Tag: MSU

Penn State snaps six-game skid, rolls past Michigan State

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Ethan Grunkemeyer and Devonte Ross connected for two touchdown passes, Kaytron Allen ran for two scores, and visiting Penn State posted a much-needed 28-10 victory over Michigan State on Saturday in East Lansing, Mich.

In a matchup of teams that entered on six-game losing streaks, Penn State (4-6, 1-6) emerged to notch its first Big Ten win of the season. The Nittany Lions suffered an agonizing, last-second loss to No. 2 Indiana last weekend but were able to bounce back in this one.

Grunkemeyer (8-of-13 for 127 yards) wasn’t asked to do much, as the Nittany Lions ran the ball 50 times and relied on their defense. Allen had 25 rushes for 181 yards, while Nicholas Singleton chipped in 56 yards on 15 carries.

Alessio Milivojevic went 17-of-27 for 128 yards for Michigan State (3-7, 0-7). Elijah Tau-Tolliver was the leading rusher and receiver for the Spartans with six carries for 79 yards and eight catches for 73 yards.

Michigan State threw the first punch, as Tau-Tolliver rushed through the right side of the defense for a 57-yard touchdown on the Spartans’ first play from scrimmage.

Penn State bounced right back, as Grunkemeyer’s 25-yard pass to Trebor Pena set up Allen’s 8-yard rushing touchdown two plays later.

Late in the first quarter, the Nittany Lions stopped the Spartans on fourth down. However, Michigan State returned the favor on the ensuing Penn State possession.

Midway through the second quarter, Martin Connington’s 24-yard field goal gave the hosts a 10-7 lead. But on the next play from scrimmage, Grunkemeyer launched a bomb to a wide-open Ross for a 75-yard score.

Neither team dented the scoreboard during a third quarter in which the longest play for either team was 14 yards.

Penn State also didn’t have any big plays during its first of two touchdown drives in the fourth quarter. The Nittany Lions only reached third down once on the 13-play march — and that was on the final play, a 4-yard TD pass from Grunkemeyer to Ross with 4:32 left.

On the ensuing possession, Zion Tracy sacked Milivojevic and Daryus Dixson recovered a fumble on the play. Shortly thereafter, Allen unleashed runs of 42 and 26 yards to get Penn State back into the end zone with 2:07 remaining.

–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 head coach Mel Tucker looks on during the first quarter in the game against Rutgers on Saturday, Nov. 12, 2022, in East Lansing. 221112 Msu Rutgers Fb 067a

Michigan State in position to bowl over Indiana

Posted on | by Field Level Media

A bowl berth seemed like a longshot for Michigan State a few weeks ago.

It’s now well within reach.

A victory against Indiana in their home finale on Saturday will give the Spartans (5-5, 3-4 Big Ten) enough victories to participate in the postseason. If they lose, they’ll have one more shot when they journey to Penn State the following weekend.

The Spartans have won three of their last four games, pulling out single-digit victories over Wisconsin, Illinois and Rutgers.

While qualifying for a bowl might seem to be the primary goal for his team, Spartans coach Mel Tucker doesn’t want to discuss the elephant in the room.

“We talked (Monday) morning about not really talking about becoming bowl eligible,” he said. “We’re just focused on playing our best game of the season, our best 60 (minutes) of complementary football, and focus on what it takes to be able to get what we want on Saturday. And that’s the process.”

Tucker’s aim is a simpler one.

“Our goal is to play our best football in November,” he said. “We want to finish strong.”

So far, so good. The momentum from the road upset of the Fighting Illini on Nov. 5 carried over to their victory over the Scarlet Knights, at least offensively. Payton Thorne threw for 256 yards and two touchdowns, while running backs Jalen Berger and Jarek Broussard combined for 165 yards on 27 carries.

Indiana (3-7, 1-6) will look to snap a seven-game losing streak. The Hoosiers had the misfortune of facing Penn State and Ohio State on back-to-back weekends and got pummeled each time.

It’s uncertain whether Indiana will go with Connor Bazelak, who has started most of the season, or Dexter Williams II at quarterback this week.

The Spartans have won 11 of the last 13 meetings with the Hoosiers. The winner will get the traditional trophy, the Old Brass Spittoon.

“Not every program has the opportunity to play trophy games and rivalry games,” Indiana coach Tom Allen said. “It’s a great opportunity for us to play for the Brass Spittoon, a trophy we’ve had twice since I’ve been here and they currently have it right now. Much, much to play for.”

–Field Level Media

Oct 9, 2021; Piscataway, New Jersey, USA; Michigan State Spartans running back Kenneth Walker III (9) is tackled by Rutgers Scarlet Knights defensive back Avery Young (2) and defensive lineman CJ Onyechi (26) during the second half at SHI Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports

No. 10 Spartans look to continue meteoric rise at Indiana

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Michigan State has been one of the biggest surprises in the Big Ten season.

Picked to finish as low as last in the Big Ten East in some national publications, the Spartans are undefeated through six games and this week vaulted to No. 10 in the AP Top 25.

But second year Michigan State coach Mel Tucker doesn’t think the Spartans have arrived yet. He is pushing for more consistency when Michigan State plays Indiana Saturday at Bloomington, Ind.

“We have so many areas where we need improvement in all three phases, individually and collectively,” he said. “It never stops. You’re never there, you never arrive. If you turn on the tape of the games, you don’t have to be a rocket scientist to see what areas we need to improve.

It’s the first top 10 ranking for the Spartans since Sept. 18, 2016, when they were No. 8 in both polls, but promptly tumbled into a seven-game losing streak.

Michigan State (6-0, 3-0 Big Ten) is coming off a 31-13 win at Rutgers. The offense has been sparked throughout the season by freshman running back Kenneth Walker III, who leads the nation in rushing with 913 yards and 9 TDs. Peyton Thorne has provided stability at the quarterback position, passing for 1,575 yards with 14 TDs to 2 interceptions.

Although Michigan State has beaten Indiana in 10 of the past 12 meetings, the Spartans will be looking to avenge a 24-0 home loss last season when the surprising Hoosiers were the No. 10 team in the country.

“They’re all a big game, especially a rivalry game for a trophy,” Tucker said. “We’re playing for the (Old) Brass Spittoon.”

Indiana (2-3, 0-2 Big Ten) is looking to build some momentum after a disappointing start to conference play. The Hoosiers have yet to score a touchdown in two Big Ten games, and likely will be without starting quarterback Michael Penix Jr., who suffered a separated AC joint in his throwing shoulder during Indiana’s 24-0 loss at Penn State on Oct. 2.

If Penix can’t go, Indiana will turn to backup quarterback Jack Tuttle, who went 1-1 as a starter last season and has passed for 564 yards and 3 TDs in three seasons at Indiana.

“He’s started for us against one Big Ten team on the road, which was huge last year and has played many minutes beyond that,” Indiana coach Tom Allen said.

Indiana’s three losses so far this season have already eclipsed its loss total from last year’s 6-2 breakout campaign. But the Hoosiers are hoping a bye week will offer a fresh start and fresh perspective that will carry through the rest of the season.

“That’s the way we have to look at it,” Allen said. “That’s the way we’re going to look at it and be able to approach it in a way that we can’t change the past, we can learn from the past.

“We don’t like where we are. But we’ll tackle where we are. That to me is the focus. And that to me is the mindset we have.”

–Field Level Media