#11 Wisconsin (at) #24 Michigan State: The Live Blog

MSU wins the Battle of Field position early.  The Spartans pinned Wisconsin back at their own 13 on the opening kick-off, got a 3-and-out from the defense and wound up with the ball near midfield (their own 48) and took advantage: A field goal—36 yards by Dan Conroy—for a 3-0 lead.  They might have gotten more than just 3, but an offensive pass interference penalty in the end zone against Mark Dell (a good call, an easy call for the official to make) on first down from the Wisconsin 25 pushed MSU back to the 40.  That was the drive killer. 

It turns out—I did not know this—that this is one of only 3 games in the nation today to pit 4-0 teams against one another (Stanford at Oregon and Florida at Alabama).

MSU QB Kirk Cousins just threw an awful, needless interception after State had driven from their own 15 all the way to the Badger 23.  It came on 3rd down, and it cost MSU points as they were in FG range.  Remember the end zone pick he threw in the end zone against ND? 

Wisconsin takes over at their own 26 and we are mid-way through the first quarter.  State has been the better team.  Except for John Clay, that is.  The Big Ten Offensive Player of the year has busted a couple of long-ish runs (12 and 18 yards).  The odd thing is, he hasn’t been in the backfield for many plays.  Three or four at most.

Wisconsin still driving, they have moved to the MSU 42 as the 1st quarter ends with Badgers looking at 3rd and 4. 

Small crowd here and that’s surprising.  There are PLENTY of empty seats in the East Upper Stands across the way.

It takes 2 plays and 31 seconds after the start of the 2nd quarter for Bucky Badger to score and take a 7-3 lead.  QB Scott Tolzien hits a 26-yard pass to Jacob Pederson on the first play of the quarter and James White runs it on from 16 yards out on the next play to put the Badgers ahead.  Points off a turnover for Wisconsin.

States got the ball back and it’s 3rd-and-5.  MSU—having rushed for 200+ yards in each game so fart this season—is is trying to run on the Badgers:  good luck with that.  Wisconsin has held 12 of their last 14 opponents to less than 100 yards on the ground.

Couzins hits Keith Nichol for a 9-yard game which would have been a first down, but Nichol fumbles and Wisconsin gets the ball at the MSU 33.  This results in a 49-yard field goal by Phillip Welch.  Points off a turnover for Wisconsin, again.  They lead 10-3. 

Keshwan Martin tries to get MSU back into all by himself with a reversing-his-field 25 yard kickoff return and a 30-yard catch to the Badger 25.  The drive, such as it is, stalls there and Conroy kicks another field goal, 36 yards again, and it’s Wisconsin 10, MSU 6.

Now Martin DOES put MSU back into it single-handedly.  He returns a punt 74 yards right up the middle, and just like that, with 8:11 left in the 2nd, MSU leads Wisconsin 13-10.  And how about that!  It’s first punt return for a TD since 2002 for MSU and, obviously then, the first of Martin’s MSU career as his MSU career most assuredly does not date back 8 years.  

Clay is in the Badger backfield on a more regular basis now but the Spartan defense, no slouches themselves against the run (3rd in the Big 10 at only just 85.2 rushing yards against per game), have  held him to  43 yards on 10 carries.

MSU turns it over again.  A tipped Couzins pass is picked by Devon Smith and Wisconsin, with 2 scores off turnovers so far, has a third take-away at the MSU 48.   Wisconsin fumbles themselves and loses 22, but its under review as a Spartan, Jerel Worthy, had the ball first before himself fumbling.  The question: did the ground cause Worthy to fumble?   The review:  No.  Wisconsin ball at the Wisconsin 25. 

They do nothing with it, though.  (Finally, Wisconsin: no points off an MSU turn—the first time today that’s happened) and MSU has the ball back with the lead and 2:40 left before the half. 

State goes for it on 4th and 1 from the Badger 48 and pick up 23 on a clever pitch and run by Le’Veon Bell around left end.  The Spartans, looking for a big upset over #11 Wisconsin, or in business at the Wisconsin 25.   3 plays later its Couzins-to-Mark Dell and somewhere down the hall here in the press box George Blaha’s shouting, “Touchdown, MSU!”  The point makes it 20-10 with all of :23 left in the half.  MSU drove 69 yards in 9 plays 2:77 to double up Wisconsin on the scoreboard.  The play before the TD was the turning point.  Couzins almost threw an interception on an ill-advised lob into the right flat but the Badger DB ( I didn’t catch his name, sorry) actually leapt too soon and missed it.  It would have been, in all likelihood, a TD the other way. 

And it’s halftime.  MSU 20, Wisconsin 10.  A surprise to me.  Back with the second half shortly!

I checked in the Men’s room at the half (you get your information where you can) and I like my sourcing on this as it was a fellow in Wisconsin togs who looked like he knew what he was talking about who told me the Badger who almost, who should have, intercepted the Couzins pass right before the half was # 2, Jay Valai.  He comes up with that pick and I’ll tell you what, he goes about 90 yards the other way for sure it’s “touchdown Wisconsin” that Blaha is shouting and this is a 17-13 ballgame in favor of the Badgers, not 20-10 MSU. 

MSU is running the ball more effectively than I thought they would against Wisconsin.  Led by Bell’s 55, the Spartans have 79 rushing yards.  Remember, Wisconsin has held 12 of their last 14 opponents to less than 100 rush yards.

Second half…MSU to receive. 

They start at their own 18 after a holding penalty on the return. 

Total yards in the first half: 230 for MSU, 118 for Wisconsin.  Another surprise.

The Spartans get a first down on their drive, but a sack leaves them with 4th-and-27 and it’s time to punt.  Wisconsin has decent field position at the Spartan 46. This is the 3rd time Wisconsin has begun a drive in plus territory.  They have scored on one of them.

It takes ‘em 3 plays and all of :43 to make it 2 of 3 when it comes to scoring drives which started in MSU territory.  James White went right while the whole MSU defense went left and he trots in from 34 yards.    3 plays, 47 yards to make it 20-17, MSU.  White gained all 47 yards on 2 carries (The other play was an incomplete pass.)

Couzins to Mark Dell nets 26 yards on the first play after the Wisconsin score and MSU has it at the Badger 42—just like that.  

Bell gives MSU a first-and-goal with a 13-yard gain.  He’s got 69 rush yards on 11 carries here midway through the 3rd.  They give it to Bell again and on 3rd-and-goal from the 3 and he gets only 2.  4th-and-goal and MSU, leading 20-17, calls timeout.

I wonder what Spartan coach Mark Dantonio would do.  Right now it’s a moot point.  The Spartan Coach—who was to have been coaching from the Press Box today—is instead in the hospital and he has been since Thursday due to a blood clot in his leg.  Nobody (seriously, no body) here knew of it until we got to Spartan Stadium today and even then it came in the form of rumors which swept the press box. I found out on the elevator, myself.  Those Spartans are good at keeping secrets, apparently. 

They give it to Bell and they don’t make it.  Wisconsin starts at their own 1.  Remember this sequence…MSU disdains the field goal in a 3-point game with just over 5 to play in the third.

The Spartans get a 3-and-out.  The Badgers kick from their own end zone and State starts from their own 49.  Total yards now: MSU 297, Wisconsin 172.  Total score now: MSU 20, Wisconsin 17. 

Couzins hits Charlie Gant for 28 on first down on a play that recalled the fake field goal against Notre Dame.  Gant broke off his block and got wide open downfield, just as he did against the Irish.  State is inside the Badger 25. Baker runs for 13 and it’s first and goal against for State.  Another pass to a tight end—Brian Linthicum this time-puts the ball at the one, but Bell is stopped again short of the goal line.  On third down, Couzins goes back to the air, finds Gant up the middle in the end zone and the point restores the Spartans 10-point lead, 27-17.  The drive is 6 plays for 51 yards in 3:06.  Two seconds are all that are left in the 3rd quarter. 

It looked like it might turn into Day 1 at the Ryder Cup here at halftime as it began to rain, but that’s gone away and it is overcast and cool.  And a pretty good game is going on down there.

Tolzien throws incomplete to start the 4th.  He’s now  5/13 for only 55 yards.  MSU’s Couzins is 17/24 for 221. 

Wisconsin drives inside the MSU 30.  It’s apparent they haven’t exactly given up on this one.

This is the 3rd MSU home game I’ve been to this season, and the third different jersey worn by MSU.  These are my favorites: the classic Green and White—just like they wore against ND in ‘66.  At least judging by the pictures I’ve seem from that game they are.  I was not quite old enough to go to that one in person.  Although I am old enough, in general terms.

Tolzien to Jacob Pederson from 12 yards puts the Badgers back in the end zone and the pall is palpable here in the Spartan Stadium press box.  It’s now 27-24, MSU after Wisconsin answers the Spartan scoring drive by going 70 yards in 11 plays in a scant 4:07.  Still A LOT of time left; 10:53…

A clutch 3rd and 9 pass to Mark Dell gets a dozen and MSU keeps the ball and keeps the clock running.  Still 9:18 to go and it feels up here like the clock has stopped running altogether.  It hasn’t—it just feels as if it has.  And now it’s third and long again.  The Spartans need the full ten this time if they are to keep the ball.  A little screen to Larry Caper gets it done.  A little gain of 35.  Biggest play of the game?  It may have been, we will see.  Baker picks up 18 down to the Badgers 12, but Dell—who made that big catch a moment ago—picks up a foolish personal foul 30 yards away from the play (after the gain, at least) and they put the ball back on the 27.  Speaking of big plays, this one, the Dell penalty,  might have been a turning point.  Caper picks him up though converting a 3rd down with an 11-yard run up the gut and its first-and-goals again for MSU with the ball right there on the 10.  And all of a sudden, we are under 5 minutes to play.  A Spartan TD just about ought to do it…

It’s 3rd-and-goal from the 7 now.  They give to Caper and he’s stopped a foot or so short of the goal.  Time out, MSU.  4th and goal from the 1.  2:48 to go, State up 3.  What would you do?

MSU goes for it.  MSU throws for it. 

Couzins hits BJ Cunningham (single-covered, he made a sweet outside-in move in the end zone) for a 1-yard TD pass and that should do it.  This has to be the gutsiest (is that a word?) team in MSU history.  The fake against Notre Dame two weeks ago and now this you-know-what-to-the-wall go-for-it play with 2:43 left in the game.  And if State holds on—they deserve to win.  MSU, with the game on the line, just drove 84 yards on a 15-play clock-killing drive, (it burned 7:57, almost 8 minutes), to turn their 3-point lead into a 10-point lead. 

Wisconsin has moved to the MSU 41 but there’s only 1:17 left and the Badgers are down to one timeout.  The crowd loves that—and they love the PA announcement that Michigan is tied in their game at Indiana.  Wisconsin comes up short on 4th down and that, as Vin Scully says, is that.  MSU can take a knee or two with 1:04 to go and Wisconsin down to a single TO.  How about this? MSU, not Wisconsin, is the team which will remain undefeated.  Wisconsin uses their final timeout and the Spartans are in Victory Formation.  They stream onto the field.  Bring on the Wolverines. It is 6:47 pm EDT and the Spartans have defeated Wisconsin 34-24.

They did what I did not think they could do.  They ran on the Badger defense—not the 200 they’d picked up in every game so far this year—but 176 and that was enough.  They outgained the Badgers 444-292.  And they drove the ball in the clutch to win.  This might be a pretty good football team.  Way better, it appears, than the team which began the season unranked in the national polls.  We will know more a week from today after that little game the Spartans have in Ann Arbor.