CATS MORE LIKE IT
Thorson throws for 373 yards as NU finally seals the deal
EAST LANSING, Mich. — On a day when Northwestern had little choice but to pass early and often, quarterback Clayton Thorson was up to the task.
Thorson threw for 373 yards and three touchdowns, and the Wildcats recovered from another second-half slip to defeat No. 20 Michigan State 29-19 on Saturday.
The Spartans (3-2, 1-1 Big Ten) entered the game with the top-ranked run defense in the country and held NU (2-3, 2-1) to eight yards on the ground, but it didn’t matter. The Wildcats moved the ball consistently well through the air, and Michigan State’s offense was mostly inept, except for a brief stretch in the third quarter.
‘‘I think this was one of my best games in responding when bad things happen,’’ Thorson said. ‘‘We don’t win a lot when I throw two picks, so really credit to our guys for staying in it.’’
Thorson threw a 21-yard touchdown pass to Cameron Green with 15 seconds left in the third quarter, and the ensuing two-point conversion gave NU a 22-19 lead.
The Wildcats missed a field goal with 6:41 left, but the Spartans went 15 yards backward on their next possession and had to punt. Michigan State held again defensively and had second-and-one from its 11 on the next possession. After two near-sacks, running back Connor Heyward was stopped on fourth down. Thorson then scored on a two-yard run to make it a 10-point game with 2:51 left.
‘‘We’ll find the answers; I feel pretty confident in that,’’ Spartans coach Mark Dantonio said. ‘‘We’ll right the ship.’’
The Spartans took advantage of an interception in the first quarter to open a 3-0 lead. But Thorson connected with Kyric McGowan on a 77-yard touchdown pass late in the first quarter and found JJ Jefferson for a 34-yard touchdown pass in the second, and NU led 14-6 at halftime.
But the Wildcats, who blew a 21-3 lead in a loss to Akron and a 17-0 lead in a loss last week to Michigan, also gave away the lead against Michigan State in a quick sequence in the third quarter.
Felton Davis scored on a 48-yard reverse to pull the Spartans to 14-12, then — after Thorson threw an interception — caught a three-yard touchdown pass from Brian Lewerke to give Michigan State a 19-14 lead.
NU recovered, however, and won on a day when it looked like the better team.
‘‘We lost some momentum there in the third quarter, and we were able to seize it back,’’ Wildcats coach Pat Fitzgerald said. ‘‘We’ve been really close the last three weeks, and to come in here against an outstanding football team and get the win, I’m incredibly proud of our guys.’’
Three in a row
It was NU’s third consecutive victory against the Spartans. In those three games, Thorson has completed 70 percent of his passes for 1,010 yards and eight touchdowns with three interceptions.
Grabbing on
Wildcats cornerback Roderick Campbell was called for pass interference in the third quarter when he appeared to grab Davis’ long hair to prevent him from getting open. Davis said that happens from time to time.
‘‘More times in practice than during the game,’’ he said.
Record-setter
Michigan State’s Matt Coghlin kicked two field goals, and the second was his schoolrecord 16th successful attempt in a row.