Recap: Best offensive drive comes too late as Spartans lose
Wisconsin gives Michigan State the ball back and Rocky Lombardi takes a shot on first down but it results in a Cody White offensive pass interference. Two incompletions set up a third-and-25 before Cody White catches a 19-yard pass. On fourth-and-6, Lombardi hits Darrell Stewart Jr. for another first down. They connected again for a first down to get deep into Wisconsin territory.
With 35 seconds left, Lombardi misses Matt Dotson near the end zone before throwing a pick to end the game. Michigan State is shut out 38-0.
The Badgers get the ball back without Jack Coan and Jonathan Taylor in the game. The Badgers rush for a yard on first down and then six more on the legs of Bradrick Shaw on second down to set up third-and-3. They then stop Shaw on third down to force another rare Wisconsin punt.
Wisconsin takes shots, comes up with nothing
Wisconsin, without Jonathan Taylor, gashed Michigan State yet again and even took a shot to the end zone on third-and-5 in Spartan territory, but it was broken up by Josiah Scott. The Badgers would punt, but it ultimately meant nothing to the final result.
Offense goes nowhere
Rocky Lombardi and the Spartan offense are the victims of another three-and-out forced by the Wisconsin defense. At this point, it feels as if Michigan State should just take a knee to run out the clock.
Rocky Lombardi and the Spartan offense are the victims of another three-and-out forced by the Wisconsin defense. At this point, it feels as if Michigan State should just take a knee to run out the clock.
Everyone expected Jonathan Taylor to trot out there, but the Badgers put in the backup and he rushed 66 yards for a touchdown on the first play of the Wisconsin drive. Wisconsin leads 38-0.
Rocky Lombardi enters the game for MSU
Once again, the Spartans start at their own 25. Rocky Lombardi enters the game and quickly engineers a first down. He then nearly throws an interception before fumbling the snap. On third-and-18, Lombardi misses Cody White and Jake Hartbarger gives the ball back to Wisconsin.
Brian Lewerke throws pick-six
Michigan State begins the drive at its own 25 and the first down throw by Brian Lewerke is batted down at the line of scrimmage. He then takes an option play up the middle for five yards, setting up third-and-5 before throwing it right to Wisconsin for a pick-six. The game already felt over, but this does it at 31-0 Wisconsin.
Wisconsin pieces together nail-in-the-coffin drive
The Badgers start the drive inside their own 20-yard line but they drive the field on the legs of Jonathan Taylor yet again. Jack Coan continues to hit open receivers with plenty of time to throw, though. After a first-down dive for Taylor on third-and-1, he then takes the first-down carry but is tackled for a loss. Josh Butler hobbles off the field with an injury, though.
Coan then hits Danny Davis for a first-down pass and the Badgers pick up four yards on a run by the fullback on the last play of the first quarter.
Kenny Willekes delivers a blow to Taylor for a 2-yard loss to start the quarter and then Coan gets the ball down to the 1-yard line with a perfect pass. Taylor runs the ball in on the next play to make it 24-0.
Spartans show life early in second half
On the opening drive of the second half, Michigan State picks up another first down but faced a fourth down and Mark Dantonio dialed up a fake punt. It was taken down the field for 21 yards and a big first down. Momentum seems to be in Michigan State’s favor, but then two sacks and a short completion leads to another Jake Hartbarger punt.
Halftime comes with no further scoring
Wisconsin got the ball back with under a minute left, but a Jacub Panasiuk sack on second-and-long led to the Badgers running out the clock and going into the half with a 17-0 lead.
Offense continues to sputter
The ball comes back to Brian Lewerke and the Michigan State offense right before the half and a first-down completion to Matt Seybert sets up a second-and-short. A short run by Elijah Collins comes up short of a first down and the Spartans face third-and-1. Collins is stopped in the backfield and Wisconsin gets the ball back right before half.
Ball comes back before half
Wisconsin goes three-and-out thanks to a couple of strong defensive plays against the Wisconsin run and a pass that's stopped just short of a first down on third-and-long. Wisconsin gives the ball back to Michigan State with 1:29 left
Jake Hartbarger's leg getting plenty of work
Michigan State takes over at its own 25 after a touchback on Wisconsin's kickoff. Elijah Collins picks up seven yards on first down before Brian Lewerke misses Darrell Stewart Jr. on second. He then feels a rush on third down and throws the ball away to avoid a sack and Michigan State punts yet again.
Wisconsin takes 17-0 lead
Wisconsin got favorable field position after a poor Jake Hartbarger punt and looked to give the ball right back to the Spartans, but an offsides on third-and-2 gave the Badgers a first down. Two short Jonathan Taylor runs led to a third-and-6 and Antjuan Simmons swatted down a pass to set up fourth down. Jack Coan then completes a first-down pass on fourth-and-6, making the Badgers 8-for-8 on fourth downs this season.
After a couple of nice stops later on, Michigan State holds the Badgers to a field goal try from 29 yards out, and it's good. It's 17-0 Wisconsin.
First first down not enough for MSU
Michigan State picks up its first first down of the game on a nice grab by CJ Hayes, but it's not enough as Brian Lewerke overthrows Darrell Stewart Jr. down the field and Elijah Collins picks up just two yards on second-and-10. The third-and-8 pass is incomplete and Michigan State punts again.
Defense can't stop Badgers
After scoring on their second possession of the game, Wisconsin marches down the field behind the legs of Jonathan Taylor as the Badgers have no issue picking up first downs with ease. A one-dimensional offense is working wonders against a usually-stout MSU defense. Taylor rushes for three yards on first down in the final play of the first quarter.
The second quarter starts with a Quintez Cephus touchdown catch to make it 14-0 Badgers.
Offensive struggles continue for MSU
The offense can't get anything going. A first-down pass is off the hands of Darrell Stewart Jr. before a second-down throw is complete to the same target for about five yards. On third-and-5, Brian Lewerke's crossing pattern pass to CJ Hayes is far too high and incomplete. Michigan State punts.
Wisconsin takes early lead
Jonathan Taylor picks up steam on the Badgers second drive, running for 18 yards on his first two touches. After chipping away deep into Michigan State territory, Wisconsin went for it on fourth-and-2 and picked up 27 yards on a Jack Coan pass for Jake Ferguson to the Michigan State 1-yard line. Taylor rushes in for a 1-yard score to give Wisconsin an early 7-0 lead.
Spartans quiet on first drive
Elijah Collins takes first handoff and is brushed back two yards with little blocking in front of him. Brian Lewerke rushed on second-and-long but throws into traffic and is nearly picked off, setting up a long third down. Lewerke hits Darrell Stewart Jr. for about eight yards but Michigan State forced to punt.
A boom by Jake Hartbarger sets the Badgers back deep in their own territory.
Spartans force early three-and-out
After a strong return, Wisconsin starts the first drive at its own 42. On the first play, Jack Coan hits Jonathan Taylor out of the backfield for a 9-yard reception. Taylor then rushes for a first down but gets flagged for a holding penalty. A second-down snap is fumbled by Coan and the Badgers face a third-and-19.
The Badgers decide to run on third-and-long and pick up just two yards, leading to a punt.
Michigan State is short-handed today against Wisconsin as redshirt freshman tight end Trenton Gillison did not make the trip because of an undisclosed injury.
The athletic tight end had a career-high three catches last week at Ohio State and has been beginning to emerge for the Spartans' offense.
Others that remain out with injuries include WR Jalen Nailor, CB Shakur Brown, LT Cole Chewins, OL Blake Bueter, OL Kevin Jarvis and OL AJ Arcuri.
Follow along for live updates from Connor Muldowney as the Michigan State Spartans take on the No. 8 Wisconsin Badgers at Camp Randall Stadium (3:30 p.m. BTN/760).
MICHIGAN STATE AT WISCONSIN
Kickoff: 3:30 Saturday, Camp Randall Stadium, Madison, Wis.
TV/radio: BTN/760
Records: Michigan State 4-2, 2-1 Big Ten; No. 8 Wisconsin 5-0, 2-0
Line: Wisconsin by 10½
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