ANN ARBOR- Michigan State traveled to Ann Arbor, but the Spartans couldn’t bring back Paul Bunyan to East Lansing falling 24-17.
Michigan State started this contest with a quarterback keeper and gained four yards on the play. Sophomore QB Aidan Chiles used his legs often on the first drive, including an eight-yard run for a first down.
The Spartans leaned on their run game early, the team rushed 10 times on the opening drive. MSU head coach Jonathan Smith called his first screenplay of the evening, with Chiles who connected to Junior running back Nate Carter for a 26-yard gain.
After an incomplete pass to junior tight-end Jack Velling, the Spartans turned to sixth-year kicker Jonathan Kim. Despite Kim’s performance from over 50 yards plus this season, he missed his first attempt, keeping the score 0-0 in the first with 6:52 to go.
On defense, MSU came out strong and forced a quick three-and-out for the Michigan Wolverines. Senior defensive lineman D’quan Douse and junior defensive back Malik Spencer made key plays that limited the Wolverines.
MSU’s offense kept the momentum going with a short pass to true freshman wide receiver Nick Marsh for 15 yards. Carter broke free for a 34-yard run, putting the Spartans at the Wolverines’ 11-yard line.
“He was a spark,” said head coach Jonathan Smith. “Ran it well, made some plays catching the ball. On that last drive, it’s a low catch, stays up, breaks a tackle, and gets it all the way down to the 20. He played well tonight.”
The Spartans, who have converted just 38% of their red-zone opportunities this season, finished the drive with a two-yard touchdown run by Carter, giving MSU a 7-0 lead at the end of the first quarter.
Michigan head coach Sherrone Moore switched quarterbacks in the second quarter, bringing in junior QB Alex Orji. He was soon replaced by senior QB Davis Warren, but the change did not immediately spark the Wolverines’ offense, which struggled to convert on third down.
Both defenses kept the game tight. MSU junior linebacker Wayne Matthews III stopped senior running back Kalel Mullings for a one-yard gain, while Michigan’s junior linebacker Ernest Hausmann stuffed senior running back Kay’Ron Lynch-Adams for a five-yard loss.
With under three minutes left in the first half, Michigan’s offense finally found a rhythm, moving quickly into the red zone. Warren connected with senior wide receiver Peyton O’Leary for a 15-yard gain before senior tight end Colston Loveland caught a short touchdown pass to cut MSU’s lead to 7-6 with 29 seconds remaining in the half.
MSU had one more chance before halftime, but Chiles was sacked by Michigan junior defensive lineman Kenneth Grant, who forced a fumble.
Michigan capitalized with a 15-yard run by senior running back Donovan Edwards, setting up a 37-yard field goal from junior kicker Dominic Zvada that put the Wolverines up 9-7 at halftime.
“Aidan didn’t look like he liked his first read,” Smith said. “So he goes to extend, and we give him the ball but he just couldn’t do it.”
In the second half, Michigan rotated Orji back in, and he delivered with a 29-yard run down the sideline. Warren later completed a 23-yard pass to junior wide receiver Tyler Morris. Orji scored on a two-yard touchdown run to extend Michigan’s lead to 16-7.
“We anticipated we were going to see a decent amount of him,” Smith said. ‘’The kid bounced it a few times and finished the game when they needed it for some first downs.”
MSU responded with a 30-yard pass from Chiles to senior wide receiver Montorie Foster Jr., setting up a 46-yard field goal by Kim to make it 16-10 with 3:45 left in the third quarter.
MSU took the ball back into red zone territory but couldn’t capitalize with a touchdown, then settled for a 46-yard field goal from Kim, which made it 16-10 with 3:45 seconds left to go in the third quarter.
The defenses dominated the remainder of the third quarter, with neither team adding to the score.
Early in the fourth quarter, Michigan benefited from a costly 15-yard targeting penalty on MSU redshirt senior linebacker Jordan Turner, disqualifying him from the game.
The penalty put the Wolverines in scoring position, and they capitalized with a trick play. Edwards tossed a 23-yard touchdown pass to Loveland, giving Michigan a 24-10 lead.
The Spartans responded with a long drive, eating up seven minutes. Carter was instrumental, gaining 14 yards on a key play. Chiles capped the drive with a 20-yard touchdown pass to Marsh, bringing MSU within seven points at 24-17.
The Spartan defense held up which forced another three and out, which gave MSU one last chance. Chiles used his weapons in Velling and Carter to get back into the red zone, but MSU couldn’t get it done with an incomplete pass and a turnover on downs.
MSU ended the game in Ann Arbor 24-17, the Spartans executed down the field but did not score when the chances presented themselves.
MSU returns home to East Lansing next Saturday to take on No. 13 Indiana, with kickoff time set for 3:30 p.m.
