficult assignment even trickier as they try to slow down a UCLA rushing attack that can force a defense to defend every blade of grass. It is the kind of test that exposes communication issues in the back end and makes every coverage bust feel magnified.
Ty Dieffenbach adds another layer to the problem. With UCLA potentially leaning on its backup quarterback, Michigan State still has to be ready for the ball to come out often enough to challenge a battered defensive backfield, especially if the ground game sets up manageable throws. The passing number attached to Dieffenbach has become a notable angle in the buildup, and it is one more reason the Spartans cannot afford to let this game turn into a track meet early. [Read more 🡒]
Spartans Drop First Game Despite One Bright Sign In Net
Michigan States trip to Whittemore Center Arena started with a frustratingly familiar edge, as the Spartans fell 1-0 to New Hampshire in the series opener. The margin was small, but the pressure on freshman goaltender Joshua Ravensbergen was not, and he answered with a season-high 33 saves while helping keep the game within reach for much of the night.
The rest of the box score told a tougher story for the Spartans, who were outshot 34-14 and could not generate enough at the other end to break through. Their penalty kill did its job, but a third-period power play goal proved decisive, and Michigan State left with a loss despite one encouraging sign in net. [Read more 🡒]