Pat Fitzgerald got Paul Bunyan on his first try. Michigan State beat Michigan 15-6 on Saturday night, bringing the trophy back to East Lansing for the first time since 2021 and giving Fitzgerald his first Big Ten win as the Spartans head coach. After entering the game 0-5 in conference play, he has his defense to thank. It held the Wolverines to six points, the first time the Spartans have held a team under 10 since Eastern Michigan.
Michigan State Beats Michigan Behind Joe Rossi’s Defense
The Spartans’ defense has struggled for a majority of the season. Heading into the game, Michigan State was giving up an average of 25.75 points per game, but defensive coordinator Joe Rossi’s group locked in on Saturday night and held Michigan to a single touchdown, which came with 1:35 left and was followed by a failed two-point try. Michigan quarterback Tommy Carr never got comfortable against the pressure; he completed 14 of 26 passes for 138 yards and was sacked five times.
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The Spartans matched their season interception total on Saturday night. They had two in their first eight games, and Carr threw two more: one to cornerback NiJhay Burt and one to safety Devin Vaught. Michigan State also forced two fumbles and recovered both. Two of those four turnovers turned into field goals.
Liam Boyd And The Kicking Game Come Up Big
The offense did not reach the end zone, so Michigan State put its trust in its kicker. Liam Boyd went five for five on field goals, the second time this season he has made five in a game. Boyd was responsible for all 15 of the Spartans’ points, and his last one was his longest of the night, from 49 yards.
Michigan State punter Rhys Dakin showed why he is one of the best punters in college football. He averaged 48.8 yards on four punts and dropped three of them inside Michigan’s 20. The Spartans’ offense did not give the ball away either, so the Wolverines kept starting drives in poor spots and finished the night with 192 total yards.
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Alessio Milivojevic Returns And Manages The Offense
Leading up to the game, Michigan State quarterback Alessio Milivojevic was listed as questionable on the injury report but was cleared to go at game time. Milivojevic didn’t have an amazing game, but he did what the Spartans needed to win. He completed 21 of 32 passes for 188 yards and got the offense into field goal range, even though it couldn’t finish drives with touchdowns. The biggest thing he did Saturday was what he didn’t do. He threw no interceptions, his fourth straight game without one.
What Fitzgerald Does With This Win
Fitzgerald, his team, and the Spartan fanbase will celebrate this win, and then the question becomes how he answers it. Michigan State is unlikely to make a bowl game; at 3-6 it would have to win out, including a game against Oregon, which sits No. 23 in the latest College Football Playoff rankings. The Spartans can still give Fitzgerald’s first season a strong finish, with winnable games against Washington and Rutgers. Ending the season winning three of their last four games will give the team and the fanbase some trust in Fitzgerald’s system.
The Spartans will travel back to East Lansing this time with Paul Bunyan, as they prepare to host the Washington Huskies.
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: Sports.yahoo.com
