No. 7 Wolverines lose in Big House
Spartans get strong defensive effort to win for eighth time in last 10 games of rivalry.
Michigan State intercepts three passes and holds on for 14-10 win.
MICHIGAN STATE 14 NO. 7 MICHIGAN 10
ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Brian Lewerke ran for a touchdown and threw for a score in the first half and Michigan State held on to beat No. 7 Michigan 14-10 on Saturday night.
The Wolverines had the ball with a chance to drive for a go-ahead touchdown but a heave from the Spartans’ 37 as time expired hit the turf near the goal line.
“Can’t say enough about our defense,” Michigan State coach Mark Dantonio said. “We did it the hard way, right down to the last second.”
The Spartans (4-1, 2-0 Big Ten) have beaten Michigan eight times in a 10-year stretch for the first time in a series that dates to 1898.
“I am just thrilled for our football team and thrilled for our fans,” Dantonio said.
Michigan (4-1, 1-1) could not overcome many mistakes, including five turnovers and several costly penalties. John O’Korn, replacing injured starter Wilton Speight, threw three interceptions in the second half. Ty Isaac and Sean McKeon fumbled.
“When we got the momentum going, we turned it over,” Wolverines coach Jim Harbaugh said.
The Wolverines opened with a 16-play, 64-yard drive that took nearly seven minutes off the clock, but they had to settle for a field goal and a 3-0 lead. They didn’t lead again against Dantonio, who has figured out how to take control of a rivalry that has historically been tilted in Michigan’s favor.
Lewerke scored a goahead touchdown on a 14yard run late in the first quarter. He threw a 16-yard pass to Madre London to put the Spartans up 14-3 midway through the second quarter.
Michigan scored its first and only touchdown midway through the third quarter on Khalid Hill’s one-yard run to cut it to 14-10.
The Spartans were relying on their defense. They didn’t have a first down in the second half until their final drive of the game, a possession that started with 2:13 and ended with a punt from the Michigan 47 that went through the end zone with 34 seconds left.