Spartans get bowl eligible — barely

NO. 18 MICHIGAN ST. 17, INDIANA 9

EAST LANSING, Mich. — Michigan State came prepared with an appropriate symbol for its sixth victory of the season.

“We had a bowling ball in the locker room,” quarterback Brian Lewerke said. “We’re all going to sign it after — on Monday or whatever.”

Lewerke threw a 10-yard touchdown pass to Felton Davis with 5:59 remaining, and the 18th-ranked Spartans edged Indiana 17-9 on Saturday night to become bowl eligible. Securing a postseason opportunity has been a formality for much of Coach Mark Dantonio’s tenure at Michigan State, but after a 3-9 season in 2016, this win meant something.

“I think win No. 6 is big, this year especially,” Dantonio said. “We get bowl eligibility, and we can now work on our next goal, which is really just finishing this, what I call phase, and getting into November.”

Lewerke struggled for much of the game, but he was able to connect with an open Davis to the left side of the end zone. The extra point by Matt Coghlin put Michigan State (6-1, 4-0) ahead 10-9.

On the next possession, the Spartans forced an Indiana punt — one of 17 the teams combined for. Then Michigan State’s LJ Scott ran 18 yards for a touchdown with 1:49 remaining. Coach Tom Allen said the Hoosiers were letting the Spartans score so they could get the ball back with a chance to tie.

“That’s the only chance we had. That allowed us to be down by eight,” Allen said. “We were just afraid they were going to take a knee and milk it that way. I’ve personally never done that before in a game, but that’s exactly what you should do to get a chance.”

Indiana (3-4, 0-4) had enough time but wasn’t able to cross midfield before turning the ball over on downs.

NO. 5 WISCONSIN 38, MARYLAND 13

MADISON, Wis. — Jonathan Taylor ran for a touchdown and broke the 1,000-yard mark for the season, Alex Hornibrook passed for two scores and Wisconsin (7-0, 4-0) stayed unbeaten with a victory over Maryland.

Taylor carried 22 times for 126 yards, a relatively ho-hum day after two consecutive 200-yard outings for the running back.

Taylor, playing in his seventh college game, tied a major-college football record shared by five other backs for fewest games to reach 1,000 yards.

Hornibrook shook off an interception on his second attempt, finishing 16 of 24 for 225 yards to balance the offense.

Maryland (3-4, 1-3) got off to a bad start when quarterback Max Bortenschlager’s pass over the middle was intercepted by Wisconsin linebacker T.J. Edwards, who returned 54 yards for a touchdown to open the scoring with 12:18 left in the first quarter.

The Terrapins had some success running the ball out of spread formations, with Ty Johnson leading the way with 83 yards on 16 carries. They dented a defense that was allowing a Big Tenbest 78.8 rushing yards a game for 143 yards overall on 35 carries.

An 11-play, 73-yard drive set up in part by eight runs and a penalty ended with Bortenschlager’s 10-yard touchdown pass to Taivon Jacobs to get Maryland to within 28-10 about midway through the third quarter.