Michigan State Fades Late in Lincoln and Falls to Nebraska, 38-27

If the Michigan State Spartans hoped to get a win on the road at Nebraska, they needed to play a smart, sharp, and efficient brand of football. Instead, the Spartans committed far too many errors, especially on special teams, as the Nebraska Cornhuskers pulled away late to earn the 38-27 victory.

The Spartans running backs managed just 62 yards on 23 carries (2.7 yard per attempt). Michigan State quarterback Aidan Chiles was sacked four times and was under constant pressure from the Cornhusker defense.

Chiles appeared out of sorts for much of the game. He passed for just 85 yards and completed just nine passes on 23 attempts. Chiles threw two interceptions and was increasingly inaccurate as the game progressed.

The Michigan State defense showed the ability to stop the high-powered Nebraska offense at times. But they also committed key errors when the game was on the line.

In geneal, tt was a game of huge momentum swings, wild plays, and heavy wind that brought an extra dash of chaos.

The overall vibe of the game was summed up by FS1 play-by-play announcer Tim Brando who said after a big play was negated due to a penalty, “this will probably be brought back, but it sure was entertaining.”

At times Spartan coach Jonathan Smith channeled his inner Dan Campbell. Michigan State was four-of-five on fourth down conversions. The bold play calling allowed the Spartans to bounce back from an early 14-point deficit to take a brief 21-14 lead.

But turnovers, a blocked punt, missed tackles, and a potentially banged up quarterback were too much to overcome.

A Wild First Half

The Spartans were behind the eight-ball in Lincoln right off the bat. After receiving the ball first, Michigan State went three-and-out due after a whiffed block by running back Makhi Frazier led to a sack.

A punt from Ryan Eckley into the wind gave Nebraska the ball near mid-field. The Cornhuskers were able to drive down the field in a nine-play drive covering 48 yards that ended on a misdirection touchdown run from the two-yard line by running back Emmett Johnson.

Things went from bad to worse on the Spartans’ second possession. After going three-and-out again, the Spartans failed to block Cornhusker Jamir Conn on the ensuing punt. Coon practically tackled Eckley before he could get the punt off. Neb Nelson recovered the blocked punt and ran the ball into the end zone to give the home-town Huskers the early 14-0 lead.

But the Spartans showed signs of life on their next drive.

Chiles drove the Spartans into the Nebraska red zone but was temporarily knocked out of the game on a sack. Backup quarterback Alessio Milivojevic entered the game and was able to finish the drive utilizing a two-yard touchdown pass to tight end Jack Velling.

In total, the touchdown drive spanned 75 yards and consumed 9:45 of game clock.

The remainder of the first half was part defensive struggle and part comedy of errors.

After falling to get any pressure on Nebraska quarterback Dylan Raiola on the first possession, the Spartan defenders started living in the Cornhusker backfield. Michigan State finished the game with five sacks.

The final four possessions of the half for Nebraska netted minus four yards. When the Spartans didn’t sack Raiola, the Cornhuskers were committing penalties and failing to snap the ball cleanly.

But despite these errors, the Spartans failed to take advantage. The final four drives of the half for Michigan State netted only one yard. Chiles seemed out of sorts after being briefly knocked out of the game earlier. He overthrew multiple receivers, two of which resulted in interceptions near midfield.

Michigan State even gave up a 57-yard punt return to give Nebraska to ball at the at the 26-yard line. But the Spartan defense rose up and held the Cornhuskers scoreless for the remainder of the first half and went into halftime trailing just 14-7.

Nebraska received the ball to start the second half and quickly advanced the ball to near midfield. The drive stalled and the Cornhuskers attempted a fake punt on fourth down. Spartan linebacker Darius Snow was not fooled by the attempted subterfuge and was able to make the tackle a yard short of the marker. The Spartans took over the ball at the Nebraska 48-yard line.

Chiles then put the offense on his back, or rather, his feet. Chiles picked up a key third down and converted a pair of fourth downs with his feet. The Spartan tied the score on the second fourth down scramble from the 16-yard line.

The momentum would then continue to build in the Spartans’ favor. On the very next play, Raiola threw a pass directly to Michigan State linebacker Jordan Hall. The Spartan offense was on the move once again.

Michigan State was able to drive 38 yards into the endzone once again to take the lead, 21-14. This time, it was Frazier picking up a key fourth down. But it was a quarterback sneak by Chiles from the three-yard line that found the endzone.

The Second Half Fade

But the Cornhuskers would not go down easily, and the momentum soon swung back to Nebraska. The Michigan State defense forced a third-and-ten on the next possession, but Raiola was able to find a gap in the secondary for a 45-yard completion.

With the Spartan defense on their heels, the Huskers were able to punch the ball into the endzone via a 23-yard run from Emmett to tie the score at 21.

A special teams’ disaster then struck again as the Spartans muffed a fair catch on the ensuing kickoff to give the Huskers the ball back at the Michigan State 28-yard line.

Nebraska was then able to drive the ball inside the 10-yard line. The Michigan State defense was able to keep the Cornhuskers out of the endzone, but a short field goal allowed the home team to regain the lead, 24-21.

Chiles and the Spartans struggled to move the ball in the fourth quarter with the wind in their faces. Michigan State failed to pick up a first down on the next three possessions.

After the second Spartan punt, Nebraska struck again quickly. A missed tackle near the line of scrimmage turned into a 59-yard scamper for a touchdown by Nyziah Hunter off a tunnel screen.

Now down 10 points with under six minutes to play Michigan State, the Spartans were forced to go for it on fourth once again on their own 28-yard line. For the first time all afternoon, the Green and White finally failed to convert.

Two plays later, the Cornhuskers found the endzone again to go up 38-21 with 4:27 to play.

A minor bright spot in the final minutes for the Spartans was that Milivojevic was able to lead the offense on a final touchdown drive covering 75 yards in seven plays to cut the final deficit down to just 11 points.

On the day, Milivojevic went 6-for-7 and 71 yards in by far his best outing as a Spartan.

Michigan State returns home to face the UCLA Bruins next weekend. It will be homecoming for the Spartans, but the Bruins will be coming off a shocking upset of No. 7 Penn State.

The game will kick off at noon and will be televised on Big Ten Network.