Ad Disclosure
Rapid Reaction: Michigan State ends losing streak with gritty 2 OT win vs. Wisconsin
By Paul Harvey
Published:
Final Score: Wisconsin 28, Michigan State 34
Brief Recap: For two teams struggling to find consistency in 2022, Michigan State and Wisconsin produced a brilliant overtime thriller on Saturday. That included 34 total points produced between the fourth quarter and overtime periods.
Heading into halftime, Wisconsin held a 14-7 lead over the Spartans. That included a big outing from Braelon Allen with a pair of first-half touchdowns
In the second half, Michigan State was finally able to find more consistency offensively. A big play from Payton Thorne to Maliq Carr set the Spartans up for a short game-tying touchdown, and Thorne would come up clutch later in the game.
After Thorne and Wisconsin’s Graham Mertz traded touchdowns, the Spartans had a chance to kick a game-winning field goal in regulation. Unfortunately, that snap was off and overtime ensued.
The two overtime periods that went down produced plenty of fireworks. On the very first play, Michigan State went to the bag of tricks and called a Jayden Reed to Keon Coleman pass play that scored. Though it took a couple of plays, the Badgers were quick to tie it and force a second period.
Then, the Badgers had disaster strike with Braelon Allen fumbling the ball away. The Spartans needed just a field goal to win it, but the offense did not leave it up to the special teams unit. Thorne would go back to his most trusted receiver on 3rd-and-12, letting Reed make a contested catch for the game-winner.
Key Player: Jayden Reed. After missing some time early in the season, it was undeniable that his absence had a profound impact on the offense. In the game against the Badgers, Reed finally looked like his normal self.
Reed was Michigan State’s leading receiver with 9 catches for 117 yards and recorded a game-winning touchdown. He also completed a pass for 25 yards and a touchdown in overtime. Oh, and that’s without mentioning a huge punt return that Reed had brought back on an MSU penalty.
Reed is a matchup nightmare for opponents, and he showed his worth for the offense in Week 7.
Key Stat: 7-for-15, Michigan State’s efficiency rate on third downs. By comparison, Wisconsin converted just 4-of-12 third down plays in the game.
What it means moving forward: Both of these teams are in a fight to bowl eligibility with hopes of a conference championship well in the rearview mirror. Wisconsin falls to 3-4 while the Spartans record their first conference win of the season.
Paul is a lifelong fan and student of all things college football. He has been covering college football since 2017 and the B1G since 2018.