Sophomore rushing duo, veteran receiver fuel Michigan State offense in season opening win

Michigan State opened its season at home with a 23-6 win against Western Michigan. The Spartans had a dominant first half, leading the Broncos 21-0. Their momentum slowed down in the second half, scoring only two points from a safety, however, one theme that was clear was that playmakers are emerging for this MSU offense.

MSU rode the legs of two sophomore running backs, Makhi Frazier and Brandon Tullis, while also working the ball into the hands of their reliable senior wide receiver Omari Kelly. 

The offense wasn’t flawless, with quarterback Aidan Chiles losing a fumble and backup quarterback Alessio Milivojevic throwing a pick-six late in the game, however, the victory reflected growth in offensive areas for MSU, notably the run game.

Behind a refined offensive line, Frazier and Tullis combined for 155 yards and two touchdowns, while Kelly gave Chiles a steady option down the field, tallying 75 yards through the air. 

“The o-line made it easy for us to just trust our reads and go out and have fun and play with no fear,” Tullis said. “I feel like we’re comfortable with anybody (on the offensive line) who’s in there because they know their job and they do it well, so we just run.”

On the green and white’s opening drive, no time was wasted for Tullis. After Frazier rushed for 28 yards, setting MSU up on the Western Michigan 15-yard line, Tullis was able to complete the drive with 6 points on a 12-yard carry. This touchdown marked the first Spartan touchdown of the season and Tullis’s first career touchdown . 

The two running backs have played together since their younger football days, making these moments on the field that much sweeter. 

“It’s cool to see each other be able to go out there and have success,” Frazier said. “Being able to help each other on the things that we could fix, and being able to tell each other what we’re doing good and what we’re not.” 

Tullis provided the spark and Frazier continued it. At halftime, Frazier had totaled 75 rushing yards, capping the half with a nine-yard rushing touchdown, leading MSU into the second half with a 21-point lead. 

Frazier’s touchdown was set up by a 26-yard breakout run from Aidan Chiles, which tied his longest rush as a Spartan. Frazier punched it in with a 9-yard run down the middle. Frazier finished above the 100-yard mark with 14 carries for 103 yards, averaging 7.4 yards per carry. 

“I really say that the o-line really opened up holes and really created everything,” Frazier said. “So it’s easy to move out there and just do my job and stay consistent.”