We have basketball and hockey
Prior to kickoff, there was one positive on MSU’s availability report, as Jack Velling’s name did not appear. D’Quan Douse was listed as questionable, and did play, while Wayne Matthews and most of the secondary players with significant experience remained out.
The Spartans young secondary and defense would be forced to hold up to a stiff test again, as Rutgers quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis was supported by a strong running game led by Kyle Monangai. This combination worked to perfection for Rutgers as the Scarlet Knights scored 34 unanswered points after falling behind 7-0. MSU didn’t get much help from their offense again as the game changed on a failed fourth and 1 inside the Rutgers 10.
FIRST QUARTER
Velling did in fact run out with the starting offense as MSU started on their 25. Kay’Ron Lynch Adams went for 6 on the first play and then ripped off a huge run to the Rutgerts 33. Chiles dropped back to pass on MSU’s third play and immediately faced pressure. He scrambled out of it for four yards before Lynch-Adams picked up another 3, leading to MSU’s first third down conversion opportunity. Nate Carter came in for Lynch-Adams here and finished it off for the Spartans with a 26 yard sprint to the end zone.
7-0 SPARTANS
Apparently making a snow angel in the end zone is illegal as Carter was flagged for having fun after his score. College football is in a great place. After the “unsportsmanlike” penalty on Carter pushed MSU’s kickoff back, Jonathan Kim proceeded to kick off out of bounds, giving Rutgers the ball at the 50. The Scarlet Knights quickly took advantage. Monangai went for 8 on Rutgers’ first play and then broke a big one to get inside MSU’s 30 on the next play. Kaliakmanis found a wide open Ian Strong inside MSU’s 10 and two plays later Monangai ran it in through a huge hole in the middle of the line.
7-7
Michigan State did not have the same success on their second drive as Chiles led an open Lynch-Adams too far on a first down screen pass, where it looked like there was some room to run. Chiles was sacked two plays later, ending the drive. Even worse, a high snap got past Ryan Eckley on the punt. Eckley covered the ball to prevent a Rutgers safety or touchdown, but the Scarlet Knights had the ball at the MSU one yard line.
The Knights went backwards on an illegal motion penalty and then the MSU defense held strong. Jordan Turner almost intercepted a second down pass before it deflected to Angelo Grose, who also nearly came up with the pick. Rutgers eventually settled for a field goal from the 6 yard line.
10-7 RUTGERS
MSU’s next drive started with a Chiles keeper that lost 4. Chiles had some time to throw on the next play and found Jaron Glover, who had to extend high for the catch, at the 40 for a first down. It was backwards again from there though. Chiles dropped back again on the next play and appeared to be looking for something to open up downfield. He didn’t get it off though and was dropped for a loss of 8. Lynch-Adams was stuffed on the next play and suddenly it was third and 19. A screen to Lynch-Adams only picked up a couple and MSU was attempting to punt again. Eckley was able to haul in the high snap this time though and get the punt off. Rutgers started their next drive on their own 25.
Monangai picked up 9 on the Rutgers first two plays but Jordan Turner burst through for a tackle for loss on third down to quickly end the Rutgers drive.
Marsh started MSU’s next drive with an end around that picked up a first down. On the next series, the Spartans faced a third and 10 but Chiles found Aziah Johnson to move the chains again before the end of the first quarter.
10-7 RUTGERS END OF FIRST QUARTER
The second quarter started with a holding call on Brandon Baldwin that negated a 49 yard Carter run, where Carter made a great cut and sprinted to the Rutgers 2. The Spartans would recover and find some momentum with Jack Velling after the penalty. Chiles found Velling for a 23 yard gain into Rutgers territory and then later on a nicely designed third down screen that got MSU to the 15. But four straight runs picked up only 9 yards and MSU ended a promising drive by turning it over on downs.
The decision to forgo the field goal attempt and a possible tie cost MSU as Rutgers would go 94 yards after that. Monangai converted a third down on the first series and then a questionable pass interference on Ed Woods gave Rutgers another first down. Monangai converted another third down on the next series to get the ball to midfield. Rutgers went to the air after that as Kaliakmanis found Ben Black at the Spartan 13. Antwan Raymond spelled Monangai for one play and that’s all he needed to find the end zone and extend the Rutgers lead.
17-7 RUTGERS
MSU chose to be aggressive to start their next drive. Chiles faked to Carter then looked long for Glover, who was behind the Rutgers defense. Glover got his hands on it but the pass was a little too long for him – another opportunity missed for the Spartans. Carter went for 6 on second down to get it to third and manageable but Chiles was pressured again and couldn’t find anyone, forcing another MSU punt.
Rutgers started moving again behind Monangai and, to add injury to insult, Jaylen Thompson went down and was carted off the field after a Monangai run to the MSU 36. That play put Monangai over 100 yards on the ground before halftime. From there, MSU would get Rutgers into a third and 13 with a tackle for loss and stop of Monangai for no gain. Kaliakmanis would have ALL DAY to throw but opted to scramble to pick up 12 of the 13 yards needed. Rutgers kept the offense out and a Kaliakmanis sneak was close to the line to gain. It didn’t matter though, as Douse was offside and the Rutgers drive continued. Rutgers wouldn’t get much further from there and settled for a 42 yard field goal.
20-7 RUTGERS
Michigan State had over a minute to mount an attack but produced three incomplete passes and another punt.
Kaliakmanis would then get Rutgers into position for another field goal before the half behind completions to Strong and Dymere Miller before a defensive holding call moved the ball to the MSU 12. Two incompletions to the corner end zone prevented it from getting completely out of hand for the Spartans at this point.
After the impressive opening drive and quick start, MSU gave up 23 straight points to end the half, with the game really turning on MSU’s failed fourth and 1 attempt inside the Rutgers 10.
23-7 RUTGERS HALFTIME
Rutgers started with the ball to open the second half. Michigan State had four chances to get off the field on third and long but Kaliakmanis found an open receiver each time, concluding with a 9 yard touchdown to Strong. A Kaliakmanis to Duff two point conversion was also successful. Rutgers used up half of the third quarter on this drive to essentially end the game, and any hope MSU had of extending its season.
31-7 RUTGERS
Kay’Ron Lynch-Adams wasn’t quitting though and picked up 25 yards in two plays to get MSU to midfield. A Chiles rollout and completion to Marsh picked up a first down in Rutgers territory but any positivity ended there. An illegal motion penalty pushed MSU back and they couldn’t recover. The drive ended with a Chiles to Foster incompletion on fourth and 9.
From there, Rutgers continued to ride Monangai while Kaliakmanis occasionally picked on the MSU secondary. A pass interference call on MSU moved the ball past the 50 for Rutgers before MSU stiffened. Three Monangai runs led to a Rutgers fourth down to end the third quarter, with Angelo Grose making a nice read and tackle on the third down play.
31-7 RUTGERS END OF THIRD QUARTER
Facing fourth and 4 at the MSU 34 to start the fourth quarter, Rutgers decided to keep the offense on the field. Kaliakmanis to Duff kept the drive going and it ultimately resulted in a 29 yard field goal.
34-7 RUTGERS
After leading the nation with touchdowns as a tight end last year at Oregon State, Jack Velling scored his first for the Spartans on a five yard pass from Chiles. It was Velling’s third catch of the drive and he could have scored on the second one if Chiles had been a little more accurate. Regardless, MSU was able to give the hardy fans in Spartan Stadium something to cheer for.
34-14 RUTGERS
There really wasn’t much hope at this point but Rutgers was able to cover Kim’s onside kick and then find the end zone again. This time behind six Antwan Raymond runs, the last going for 5 yards and the final touchdown with 1:57 to go.
41-14 RUTGERS
The Spartans decided to give third string QB Alessio Milovojevic a chance on the last drive and he promptly, and perhaps fittingly, threw an interception on MSU’s last offensive play of the season.
Victory formation for Rutgers.
41-14 RUTGERS FINAL
As the FSI announcers said, rather than a bowl game, MSU can turn its attention to figuring out how to keep Nick Marsh, trying to solve line play via the transfer portal, and continuing to develop Aidan Chiles.