Redshirt senior quarterback Brian Lewerke threw for 228 yards and three touchdowns, redshirt freshman Elijah Collins added 76 yards and a score on the ground and the Michigan State Spartans rolled past the Northwestern Wildcats, 31-10, on Saturday at Ryan Field in Evanston.

Collins began the scoring with a five-yard touchdown run in the first quarter. The Wildcats mustered just a 39-yard field goal in the first half, and Michigan State took a 14-3 lead into the break.

The Spartans extended their lead to 24-3 after three quarters and took a 31-3 lead in the fourth quarter when Lewerke found redshirt senior tight end Matt Seybert for a seven-yard score.

The team’s leading-rusher with 91 yards on the day, redshirt freshman Drake Anderson scored Northwestern’s only touchdown of the day with just under three minutes remaining.

Benching redshirt sophomore quarterback Hunter Johnson in the third quarter in favor of junior Aidan Smith, head coach Pat Fitzgerald offered a very vague response (via InsideNU).

“Well, you know all of our quarterbacks are very young.

“We were sputtering a bit, it’s kind of like going to the bullpen. In this game and also thinking big picture, I was trying to get him some experience, make it a two-score game and let’s go.”

Johnson finished the game 15-26 for 88 yards and an interception. Not faring any better, Smith went 4-11 for 38 yards and two interceptions.

Despite the lopsided margin on the scoreboard, the Wildcats actually won the time of possession battle. Running 81 plays to the Spartans’ 71, Northwestern averaged a disappointing 3.2 yards per rush.

“I would never say you’re comfortable playing Michigan State,” Fitzgerald stated.

“Typically this game is really close and hard fought. We’ve made some big plays offensively the past three games, and when you don’t make plays again this defense it becomes really hard for you.”

Scoring more than 10 points just once in their first three games, things do not get any easier for the Wildcats. The team travels to Madison to face the 3-0 Wisconsin Badgers on Saturday (12:00PM ET, ABC). Fresh off a 35-14 thrashing of the Michigan Wolverines, the Badgers have allowed a total of 14 points in 2019.

Michigan State (3-1) hosts Indiana (3:30PM ET, BTN).