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Final: Michigan State 27, Michigan 23
An unbelievable finish as Michigan punter Blake O’Neill miffed the snap and Michigan State’s Jalen Watts-Jackson picks it up for a 38-yard touchdown as time expires. Michigan State moves to 7-0 on the season while Michigan falls to 5-2. Connor Cook went 18-for-39 for 328 yards and a touchdown and found his favorite target Aaron Burbridge nine times for 132 yards. Jake Rudock threw for 168 yards while going 15-for-25 for Michigan. An inprobable and crazy finish at the Big House that will be remembered for a very long time to come.
4th Quarter- 2:03 left: Michigan State has the ball at the Michigan 44 with a final chance to win this game in regulation.
4th Quarter- 6:48 left: Michigan State gets the ball to the Michigan 40 but can’t get any further and must punt the ball away.
4th Quarter- Michigan 23, Michigan State 21: On the first play from scrimmage, Connor Cook hits Trevon Pendleton for a 74-yard reception. LJ Scott then scores from a yard out with 8:56 left to knock the Michigan lead down. A very quick strike from the Spartans in response to the Wolverines’ field goals. This game is getting really good in the closing minutes.
4th Quarter- Michigan 23, Michigan State 14: Kenny Allen makes his third field goal of the afternoon with a 38-yard kick and it is back to a two-possession game with 9:25 left to play. The Wolverines just keep scoring on each possession as they continue to leave the pressure on the Spartans to respond.
4th Quarter- 14:47 left: Michigan State goes for it again on fourth down and is unsuccessful in Michigan territory. It has happened a lot today for the Spartans.
End of 3rd Quarter- Michigan State is driving as the fourth quarter gets underway and into Michigan territory. Connor Cook is 13-for-23 for 187 yards and a touchdown. Aaron Burbridge has seven catches for 79 yards to lead the Spartans. Jake Rudock is 11-for-16 for 136 yards for the Wolverines. De’Veon Smith has 42 yards on the ground for Michigan to lead the run attack.
3rd Quarter- Michigan 20, Michigan State 14: The Wolverines are able to respond to the Spartans’ touchdown with a 21-yard field goal by Kenny Allen to extend the lead back to six but not what they would have liked when this possession started.
3rd Quarter- Michigan 17, Michigan State 14: The Spartans get back into the game as Connor Cook hits Macgarrett Kings Jr. for a 30-yard touchdown and it is suddenly a three-point game again with 7:07 left in the quarter. Cook is 11-for-21 for 164 yards for the game.
3rd Quarter- Michigan 17, Michigan State 7: Sione Houma scores from one yard out and it is a two-possession lead for the Wolverines at home against the Spartans with 9:17 left in the quarter. Houma has three carries for 30 yards and both Michigan touchdowns. Michigan State has a big challenge ahead of them now after a very good Michigan defense.
3rd Quarter- 12:09 left: The Spartans go for it on 4th down and Tyler O’Connor runs for seven yards and comes up short. Michigan with great field position for their second drive of the half.
Halftime- Michigan 10, Michigan State 7
The Wolverines go into the locker room with the three-point lead on the Spartans. Connor Cook is 8-for-16 for 94 yards for Michigan State. Gerald Holmes has 19 rushing yards to lead the Spartans. Jake Rudock is 6-for-9 for 53 yards for Michigan. The Spartans have 142 yards of offense to the Wolverines’ 95 through the first 30 minutes of action. It shapes up to be a low-scoring, defensive second half.
2nd Quarter- 1:25 left: Michigan is at it again, sitting at the Michigan State 38 with a big 3rd down ahead.
2nd Quarter- Michigan 10, Michigan State 7: The Wolverines take the lead back on a 38-yard field goal by Kenny Allen with 5:34 left in the second quarter. Jake Rudock is now 5-for-7 passing for 50 yards for Michigan.
2nd Quarter- 5:51 left: After a long kickoff return, the Wolverines are driving again with the ball at the Michigan State 20.
2nd Quarter- Michigan 7, Michigan State 7: LJ Scott takes it in from 11 yards out and this game is all tied up with 7:06 to play in the first half. The Spartans moved down the field mostly on the strength of the Connor Cook to Aaron Burbridge connection. Cook has 85 passing yards, 66 of those are to Burbridge.
2nd Quarter- Michigan 7, Michigan State 0: Sione Houma goes right up the middle for a two-yard touchdown run to give the Wolverines the lead with 13:13 left in the first half. Houma’s first run of the game went for 27 yards on the first play of the scoring drive.
End of 1st Quarter: The teams remain scoreless after 15 minutes of play. The Spartans have 92 yards of total offense to the Wolverines’ 45. Michigan ran only seven offensive plays in the quarter after Michigan State’s long drive through the middle of the quarter but is at the Spartans’ 23 to begin the second quarter.
1st Quarter- 2:04 left: Michigan State goes for it on 4th down and can’t convert and their over eight-minute drive ends up netting them no points. Connor Cook has thrown for 76 yards while Aaron Burbridge has four catches for 57 yards already for the Spartans, who may regret not scoring on that possession.
1st Quarter- 4:26 left: The Wolverines commit a key penalty on 3rd-and-18 and also the Spartans to continue their long drive in the waning minutes of the opening quarter.
1st Quarter- 10:17 left: The two teams have to punt on their first possessions. It may not be a defensive game all afternoon long but early on, the defense has come to play for both sides.
Pregame
The game of the season in the State of Michigan is minutes from getting underway in Ann Arbor as Michigan hosts Michigan State. The weather is cold and breezy for this one but that shouldn’t have a huge effect on how this game goes. Connor Cook has thrown 12 touchdowns to go with just two interceptions for the Spartans while Jake Rudock has to improve on his stats for this season with five touchdowns and six interceptions. Michigan has shut out their last three opponents but will have a hard time doing that again in this game.
