Final score: #6 Penn State 28 Michigan State 7

Brief recap: Penn State did what it has done all season long, it dominated the first half. In a cold and rainy atmosphere in East Lansing, the Nittany Lions took a little time to get rolling, but once the offense was moving, it was tough to stop. Sean Clifford connected with Pat Freiermuth on his first two touchdown passes of the day, then hit KJ Hamler on a 27-yard scoring strike with just over a minute left in the first half. Penn State had built a 21-0 lead, and Michigan State’s offense continued to be non-existent. Things didn’t get any better in the third quarter for Michigan State, as Brandon Sowards fumbled a punt return that gave the Nittany Lions great field position. Clifford and Freiermuth connected one more time to take a 28-0 lead and ice the game. The Spartans did put points on the board midway through the third quarter on a 4-yard run by Anthony Williams, Jr.

Key moment: Any hope that Michigan State could piece together a few offensive drives and crawl back into the game against Penn State like Michigan did a week ago were crushed on that botched punt return. That wasn’t necessarily a turning point in the game, but it locked up the 8-0 start for Penn State.

Key stat: Four turnovers for Michigan State was just far too many. This offense already struggles to move the football, so turning the ball over so frequently is just salt in the wound. Weather was a factor, but the Spartans still can’t afford to lose the turnover battle.

Key player: Freiermuth had a huge day for the Nittany Lions, catching five passes for 60 yards and three touchdowns in the victory. The Spartans defense had no answer for the tight end, especially when Penn State was near the end zone.

What it means for Michigan State: Three straight losses, players entering the transfer portal at a crazy rate and an offense that still can’t cross the goal line with regularity. Things are getting really messy in East Lansing. This was the third straight blowout loss for the Spartans, falling to Ohio State, Wisconsin and Penn State in ugly fashion each of the last three weeks. The schedule lightens up quite a bit, and Michigan State is capable of winning the four remaining games on its schedule. But based on how the offense is playing, they may have to settle for a 6-6 season.

What it means for Penn State: Another week, another win. Penn State still hasn’t showed much dominance in the second half of games like it has in previous seasons, but James Franklin’s bunch jumps out to big leads early in games, forcing opponents to play from behind. That’s been a huge advantage, especially for the defense. You’d like to see this group add a few more points in the second half of games to really put things away, but any lead with Penn State’s front seven feels pretty safe right now.