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FINAL: MSU suffers embarrassing 34-7 loss at home to Minnesota

Michigan State suffered a 34-7 loss to open Big Ten play against Minnesota, racking its second straight loss.

After making great strides against Washington last week, redshirt junior quarterback Payton Thorne struggled to get much going offensively. He threw for 132 yards, zero touchdown passes and two interceptions.

The MSU offense was on the field for only about 16 minutes, compared to Minnesota’s 42 minutes of possession. This was largely in part to the defense’s inability to slow down any part of the Gopher offense, specifically their passing game.

Mirroring last week’s game against Washington, the defense had no answer for sixth-year quarterback Tanner Morgan who threw for 268 yards and three touchdowns.

The Spartans went three-and-out in their first two drives in which everything that could have gone wrong went wrong. Thorne only completed one pass for three yards and took a sack.

The Gophers continued their momentum into the second quarter, but the MSU defense slightly rebounded and limited them to a field goal after giving up 50 more passing yards to Morgan.

Despite still being down 17, things were looking up for the Spartans coming out of the locker room after halftime. Thorne seemed to find his stride and threw for 59 yards in the second half opening drive, and fifth-year running back Jarek Broussard was doing his part to get the Spartans down the field.

All was going according to plan until Thorne decided to take it himself on first and six at the Minnesota 6-yard line, where he was taken down by fifth year defensive lineman Thomas Rush and fumbled the ball.

It didn’t take long for the Gophers to score again after regaining possession.

Before the clock struck zero, redshirt sophomore quarterback Noah Kim was called in to lead MSU’s last offensive drive of the game. Kim led the Spartans down the field rather quickly and completed a 27-yard touchdown pass to freshman wide receiver Germie Bernard to avoid the shut out.

The Spartans will try to bounce back from this loss this Saturday when they travel to College Park to take on the Terrapins.

Broad Art Museum holds annual drawing marathon

Michigan State University’s Broad Art Museum held its annual drawing marathon Sept. 21 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

The event was organized by the MSU Broad Art Museum, MSU Department of Art, Art History and Design and the City of East Lansing.

The Associated Students of Michigan State University (ASMSU) collaborated with city staff to host a community painting activity in the 400-block alley of downtown East Lansing to beautify the walls surrounding the recently installed Mental Health Awareness Murals, according to a press release.

“It’s just silly and fun. You can draw whatever,” studio art sophomore Phoenix Poole said. “It’s not like a classroom situation where you can only draw a particular thing.”

The drawing stations included spots to do work on your own or have help being guided by an instructor. Live posing and costumed models were present for inspiration as well. Some students stood and worked on easels while others sat on benches or on the ground.

Prior to the event, East Lansing Arts Programming & Placemaking Specialist Wendy Sylvester-Rowan said in a release the event is part of the city’s efforts to continue collaborations with MSU partners and to promote downtown East Lansing businesses.

Poole said, “I think it’s just a great event and it brings all of the different people together from different aspects of studio art.”

Nothing Bundt Cakes of Okemos fundraises for mental health awareness

Nothing Bundt Cakes, a new bakery in Okemos, held a fundraiser benefit at their ribbon cutting on Friday, donating 20% of sales to the Gregory H. Montgomery Jr. Foundation for Ultimate Growth.

The foundation was started after former Michigan State University and NFL punter Greg Montgomery lost his battle with mental illness in 2020. They strive to provide mental health resources for all the student-athletes at MSU.

The foundation also developed a curriculum for coaches to discuss mental wellness with athletes called S.C.O.R.E.

“That’s ‘strive, connect, overcome, recharge, and evolve,” president of the Gregory H. Montgomery Jr. Foundation for Ultimate Growth and Montgomery’s sister, Margot Montgomery Moran, said.

Moran said, “It’s our duty as a family to continue on, and the motto of his foundation is ‘He lives through lives saved.'”

The Kappa Kappa Gamma chapter at Michigan State also supports Ultimate Growth as a part of their philanthropy and were present at the event. One of their national philanthropies is based on mental health awareness.

“It’s an amazing opportunity for us to make awareness … for us to support not only girls within our sorority but other people too,” philanthropy chairman of Kappa Kappa Gamma Bryce Gordon said. “You are heard, you are not alone.”

Based on original reporting by Jenna Malinowski, Wendy Guzman and Maggie George.