Michigan State fell to Washington, 21-14, Saturday at Spartan Stadium. The Huskies drove for the go-ahead touchdown with 2:24 remaining, and a fumble near midfield ended MSU’s last chance to answer.
MSU drops to 3-7 overall and 1-6 in the Big Ten a week after beating Michigan for its first conference win. The loss ends MSU’s hopes of reaching six wins and guaranteed bowl eligibility in coach Pat Fitzgerald’s first season. Washington improves to 6-4 and 3-4 under coach Jedd Fisch.
Cam Fancher replaced Alessio Milivojevic in the second quarter after an apparent injury Milivojevic suffered from a tough hit and completed 14 of 22 passes for 134 yards, with one touchdown and one interception. Milivojevic was 7 of 12 for 108 yards before he left the game. Kayd Coffman also briefly was called on after Fancher was forced to leave late in the second half after appearing to injure his knee. Fancher quickly returned, however, and Coffman went 0 for 1 passing while under center.
Brandon Tullis ran 21 times for 82 yards. Fredrick Moore (four catches, 66 yards) and Bryson Williams (four catches, 63 yards, one touchdown) led MSU’s receivers. Tight end Carson Gulker caught three passes for 33 yards and scored on a direct-snap run.
Safety Nikai Martinez led MSU with five tackles, and Kenny Soares Jr. had the team’s only sack. The defense held Washington to 44 rushing yards on 22 carries.
Washington quarterback Demond Williams Jr. completed 22 of 33 passes for 288 yards and two touchdowns without an interception. Chris Lawson caught five passes for 124 yards and both scores, and tight end Decker DeGraaf added three catches for 68 yards. Jayden Limar ran for 29 yards on 10 carries, including the go-ahead touchdown. On defense, safety Alex McLaughlin had 10 tackles, linebacker Jacob Manu had eight tackles and an interception, and linebacker Xe’ree Alexander had seven tackles and forced the fumble that sealed the game.
MSU outgained Washington 342-332 but went 5 of 14 on third down, including 0 for 5 in the fourth quarter. It was also penalized eight times for 80 yards. Both teams missed field goals: Washington’s Tyler Robles from 40 yards and MSU’s Liam Boyd from 50.
First Half
MSU took the opening kickoff and went 75 yards in seven plays. Milivojevic hit Bryson Williams for 30 yards on third-and-6 and found Gulker for 26 more. A Washington unsportsmanlike conduct penalty then set up first-and-goal at the 4. Gulker took a direct snap in from 1 yard out with 11:38 left in the first quarter for a 7-0 lead.
Washington answered with a drive to the MSU 30, but Robles’ 40-yard attempt went wide left. After an MSU punt, a roughing-the-passer penalty on Soares extended Washington’s next drive. On third-and-11, Williams Jr. found Lawson for a 58-yard touchdown with 28 seconds left in the quarter to tie it 7-7.
MSU punted again early in the second quarter. Washington then went 87 yards in seven plays despite back-to-back false starts. Williams Jr. connected with Rashid Williams for 26 yards and with DeGraaf for 33, then hit Lawson for a 17-yard score at 7:52 to put the Huskies ahead 14-7.
MSU responded with a 13-play, 69-yard drive. Milivojevic left the game midway through it with an injury that saw him later return to the sideline with his arm in a sling, and Fancher took over. Facing third-and-20 after a holding penalty, Fancher hit Moore for 29 yards to the Washington 6. On fourth-and-2 from the 2, Fancher found Bryson Williams for the tying touchdown with 1:55 left in the half, and the call stood after review.
Neither team scored again before halftime. MSU outsnapped Washington 38-27 in the first half and held the ball for 17:27, compared with 12:33 for the Huskies. Washington was more efficient when it had the ball, though, averaging 7.8 yards per play to MSU’s 5.1 and outgaining MSU 211-194. Williams Jr. completed 12 of 18 passes for 178 yards. MSU ran 22 times for 55 yards (2.5 per carry) and threw for 139. The Spartans also converted 4 of 7 third downs, and went 1 for 1 on fourth down.
Second Half
The third quarter was scoreless. MSU’s best chance came on a drive that reached the Washington 17, helped by Fancher completions of 10 and 20 yards to Moore and 24 yards to Bryson Williams. On second-and-10, Fancher was pressured and Manu intercepted him at the 23 with 2:15 left in the quarter. Fancher also briefly left the game with an apparent injury from the tackle on the play, but was able to return quickly.
Early in the fourth quarter, Washington’s Dezmen Roebuck muffed a punt, and Adam Shaw recovered for MSU at the Washington 33. MSU gained 1 yard in three plays, and Boyd’s 50-yard try went wide right with 10:26 remaining.
After a trade of punts, Washington took over at its own 22 with 7:12 left. Williams Jr. hit Lawson for 18 yards on third-and-9, found DeGraaf for 32 more, and then connected with Lawson for 21 yards on third-and-5 to the 1. Limar scored on the next play.
An illegal block in the back on the ensuing kickoff started MSU’s final drive at its own 10. Fancher converted a fourth-and-5 with a 7-yard pass to Moore and a fourth-and-4 with a 9-yard throw to Chrishon McCray, moving the ball into Washington territory. From the Washington 46, Gulker caught a short pass but had the ball knocked loose by Alexander. Derek Colman-Brusa recovered at the 44 with 35 seconds left, and Washington knelt to run out the clock.
MSU returns to Spartan Stadium to host Oregon on Friday, Nov. 20, at 8 p.m. on Fox.
