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Payton Thorne’s 2021 season was a record-setter at Michigan State
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Sophomore quarterback Payton Thorne had a breakout season as the new starting quarterback for Michigan State this year.
As a first-year starter for Michigan State, Thorne broke the single-season record for most touchdowns thrown with 27. Thorne passed former Spartan and current Minnesota Vikings starting quarterback Kirk Cousins set in 2011 by throwing 25 touchdowns.
.@payton15thorne was incredible all season long but to top things off he surpassed @KirkCousins8 school record of 25 TD’s with 27 TD’s of his own.
WHAT. A. YEAR. #GoGreen pic.twitter.com/Qz8lIeCr2o
— Michigan State Football (@MSU_Football) January 6, 2022
Thorne broke the single-season touchdown record in the 31-21 win over #13 Pittsburgh in the Peach Bowl win. In the game against Pittsburgh, Throne threw for 29-of-50 completions, 354 yards (a season-high), 3 touchdowns, and 1 interception.
In his first season as the starter for Michigan State, Thorne threw for 235-of-389 completions for 3,240 yards, 27 touchdowns, and ten interceptions. He is now third in program history in single-season passing yards only behind Kirk Cousins set in 2011 and Jeff Smoker’s 3,395 yards set in 2003.
Thorne is currently No. 10 all-time in career passing touchdowns with 30.