Mistakes catch up to MSU in what was a very winnable game
PREGAME
It’s raining in Chestnut Hill, MA but the crowd seems loud and hyped, including those in the Green and White. Unfortunately, rumors that Jaron Glover and Nick Marsh would miss the game due to injury were confirmed. Antonio Gates Jr. is also out. MSU wins the coin toss and defers.
FIRST QUARTER
Jonathan Kim kicks off for a touchback and then the MSU D holds BC to a three and out, including a sack on third down. It’s not a great punt for BC and MSU gets good field position, starting at the BC 49.
MSU moves the ball with Chiles running for a nice first down pickup. Jonathan Smith calls timeout before a 3rd and 10 play and then Chiles hits a nice pass to Jack Velling for the first down. Chiles followed that up by missing a wide open Montorie Foster downfield. Nate Carter was stuffed on 2nd down and it’s 3rd and long again. Chiles to Velling doesn’t connect this time and MSU settles for a Kim field goal.
3-0 MSU
Kim sends the kickoff out of bounds and BC starts at their 35. The Eagles move the ball, aided by a Bhogle late hit out of bounds and some poor MSU tackling. Treshaun Ward has a nice 11 yard to the MSU 16 and the Eagles look to be in business but Cal Halladay forces a fumble on the next play, which is recovered by Wayne Matthews. MSU starts at their own 7, can’t go anywhere, and punts after a three and out.
Boston College takes over on their own 36 and starts moving again. Alex Castellanos evades a sack and picks up 4 yards. Then Castellanos to Lewis Bond goes for a first down at the 50. Ward then goes for 12 to the MSU 38. The first quarter ends with BC facing 3rd and 5 at the MSU 33.
3-0 MSU after 1
SECOND QUARTER
MSU stuffs Boston College on third down but they go for it on 4th and 4, picking up just enough on a Castellanos pass to Ward. The MSU D seems on its heels a bit as Ward breaks more tackles on his way to a first down at the MSU 11. Richards runs it in on the next play but a high snap leads to a missed extra point.
6-3 BC
MSU takes a touchback and starts their next drive with two Chiles overthrows to Foster, who seemed to be wide open on the first down play. Chiles recovers and runs for 11 to convert the third and long. Three runs by Kay’Ron Lynch-Adams lead another first down for MSU. That’s followed by a nice bootleg completion to Velling and then Chiles and Foster finally connecting for a 40 yard bomb to the BC 1. A Chiles sneak on the next play puts MSU back up.
10-6 MSU
MSU forces another three and out behind some nice coverage plays by Charles Brantley and Angelo Grose. BC punts and MSU starts at their 34.
Nate Carter is promptly dropped for a loss of 7 but then Chiles hits Foster again, with Foster making a nice grab on a pass that has to be thrown behind him to get there. Chiles evades a lot of BC pressure and escapes for a great run to the BC 34. Two more plays and it’s third and long again. Chiles is inaccurate on the third down play, leading Velling, who was open, too far and it results in an interception. Big opportunity missed.
The MSU defense comes up big though, forcing a three and out after the third down sack by Bhogle. Boston College punts after the 2 minute timeout and MSU has decent field position again, starting at their own 41.
MSU is moving again behind a 12 yard run by Carter and a Chiles to Aziah Johnson connection to the BC 33. Chiles takes off and scrambles again to get to the red zone. A short Chiles to Foster completion moves it inside the 10 but then the drive stalls and MSU settles for a 26 yard Kim field goal
13-6 MSU
Boston College takes a knee to end the half.
13-6 MSU at halftime
THIRD QUARTER
DISASTER strikes on the kickoff as Lynch-Adams opts for the run back. A perfect hit on the ball by the BC coverage team causes a fumble. BC recovers and starts at the MSU 5.
The MSU D comes up HUGE, stuffing two BC runs and then sacking Castellanos at the 17. After a delay of game penalty, BC kicks a field goal and draws closer.
13-9 MSU
DISASTER again on MSU’s next drive, which begins with a false start and then Chiles throwing an ill-advised pass behind Velling that becomes interception #2.
One play later and BC is in the end zone after 36 a yard run by Ward, featuring several MSU missed tackles. The Eagles retake the lead after 10 points in 15 seconds.
16-13 BC
MSU moves the ball on the next drive with Chiles finding Velling for a first down. A nice slant completion for Foster gets the ball into BC territory at the 35 but the drive wouldn’t go much further. Chiles is baited and almost throws his third pick and then overthrows a wide open Foster AGAIN after a BC coverage bust. MSU settles for another field goal from Kim.
16-16
Boston College starts at the 25 and quickly moves to the MSU 35 behind a 15 yard Castellanos run and a 25 yard pass to Bond. The drive stalls with 3 straight incompletions, with Castellanos being pressured on third down. BC opts to punt and pins MSU at their own 2 yard line.
The Spartans move the ball off their goal line and pick up a crucial first down with a 4 yard pass to Lynch-Adams on third down. They move no further however and Ryan Eckley is forced to punt from his end zone. He delivers a 48 yarder under pressure from BC.
Boston College starts at their 41. A great Castellanos to Jayden Skeete completion converts a third and 12 and then an illegal substitution penalty on MSU puts BC in the red zone. A Castellanos keeper converts a third and one and BC is on the doorstep at the end of the third quarter – one that featured many plays MSU would like to have back.
16-16, end of third quarter
FOURTH QUARTER
Castellanos fumbles on the second play of the fourth quarter on a third and goal from the four. It’s recovered by BC at the one yard line and replay review upholds the call. BC goes for it but MSU stuffs Castellanos on 4th and goal from the one and the Spartans take over at their own two.
A nicely designed pick play leads to a 26 yard Chiles to Johnson completion and a HUGE third down conversion for MSU. But Stanton Ramil is beaten on the next play and Chiles is sacked for a 12 yard loss at the 20. MSU battles back and 2 plays later it’s fourth and 1 at their own 41. Smith calls timeout and MSU decides to go for it. A long developing hand off to Lynch-Adams probably had Spartan Nation ready to collectively scream at their TV’s if the play was stopped but MSU converts and the drive continues. Later, Carter is dropped for a loss of 5 and the Spartans face third and 15. Lynch-Adams converts on a 19 yard run and the drive continues! A few plays later and it’s third and 8 from the 9. Chiles scrambles and improvs while Carter breaks open in the end zone. Chiles lofts the pass but Carter can’t reel it in – the second game in a row where Carter couldn’t hold onto a Chiles pass for a touchdown. MSU settles for another Kim field goal after a 9:24 drive to retake the lead.
19-16 MSU
Boston College starts at their 25 and moves to the 49 in three plays. After the two minute timeout, Castellanos throws a 42 yard back breaker to Bond for the go-ahead touchdown. After making several big plays of their own throughout the game, this is the only big play through the air the Spartans’ defense would give up all night and of course it comes at the most inopportune time,
23-19 BC
MSU has 1:28 to score a touchdown. Three straight completions to Jack Velling put the ball on the BC 31 and MSU has a chance. Chiles is pressured, heaves a pass to Foster in the end zone with two BC defenders nearby and it’s INT #3. BC takes a knee three times and it’s over.
23-19 Boston College, FINAL
Michigan State out gains Boston College 368-292, wins the time of possession battle, only commits three penalties, but loses the turnover battle 4-1 and settles for too many field goals. A winnable game slips away with Ohio State and Oregon to follow.