Tag: michigan state

Nov 30, 2024; East Lansing, Michigan, USA; Rutgers Scarlet Knights running back Kyle Monangai (5) leaps into the air as he crosses the goal line during the first quarter against the Michigan State Spartans at Spartan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dale Young-Imagn Images

Kyle Monangai, Rutgers blow out Michigan State 41-14

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Kyle Monangai rushed for 129 yards and a touchdown on Saturday as visiting Rutgers finished its regular season with a 41-14 Big Ten Conference rout of Michigan State in East Lansing, Mich.

The Scarlet Knights (7-5, 4-5) controlled both sides of the scrimmage line after a slow start, more than doubling the Spartans in rushing yardage and gobbling up 35 minutes of clock. Athan Kaliakmanis added 157 passing yards on 13-of-22 accuracy, along with a touchdown.

Michigan State (5-7, 3-6) was seeking to become bowl-eligible but saw its season end with an emphatic thud. The Spartans managed 13 first downs, and after a promising start on the ground that saw them rush for 99 yards in the first quarter and a half, barely reached 100 yards for the day.

Michigan State initiated the scoring less than three minutes in as Nate Carter ripped off a 26-yard touchdown run. But that was it for the Spartans’ attack until Aidan Chiles found Jack Velling for a 5-yard strike with 7:21 left in the game. Chiles finished 13-of-23 passing for 150 yards.

By then, Rutgers had more than done its damage. It took the lead for good before the midway point of the first quarter behind Monangai’s 7-yard touchdown run and the first of Jai Patel’s four field goals, a 25-yarder.

Antwan Raymond made it 17-7 at the 6:07 mark of the second quarter with a 13-yard scoring jaunt, capping a 94-yard drive. Patel then punched 42 and 30-yard field goals through snow and a stiff wind in the final 90 seconds of the half for a 23-7 advantage.

The Scarlet Knights essentially ended the game’s competitive phase on the first drive of the second half, chewing up 7 1/2 minutes to drive 75 yards. Kaliakmanis finished it off with a 9-yard touchdown pass to Ian Strong.

Patel added his fourth field goal, a 29-yarder, with 10:55 left in the game to cap off another seven-minute drive. Raymond tacked on a 5-yard scoring jaunt with 1:57 remaining.

–Field Level Media

East Lansing's Jace Clarizio runs for a gain against DeWitt during the second quarter on Friday, Sept. 27, 2024, at East Lansing High School.

Alabama flips RB Jace Clarizio from Michigan State

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Running back Jace Clarizio flipped his commitment from his local team, Michigan State, to Alabama.

The decision, announced by Clarizio on social media Tuesday, comes after the East Lansing (Mich.) High standout visited head coach Kalen DeBoer’s Crimson Tide on Nov. 16.

“Great program,” Clarizio told On3. “Playing on the biggest level. … All the people and coaches I met and interacted with were all great people. The atmosphere was crazy.”

The 5-foot-11, 195-pounder is ranked as the No. 33 running back by On3 and tabbed No. 35 in their industry ranking.

In May, he had verbally committed to the Spartans, where his father, Craig Johnson, was a running back and defensive back who was a member of the 1987 Rose Bowl-winning squad under coach George Perles.

–Field Level Media

Michigan State's Montorie Foster Jr., left, catches a touchdown as Purdue's Kyndrich Breedlove defends during the first quarter on Friday, Nov. 22, 2024, at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing.

Michigan State sends Purdue to 10th consecutive loss

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Aidan Chiles completed 15 of 31 passes for 159 yards and two touchdowns to help Michigan State earn a 24-17 win over Purdue on Friday in East Lansing, Mich.

Kay’Ron Lynch-Adams gained 85 yards on 18 carries for the Spartans (5-6, 3-5 Big Ten), who kept their hopes of bowl-eligibility alive. Nate Carter had touchdowns rushing and receiving as the Spartans ended a three-game losing streak.

Hudson Card went 26 of 46 passing for a season-high 342 yards for Purdue (1-10, 0-8), which has lost 10 straight. Card threw one touchdown pass and one interception.

Trailing by 21 at halftime, Purdue cut Michigan State’s lead to 24-10 with 5:49 remaining in the third quarter on a 2-yard touchdown run by Devin Mockobee, which finished off a 10-play, 73-yard drive.

Purdue cut the deficit to 24-17 with 13:54 remaining in the game on a 7-yard touchdown pass from Card to Max Klare.

The Boilermakers had three drives to tie the game, but they ended on a punt, an interception and a turnover on downs at their own 47-yard line with more than three minutes remaining.

The Spartans then gained two first downs and ran out the clock.

Michigan State took a 17-3 lead with 7:50 left until halftime on a 3-yard touchdown run by Carter on third-and-goal.

The score was set up after Michigan State’s Maverick Hansen recovered a Boilermakers fumble at the Purdue 33-yard line.

With 41 seconds left until halftime, the Spartans grabbed a 24-3 lead on a 20-yard touchdown pass from Chiles to Carter, which capped off a 10-play, 84-yard drive.

Purdue took the opening kickoff and drove for a 40-yard field goal by Ben Freehill. Michigan State cashed in on its first drive, too, taking a 7-3 lead on a 7-yard touchdown pass from Chiles to Montorie Foster Jr.

The Spartans’ first march went 11 plays and 75 yards.

Michigan State then took a 10-3 lead with 12:07 remaining in the second quarter on a 43-yard field goal by Jonathan Kim.

–Field Level Media

Oct 26, 2024; Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA; Michigan State Spartans running back Nate Carter (5) rs in the first half against the Michigan Wolverines at Michigan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

Michigan State faces must-win game vs. Purdue to keep bowl hopes alive

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Two reeling football teams will collide when Purdue takes on Michigan State in a Big Ten contest on Friday in East Lansing, Mich.

The teams’ experiences this year have been similar, yet still different.

Purdue (1-9, 0-7) comes in on a nine-game losing streak since a season-opening shutout over Indiana State.

Just two years removed from an appearance in the Big Ten championship game, the Boilermakers have regressed badly in the second year under head coach Ryan Walters.

For Walters, the plan is simple for the final two games of the season.

“Go out and compete,” he said. “You know, but a good game plan together, offense, defense, special teams. Play clean, competitive football and go win some games.”

The Boilermakers enter the game last in the Big Ten in both points scored (17.2 per game) and points allowed (38.9). Their leading rusher, Devin Mockobee, has run for 652 yards and three touchdowns.

Purdue will hope to snap its long losing streak against a Michigan State team that also comes in on a losing streak.

The Spartans (4-6, 2-5) have lost three straight games since a win over Iowa on Oct. 19, the latest being a 38-16 defeat at Illinois last week. Michigan State also lost at Michigan and at home to undefeated Indiana in that span.

The silver lining for Michigan State is that bowl eligibility is still a possibility after not qualifying for a bowl game since 2021.

The Spartans can gain bowl eligibility with home wins over Purdue and Rutgers to close the season, which could be a building block in Jonathan Smith’s first year at the helm.

“I’m not going to be up here asking for patience,” Smith said. “We’re not patient people. We do have perspective of we want to get some things established. Immediately, results haven’t come, but I’m confident in the process we’re taking. And we’re continuing to develop the current roster and then, just everywhere, you’re going to have new guys on the roster, and confident the results will come.”

The Spartans’ running trio of Kay’ron Lynch-Adams, Nate Carter and quarterback Aidan Chiles has combined for 1,142 yards and eight touchdowns.

–Field Level Media

Michigan State's Montorie Foster Jr., right, celebrates his touchdown catch with Nick Marsh during the third quarter in the game against Iowa on Saturday, Oct. 19, 2024, at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing.

Bye behind them, Illinois, Michigan State back to bowl focus

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Michigan State and Illinois have had a bye week to think about what they’ve done, and what they need to do better to create a November to remember.

Illinois (6-3, 3-3 Big Ten) and Michigan State (4-5, 2-4) carry two-game losing streaks into the home finale for the Fighting Illini on Saturday afternoon in Champaign.

Both teams also have soft enough schedules to suggest a three-game winning streak is feasible. But a slide isn’t out of the question for either team.

“I am excited to be the head coach of a team that has put themselves in a (good) position,” said Illinois coach Bret Bielema. “You always remember the ones in November. Obviously, we started off with a bump in the road against Minnesota (two weeks ago).”

“You can only win one at a time,” said Michigan State coach Jonathan Smith. “We’ve got a lot to play for these last three games. I know our guys understand that it’s not easy to win, but we have an opportunity in front of us to win more than we lose for the entirety of this season.”

While Illinois held a “limited” practice Sunday, Michigan State went full pads to set the tone.

“I thought it was really spirited,” Smith said. “Good practice.”

Better yet for the Spartans, starting quarterback Aidan Chiles took part in the practice. His status had not been clarified since being escorted to the locker room with a forearm injury during the third quarter of the Spartans’ 47-10 loss vs. Indiana on Nov. 2.

“Aidan was able to go (Sunday),” Smith said. “So we feel pretty confident on him.”

Chiles doesn’t have the best numbers (62 percent completion rate, 1,850 yards, eight touchdowns, 11 interceptions), but his status as a two-way threat gives Michigan State the best chance to succeed against an Illinois defense that surrendered 49 points to Purdue when multi-threat backup Ryan Browne had to play for the Boilermakers.

The Illinois defense will be without leading tackler Dylan Rosiek. The junior linebacker suffered a season-ending leg fracture in the Nov. 2 home loss to Minnesota.

The Illini also will miss defensive back Miles Scott in the first half. He is serving the rest of his penalty for a fourth-quarter targeting call versus the Gophers.

–Field Level Media

Michigan State's head coach Jonathan Smith, left, talks with Indiana's head coach Curt Cignetti before the game on Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024, at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing.

No. 13 Indiana rolls to big win over Michigan State

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Kurtis Rourke went 19-of-29 passing for 263 yards and four touchdowns to lead No. 13 Indiana to a 47-10 win over Michigan State in Big Ten play at East Lansing, Mich., on Saturday.

Rourke returned to action after missing last week’s win over Washington with a thumb injury and helped keep hopes of a Big Ten title and College Football Playoff berth alive for Indiana (9-0, 6-0 Big Ten).

Indiana also reclaimed the Old Brass Spittoon, the trophy the Hoosiers and Spartans play for every year.

Aidan Chiles went 16-of-24 passing for 193 yards, a touchdown and two interceptions in defeat for Michigan State (4-5, 2-4).

Michigan State took a 10-0 lead after the first quarter, but Indiana scored 47 unanswered points after that.

The Hoosiers scored 21 points in the second quarter, starting when Rourke hit tight end Zach Horton for a 17-yard touchdown pass with 14:13 left in the first half to finish off a seven-play, 75-yard drive and cut Michigan State’s lead to 10-7.

Indiana took a 14-10 lead on a 1-yard touchdown run by Ty Son Lawton with 6:22 remaining in the second quarter, and then went up 21-10 on a 4-yard touchdown pass from Rourke to Elijah Sarratt with 2:10 to go until halftime.

Following a safety, Rourke then hit Myles Price for an 18-yard touchdown pass with 11:39 remaining in the third quarter to put Indiana ahead 30-10.

A 16-yard touchdown run by Omar Cooper Jr. with 14:05 remaining in the game and an 11-yard touchdown pass from Rourke to Sarratt with 10:52 left gave Indiana a 47-10 lead.

Michigan State got off to a good start, taking a 10-0 lead in the first quarter on a 47-yard field goal by Jonathan Kim and an 18-yard touchdown pass from Chiles to Nick Marsh.

But it was all Indiana after that in what was the fifth straight win for the road team in the annual rivalry.

–Field Level Media

Oct 26, 2024; Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA; Michigan Wolverines and Michigan State Spartans players fight after the game at Michigan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

Big Ten: No disicipline for Spartans-Wolverines fight

Posted on | by Field Level Media

The Big Ten will not take any further action against participants in Saturday’s postgame fight involving players from Michigan State and Michigan.

The conference announced Tuesday that its thorough review of the video evidence from the incident in Ann Arbor was “inconclusive.”

“Amidst the confrontation, student-athletes from both teams were on the ground and surrounded by so many individuals that both players were completely obscured from view,” the Big Ten said in a statement. “The video review was inconclusive as to whether individual discipline was appropriate for anyone in the immediate vicinity of the two players who were on the ground.

“While the confrontation was a disappointing conclusion to the contest, the Conference appreciates the efforts made by staff from both teams, security personnel, and game officials to rapidly de-escalate the incident, as well as the responses by both head coaches. The Big Ten discussed the situation with both institutions and determined that no further action will be taken.”

In the final moments of Michigan’s 24-17 victory, Spartans defensive lineman Anthony Jones and Wolverines tight end Colston Loveland began to scuffle, and both teams left the sidelines as the clock ticked down.

Loveland was seen headbutting Jones with his helmet on, and later in the fracas, Michigan running Kalel Mullings appeared to be stomping on a player at the bottom of a pile.

The Big Ten’s decision to drop the investigation means that both programs can focus on big games this Saturday.

Defending national champion Michigan (5-3, 3-2 Big Ten) plays host to No. 1 Oregon (8-0, 5-0). Michigan State (4-4, 2-3) takes on No. 13 Indiana (8-0, 5-0) in East Lansing, Mich.

–Field Level Media

Michigan and Michigan State players get into a fight on the field as time expires at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor on Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024.

Big Ten probing postgame fight between Michigan, Michigan St.

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While it wasn’t as dire as 2022, another fight between the Michigan and Michigan State football teams is being investigated by the Big Ten Conference, Michigan State athletic director Alan Haller said Monday.

In the final moments of Michigan’s 24-17 home win over Michigan State on Saturday, Spartans defensive lineman Anthony Jones and Wolverines tight end Colston Loveland began to scuffle, and both teams left the sidelines as the clock ticked down.

Loveland was seen headbutting Jones with his helmet on, and later in the fracas, Michigan running Kalel Mullings appeared to be stomping on a player at the bottom of a pile.

Haller said Monday he would not pursue criminal charges, which happened in 2022 when a fight broke out between the same programs in the tunnel of Michigan Stadium, leading to criminal charges for seven Spartans players.

“I don’t think that situation (in 2022) should have been a criminal incident, and I don’t think this should be as well,” Haller said. “This is a sportsmanship policy situation, and the conference will look at it. And it’s my wish that the same standard that everyone’s held to, that (Michigan) be held to the same standard. But I do not believe that incident or this incident is a criminal situation.”

Michigan coach Sherrone Moore called the fight “unacceptable” during his press conference Monday and said discipline would be handled internally.

The 2022 fight resulted in a $100,000 fine for Michigan State, the largest in Big Ten history, and an eight-game suspension for Michigan State’s Khary Crump along with four-game bans for six other Spartans players. The players saw their charges reduced in court.

Neither the two head coaches nor the conference commissioner involved in 2022 are still in place. Jim Harbaugh left the Wolverines for the NFL’s Los Angeles Chargers after winning a national championship last winter; Mel Tucker was fired for cause by Michigan State after a sexual harassment scandal; and commissioner Kevin Warren left the Big Ten to become the president and CEO of the NFL’s Chicago Bears.

Tony Petitti now leads the Big Ten, and Haller explained what he hopes and expects from Petitti’s office.

“We have a new commissioner. We have new leadership in the conference office,” Haller said. “My wish is that the new leadership handles this in a clean slate and treat every school with the same standard.”

–Field Level Media

Michigan tight end Colston Loveland (18) celebrates a touchdown against Michigan State during the first half at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor on Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024.

Michigan holds off Michigan State for third straight year

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Colston Loveland caught six passes for 67 yards and two touchdowns to help lead host Michigan to a 24-17 win over Michigan State in a Big Ten contest on Saturday.

Michigan (5-3, 3-2) won the Paul Bunyan Trophy for a third straight year.

Aidan Chiles went 17-of-23 passing for 189 yards against Michigan State (4-4, 2-3), which had 37:05 of possession time and outgained Michigan, 352-265.

Trailing 24-10 in the fourth quarter, Michigan State cut Michigan’s lead to 24-17 with 6:12 remaining on a 20-yard touchdown pass from Chiles to Nick Marsh.

The Spartans got the ball back and drove the ball to the Michigan 16-yard line, but a fourth down pass with under two minutes left from Chiles fell incomplete.

Michigan then got two first downs to run out the clock.

Michigan took a 24-10 lead with 13:20 remaining in the game on a 23-yard touchdown pass on a halfback option from Donovan Edwards to Loveland. A 2-point conversion pass to Loveland was successful.

Leading 9-7 at halftime, Michigan drove 75 yards in 11 plays and took a 16-7 lead with 9:49 left in the third quarter on a. 2-yard touchdown run by Alex Orji.

Michigan State answered on its next possession, cutting the Michigan lead to 16-10 on a 46-yard field goal by Jonathan Kim with 3:45 to go in the third.

Michigan State opened the scoring with 10 seconds remaining in the first quarter on a 2-yard touchdown run by Nate Carter, who finished a nine-play, 62-yard drive.

Michigan didn’t get anything going offensively until its final drive of the first half, when the Wolverines drove the field and cut its deficit to 7-6 with 29 seconds remaining until halftime on a 10-yard touchdown pass from Davis Warren to Loveland. The extra point failed after a fumbled snap.

After a sack and forced fumble by Josaiah Stewart and a recovery by Kenneth Grant at the Michigan State 34-yard line with 14 seconds remaining in the first half, Michigan took advantage of the chance and went up 9-7 heading into halftime after a 37-yard field goal by Dominic Zvada.

–Field Level Media

Michigan State's Aidan Chiles, center, runs for a big gain as Iowa's Brendan Sullivan, right, attempts a tackle during the third quarter on Saturday, Oct. 19, 2024, at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing.

Rivals Michigan State, Michigan on opposite paths entering annual clash

Posted on | by Field Level Media

In recent years, the football programs of Michigan State and Michigan have trended in opposite directions, culminating last season when Michigan State won four games and Michigan captured the national championship.

The teams again are headed in opposite directions going into this year’s annual showdown Saturday night in Ann Arbor, but this time Michigan State is trending up while Michigan has regressed.

The Spartans (4-3, 2-2 Big Ten) are coming off their best performance of the season, a convincing 32-20 win over Iowa in a game that saw Michigan State rush for more than 200 yards and not punt once against the normally stout Hawkeyes’ defense.

Michigan State also appears to have a quarterback to build around in Aidan Chiles, who has been erratic this year but played well against Iowa, passing for 256 yards and turning the ball over just once.

On the other side, Michigan (4-3, 2-2) scored only one touchdown in a 21-7 loss to then-No. 22 Illinois last week — the Wolverines’ second straight defeat — and hasn’t been able to find an answer at quarterback.

The Wolverines have had three starters this year — Davis Warren, Alex Orji and Jack Tuttle — but none have starred, although Tuttle completed 20 of 32 passes for 208 yards against the Illini.

Michigan coach Sherrone Moore said Monday the team would have a wait-and-see approach in terms of naming a starter for the Michigan State game.

“You have different things that guys are better at, and that you’ll feature for individual people, but we definitely have a process for what we’ll go through and how we’ll go through installing them,” Moore said.

Michigan State coach Jonathan Smith — who, like Moore, will coach in the rivalry game for the first time — said preparation will be especially important this week given Michigan’s uncertainty at quarterback.

“You prepare what you see on tape, and we’ve got tape of all of their players that have played offensively,” Smith said.

Michigan has lopsided wins against Michigan State in the last two years. The Wolverines lead the all-time series 73-38-5.

–Field Level Media