Two wins in a row! After a first half that felt a little worrying, Michigan State flipped the script big time and showed everyone why Coach Fitzgerald is now 2-0 as head coach. This 35-7 blowout against the Eagles was a fun one for MSU, especially considering the improvement they showed after their Week 1 win against Toledo.
The Slow Start That Made Us Sweat
The Spartans were missing star LB Jordan Hall, but upcomer Brady Pretzlaff stepped in for him. It was a grind in the first quarter, honestly. A 31-yard punt return by Chrison McCray finally got MSU great field position, and they capitalized quick. Alessio Milivojevic hit Frederick Moore for an 18-yard passing touchdown, putting them up 7-0. Later, after an 18-play drive, Cam Edwards punched in another direct snap touchdown, extending the lead to 14-0. Coach Fitzgerald even went for it on 4th-and-11 from the 35-yard line, opting out of a 52-yard field goal, and Milivojevic delivered a 19-yard pass to Charles Taplin to keep the drive alive. But then Eastern Michigan, led by Noah Kim, got their best drive of the half, ending in a 4-yard TD run from Kim, making it a one-score game at 14-7. MSU tried for a field goal before the half, but a dropped catch kept them out of range.
The Halftime Report: What Even Was That?
Honestly, that first half was kinda disappointing. It didn’t feel like a step up from the Toledo game at all. EMU actually had more total yards and a whopping 107-to-60 edge in rushing yards. The Spartan defense was struggling to tackle, letting the Eagles average 5.6 yards per carry. Milivojevic was only 9-for-17 (53%) for 83 yards, and Edwards added 38 rushing yards on nine carries. The offensive line, which I was hyped about, just wasn’t performing. EMU dominated time of possession by over six-and-a-half minutes. We went into the locker room 14-7, and you had to wonder what was going on.
The Second Half Unleashed the Beast
Whatever Coach Fitzgerald said at halftime, it worked. The second half was a completely different story! Edwards came out firing with a 33-yard run. After a couple of solid plays from Cam Fancher, Edwards got another direct snap, his second touchdown of the day, putting MSU up 21-7 early in the third. This was their third consecutive drive of at least 12 plays, showing that offensive line finally waking up! EMU tried to respond, getting over midfield, but Charles Brantley dropped a HUGE hit stick, forcing a fumble and getting the ball right back for MSU. Milivojevic capitalized immediately, finding Charles Taplin again on a beautiful route for a 38-yard touchdown, extending the lead to 28-7 halfway through the third. After that, EMU just couldn’t get anything going offensively.
Putting the Eagles Away For Good
Jayden Savoury then had a big 46-yard catch, putting Michigan State back inside the ten, but Edwards fumbled, giving MSU their first turnover of the season. No worries, though! Edwards quickly bounced back with a massive 40-yard run on his very next touch. Jaz Patterson finished that drive with a touchdown of his own, pushing the lead to a ridiculous 35-7. With the game firmly in hand, the starters got some well-deserved rest, and we even saw some of the young guys get their first reps on the field. That second-half play is EXACTLY what we wanted to see out of these Spartans!
What a turnaround. This team is showing real grit and improvement. They’ve got the Fighting Irish next week. Can they keep this momentum rolling and make it three wins in a row? We’ll be watching!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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