Michigan State won the toss and elected to get the ball. After a touchback, a 4-yard run by Makhi Frazier set up the Spartans in a favorable position, but a dropped pass by Elijah Tau-Tolliver which would
have most likely resulted in a first down brought up a 3rd & 6. I will label that as the first crucial play of the game. And on 3rd, Nebraska got home on the blitz to force the early punt by MSU.
The Cornhuskers took over just past midfield after a line drive punt from Ryan Eckley. A 1-yard run and a 6-yard pass led to a 3rd down play that Dylan Raiola picked up on a rollout run. The Spartans defense broke up a first down pass and limited the next play to a short gain to bring up a 3rd & 8. This time, Raiola got the 1st down with a pass. A defensive holding by MSU made the play moot. From the 24, Nebraska opened a big hole for Emmett Johnson who carried it to the 10. From there, the Huskers went incompletion, 8-yard QB scramble, and ultimately a reverse handoff for the Emmett Johnson score. 7-0 Nebraska.
On their second possession, MSU opened with a 1-yard rush. On 2nd, Kelly went deep, but Chiles pass was a little overthrown as Nebraska had good coverage. 3rd and long saw Chiles’ first completion, a connection to Nick Marsh, who tried to bring it back to the middle of the field to find some space, but he was stopped a couple yards short of the sticks. On the punt, Nebraska loaded up to the right side of MSU’s formation, and one guy got through unblocked and stole Eckley’s soul blocked the punt, which was easily scooped up and carried in for a touchdown. Crucial play #2. A game usually only has 2 or 3 of these that determine the end result. Not a good sign right now. 14-0 Nebraska.
The 3rd drive started with a great improv from Chiles, who ran around the backfield before checking down to a wide-open Frazier who ran it for the first 1st down for MSU. On the next play, Chiles hit Evan Boyd for another chain-mover. Back-to-back Frazier runs got MSU all the way to the 34 of Nebraska. Frazier got the call again on 1st down and rushed for 4. On 2nd, Chiles tried to check down to Frazier again, but it ended in a loss of 1. On 3rd & 7, Chiles kept it for 6 yards. Forced to go for it on 4th & 1, Aidan put his head down and speared through the left side of the line for the 1st. From the 23, Chiles went incomplete to Jack Velling streaking for the goal line. Frazier gained 2 on 2nd, and Chiles got Marsh on a slant on 3rd to bring up 1st and goal at the 9. Frazier and Chiles each lost a yard on consecutive runs to bring the 1st quarter to an end.
On the opening play of quarter number two, two flags came in against Nebraska, one for offsides and one for pass interference. 1st down Spartans! From the 6, Chiles went play action but it did not slow the defense. Chiles got sacked by two guys. Looked like Brandon Tullis missed two blocks on that play, and MSU was pushed back to the 16. And to make things worse, Chiles needed help getting up after the play and was taken to the tent. Alessio Milivojevic came in and hit Marsh for his first non-interception pass. From the 7 now, another PI gave MSU a third crack at 1st and goal, this time from the 2 as the penalty occurred in the endzone. Frazier got half the distance on 1st down, and Milivojevic found Velling alone in the back of the endzone for the score on the next play. 14-7 Nebraska.
The MSU drive lasted 9:45, theoretically giving the Spartan D a chance to settle down. Actually, because of the blocked punt, the unit had been off the field for 30 minutes of real time. Did not seem to matter early, as Nebraska gashed for a 10-yard run to open the drive. Good coverage on the next play almost resulted in a coverage sack, but Raiola snuck out for a couple yards. A short run brought up 3rd & 5, and another good effort from the secondary kept the ball in Raiola’s hands, and he was stopped a couple yards short of the marker. The Nebraska punt was a short one, and MSU would start from their 30.
Aidan Chiles returned to the game for the 4th Spartan possession. A Frazier run went backward and Ashton Lepo was flagged for a blindside block. On 1st & 25, Chiles got the ball to Chrishon McCray who made a couple guys miss for a gain of 14. Velling could not hold onto the pass on 2nd, and on 3rd & 11, Chiles was long on his attempt to McCray up the left side. Another big special teams play, Nebraska returned the punt to the MSU 26.
Malik Spencer blitzed on 1st down and got MSU’s 1st sack for a loss of 7. On 2nd down, Raiola tried stepping up in the pocket, but David Santiago was able to wrap him up for another sack. On 3rd & 22, there was a false start, and with 27 to go, a fumbled snap led to a 15-yard loss when Jalen Thompson brought Raiola down. There could have been a facemask penalty against Thompson, but fortunately it was not seen. It was 4th & 42, and the punt only went 18 yards.
From their 40, Tullis carried for a yard. Another overthrow by Chiles, this time to Marsh, brought up 3rd & 9. What was that? Chiles floated an easy dump-off over Tullis’ head and the ball was intercepted. Crucial play #3.
Nebraska started at the MSU 45. Nebraska picked up a 3rd & 1 on the first series. On 3rd & 4 on the next series, the Huskers went for a screen pass, but the MSU defense shut it down to force a 4th & 4. Nebraska went for it and MSU sacked Raiola again. It was Thompson again for a loss of ten. Turnover on downs!
Frazier got 3 on 1st down. On 2nd, Chiles nearly threw another pick while trying to dump it to Frazier. On 3rd down, Chiles did throw an interception. In his defense, he has been under a lot of pressure and was hit as he threw. Chiles 2 interceptions, particularly the overthrow to Tullis, and the numerous over- and under-throws. And finally, the fumble on the punt reception. MSU dug a hole to big to climb out of. Give MSU – mostly Chiles’ scrambling – credit for getting back in this game and even taking a lead. But too many mistakes by our Spartans.
MSU falls to 3-2.
From the 44 of MSU and just over a minute to go, Nebraska went to work. There was going to be a 3rd & 1 play, but an unsportsmanlike penalty after the play gifted the Spartan defense with a 3rd & 16 at midfield. Forcing the punt, MSU used a timeout with 12 seconds left, hoping to get a punt block that they ended up not even close to getting.
Chiles took a knee and sent the teams to the locker rooms. MSU trailed 14-7 at the break but the defense has looked very respectable with 3 sacks, 4 TFLs, and 1 PBU. They also had given up only 24 yards passing and 30 rushing to Nebraska. The difference has been the blocked punt. Offensively, let’s just hope that Chiles can look more like Alessio in the 2nd half, at least the Alessio we saw on that one drive.
At halftime, I went to check on my dog in the backyard only to find that she had somehow opened up the side gate and wandered off. Fortunately, I found her right around the corner and did not have to search for too long. Delilah will stay inside for the 2nd half.
Nebraska got the ball to begin the 2nd half. On their first play, a screen pass resulted in a 14-yard gain. MSU forced a 3rd & 3 on the second series, and Cam Williams, the DE, batted down an underhand pass to force the 4th down. Nebraska went with the fake, but MSU was not fooled; Darius Snow saw the snap go to the protecter and made the tackle for stop.
MSU began from the 48 of Nebraska. Frazier got to the line of scrimmage on 1st down and not even there on 2nd. Facing 3rd & 12 and an obvious passing play, Chiles had plenty of time but nowhere to throw. He dumped down to Frazier again who twisted for six. MSU kept the offense out there on 4th & 6 and Chiles scrambled and picked up ten to the 34 to keep the drive going. A pitch to Tullis lost a couple yards on 1st. Chiles weaved for 7 on 2nd to make it 3rd & 5, which he picked up with another keeper. Tullis went for 5 from the I-formation, getting MSU into the red zone. Frazier lost 1 on 2nd and got a couple on 3rd. On 4th & 4, Chiles escaped some pressure, looped back to his left, picked up the first down, and just continued all the way for the score. 14-14.
Jordan Hall! Interception Spartans! Nebraska’s O-line held up the rush, but Raiola missed the linebacker dropping into coverage. Crucial play #4.
MSU takes over from the 38. First play goes to Nick Marsh for 13 to the 25. Chiles tried to hit Kelly on the next play, but the pass just carried over his hands. A pitch to Tullis was snuffed out for a loss of 5. On 3rd & 15, Frazier ran right and picked up 14. So on 4th & 1, MSU went for it after using a timeout. Frazier took the pitch to the right and powered his way for the first down at the Nebraska 13. On a play-action to Frazier, Chiles rolled left and hit Kelly for 9. On 2nd & 1, Aidan Chiles tried to pick up the first with a sneak up the middle, and just ended up going all the way for the touchdown. MSU takes their first lead of the game. 21-14 Michigan State.
Nebraska dropped a quick slant on first down. Raiola took a hit on 2nd on another incompletion. Facing 3rd & 10, Raiola found a wide-open target for a 45-yard gain. 2 runs later and Nebraska tied the game up with Emmett Johnson’s second score of the day. 21-21.
A short kick into the wind resulted in a pair of blockers trying to catch it. They bumped each other, fumbled the ball, and allowed Nebraska to retrieve it. Crucial play #5.
Darius snow sacked Raiola for a loss of 6. Raiola then tossed a 12-yard pass to bring up a 3rd down and 4 at MSU’s 22. The clock ran out on the 3rd quarter with a big play coming up.
Nebraska just picked up the 1st down on the play, but Jalen Thompson caught called for a horse collar on the tackle to bring up 1st & goal at the 8. An incompletion and a loss of 1 on the shovel brought up 3rd down from the 9. Raiola had all sorts of time but the Spartan defense was strong, and they forced a throw-away. A 27-yard FG put the home team up by 3. 24-21 Nebraska.
Random thought during the commercial break. Is Jennifer Garner married to the CEO of Capital One? Why did she stop being a movie star to focus on commercials?
MSU started from the 25 after the touchback. Aidan Chiles nearly cost his team with a shovel pass that was ruled backward at the time and returned for a defensive touchdown, but was judged to be just a hair forward to become an incompletion. Phew. But come on, Chiles! After a 6-yarder from Frazier, Chiles overthrew McCray and MSU had to punt. A couple missed tackles by the coverage team led to the return being brought back to the house… but a block in the back call bailed out MSU. So instead Nebraska would start at their 20.
On 1st, Raiola hit the quick slant for 8, and they gained 6 on the next play to get the 1st down. A ten-yard catch-and-run earned another first. But on the next play, van Sumeren got to the QB for sack #5. Another quick hitter led to 3rd & 8, but a false start made it 13 to go. MSU nearly got the sack, but forced a pass to the flat and a short gain to bring out the punt unit.
Kelly fair-caught the punt at his 9. MSU took over with 8:37 left in the game trailing by 3. A short run then a negative screen to Frazier led to 3rd & 13. Chiles had time, but threw it short to bring up 4th down. Eckley’s punt was covered well and Nebraska took over from their 41.
On the first play, the Huskers threw a screen to the left side, and after a couple of Spartans missed a tackle, Nyziah Hunter took it all the way for the score. 31-21 Nebraska.
MSU got the ball back with 6:45 after the touchback down ten. Chiles took a 12-yard sack on 1st, then rushed for 14 on 2nd down, but then limped off the field ahead of 3rd & 8, forcing Coach Smith to burn MSU’s final timeout. Chiles’ pass on 3rd was short of the mark to bring up 4th down, and Nebraska called a timeout. After being 4-4 on 4th downs on the day, MSU finally was stopped when Chiles was sacked from the blind side.
Nebraska took over with 5:17 left already in the red zone. The drive lasted 2 plays. Emmett Johnson picks up the hat trick. The wheels have come off but this game was much closer than the final score will show. 38-21 Nebraska.
Down 3 scores, Milivojevic was sent back into the game, the proverbial white flag being waved. Okay, it may be garbage time, but Alessio hit some dimes on this drive, including what is probably Tullis’ best play of the season, a catch down to the 1. Alessio snuck it in for the touchdown. The pointless 2-point conversion failed, though their should have been a flag. 38-27 Nebraska.
MSU went for the onside kick, but Nebraska recovered it at the 2-minute timeout. With no teams having any timeouts, the Cornhuskers were free to kneel the clock out. Final score: MSU falls 38-27.
I said in the lead up to this game that Nebraska did not scare me. Indeed, that sentiment proved true. This was a game that MSU lost more than Nebraska won. The dropped pass on the first drive. The blocked punt on the second
