The Michigan State Spartans crushed the rival Michigan Wolverines 35-11 on Saturday afternoon in a college football rivalry that has been very one-sided as of late
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Behind 177 yards and three touchdowns on 35 carries by Jeremy Langford and 227 yards a touchdown from Connor Cook, the Michigan State Spartans dominated the rival Michigan Wolverines to earn a 35-11 victory.
Michigan couldn’t get anything going and finished with just 186 yards of total offense while the Michigan State rushed 219 yards alone. Devin Gardner was harassed all day and finished 15-of-30 for 125 yards and two interceptions.
Michigan State got off to a near perfect start. They took the opening kick and drove 75 yards in eight plays, capped by a two-yard touchdown run by Langford. Cook completed passes of 24 and 28 on the drive.
After that drive, the Michigan defense began to tighten up, keeping the Wolverines in the game. The Spartans had one more productive drive late in the opening quarter, setting up a first-and-goal on the eight-yard line but after a fantastic stand by Michigan, Michael Geiger’s 36-yard field goal attempt was no good.
With just four minutes to play, Cook completed a pass to Josiah Price but he fumbled, setting Michigan up at the 31-yard line. Michigan couldn’t gain a yard but did get a 48-yard field goal from Matt Wile to cut the deficit to 7-3. That’s when the Spartans may have put the game away. They answered with a nine-play, 73-yard touchdown drive that Langford finished off with a one-yard run and took a 14-3 lead into the half.
Each team started the half with a punt. Then, disaster struck for Michigan. Gardner was intercepted by R.J. Williamson, who returned it 29 yards for a score to push the lead to 21-3. After another Michigan punt, Michigan State took over on their own 30-yard line. On the next play, Cook found Tony Lippett for a 70-yard touchdown that put Michigan State up 28-3 and erased any doubt about the final outcome of this one. Michigan got to the 10-yard line on their next drive but Gardner gained only four yards on fourth-and-five, giving the ball back to Michigan State.
Michigan finally got into the end zone with 3:40 to go on a one-yard run by De’Veon Smith. Gardner then found Jake Butt for the two-point conversion to make it 28-11.
The Spartans recovered the ensuing onside kick and Langford scored from five yards out to make up the final margin.
Michigan will return home to host the Indiana Hoosiers next Saturday while Michigan will enjoy a bye week before their huge home showdown against the Ohio State Buckeyes on November 8.