Michigan State couldn’t finish off a furious fourth-quarter comeback, falling 38-37 to Illinois in overtime after a gutsy two-point conversion try ended in an incomplete pass. That single play extended their losing streak to four games, a tough pill to swallow for a team now sitting at 2-4 overall and winless in the Big Ten at 0-3.
Early Holes and Boo Birds
Spartan Stadium was not happy early on. The boo birds came out hard as Michigan State found itself in a 17-point hole against Illinois. It was so bad that the biggest roar of the day, before the comeback started anyway, was for hall of fame basketball coach Tom Izzo showing up on the videoboard. You just hate to see your home crowd needing a basketball coach to rally them in a football game. The offense couldn’t even move the chains for a first down until 8:44 into the second quarter. Katin Houser, a former MSU starter, led an Illinois offense that picked apart the Spartan defense in that first half, throwing 20-for-29 for 194 yards and a touchdown before leaving injured in the third quarter after an interception by MSU safety Devin Vaught.
The Furious Fight Back, Only To Fall Short
After Vaught’s pick, Jaziun Patterson ran the remaining 11 yards to the end zone, sparking a rally from 13 points down. Quarterback Alessio Milivojevic got his first touchdown in three games and made some big throws. Patterson was an absolute workhorse, tying the game with a two-yard rushing touchdown with just 1:17 left on the clock. He also set up the game-deciding two-point conversion with more overtime heroics. In overtime, after Illinois quarterback Michael Clayton II hit Hudson Clement for a 25-yard touchdown, Patterson again found paydirt from one yard out. The Spartans went for the win, a trick play pitch to Milivojevic who lofted a pass to Jayden Savoury, but it fell incomplete. That’s a brutal way to go down. The loss means MSU has now dropped 17 of its past 20 Big Ten games, with those offensive shortcomings and defensive injuries really showing.
What’s Next for the Spartans?
The Spartans are set to face Pat Fitzgerald’s alma mater and former team, Northwestern, next Saturday, October 17th, at Spartan Stadium. Northwestern is coming in hot with a 4-1 start, led by quarterback Aidan Chiles, who was MSU’s starter for the past two seasons. This isn’t just another game for Michigan State; it’s a chance to avoid further slipping into a deeper Big Ten hole against a team led by a familiar face. They’ve got to find a way to finish a game.
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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