Michigan State shook off a clunky first half, hammering Eastern Michigan 35-7 on Saturday, September 12, 2026, thanks to a monster second-half surge that completely flipped the script. Head Coach Pat Fitzgerald wanted his team to stomp out any sense of hope for an upset, and while it took a half for the Spartans to warm up, they absolutely delivered in the end, rolling to a comfortable win.
Edwards and Milivojevic Unleash the Ground Game
The Spartans were only up a touchdown coming out of halftime, but that quickly changed. Michigan State exploded for scoring drives on three of its next four possessions, and the run game was the absolute engine. Running back Cam Edwards was an absolute beast, rushing for 152 yards on 21 carries, including a 40-yard blast down the left sideline in the second half. Edwards ended up with two touchdowns, while quarterback Alessio Milivojevic also added a pair of scores on the ground. Milivojevic wasn’t just a runner, though, connecting on 12-of-20 passes for 170 yards, including an 18-yard touchdown to receiver Fred Moore in the first half and a massive 38-yard strike to Charles Taplin in the second. The Spartans finished the game with 472 total yards, a whopping 258 of them on the ground. After managing just 60 rushing yards in the first half, the team racked up 198 in the second. This surge also gave them their first back-to-back touchdown drives of the season.
Defense Stepped Up When It Counted
Eastern Michigan’s Noah Kim, returning to Spartan Stadium, tried to keep his Eagles in it. He connected on 16-of-26 passes for 118 yards and rushed for their only touchdown. Kim even came up with some clutch plays to keep drives alive on third down, where EMU went 6-for-13, averaging 7.6 yards to gain. But when Michigan State needed a stop after being outgained and outpossessed in the first half, the defense answered the call big time. Chuck Brantley made a game-changing play, forcing and recovering a fumble by EMU receiver Harold Mack that would have moved the chains. That recovery at MSU’s own 40-yard line set up Milivojevic’s 38-yard touchdown to Taplin just three plays later, putting Michigan State up 28-7. Even with an 11-play drive, Eastern Michigan only gained 23 yards, showing just how stifling the Spartan defense became.
Michigan State now sits at 2-0 on the season, showcasing a serious ability to hit another gear when it absolutely matters. They’ve proven they can grind it out and put teams away in the second half. This kind of grit is something to seriously watch as they continue through their schedule.
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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