Finally, for the first time since September 9, Michigan State won a football game.
The Spartans hosted Nebraska for the final game in Spartan Stadium this year. I am very glad that the seniors at MSU could leave Spartan Stadium one last time with a win. The final game in Spartan Stadium this year was supposed to be the last game of the season against Penn State, but that game got moved over to Ford Field in Detroit.
Coming into the game, Nebraska was 5-3, and MSU was 2-6. Once again, I didn’t have high hopes for the game. Little did I know, this was going to be a somewhat fun game to watch.
The only scoring in the first quarter was from a 35-yard field goal by MSU kicker Jonathan Kim to put the Spartans up 3-0.
In the second quarter, Nebraska was the first to score. They scored on a 5-yard touchdown run by quarterback Heinrich Haarberg. Tristan Alvano’s extra point was good, and that made the score 7-3 Nebraska.
That lead didn’t last very long, however, because MSU put together a very quick 6-play touchdown drive that lasted a little over three minutes. MSU scored off of an 11-yard touchdown pass from Katin Houser to Christian Fitzpatrick. The extra point by Jonathan Kim was good, and that put the Spartans into the lead 10-7. Michigan State’s defense, on the other hand, couldn’t stop Nebraska from scoring again as Alvano scored a 24-yard field goal with 6 seconds left to end the first half. The score was tied 10-10 going into halftime.
I was happy with the Spartans’ performance at this point. I did have a feeling this game would start to go south in the second half because that would fit the theme of the Spartans season so far.
The 3rd quarter was pretty much like the first, where the only scoring came from a Michigan State 50-yard field goal from Kim to put MSU out in front 13-10.
Then, it came time for the 4th quarter. I wanted MSU to win so badly. I was craving that rush that one gets from a win, not only for myself but for many disappointed Spartan fans this year.
MSU and Nebraska traded punts to start the quarter, and then finally, the Spartans took advantage of the short field they had to go and scored another touchdown. Michigan State scored off of a 25-yard touchdown pass from Sam Leavitt to Montorie Foster Jr. The kick by Kim was good, and MSU went up 20-10 with 12:13 left in the game.
At this point, I was getting a bit excited, but I knew there was still plenty of time left in the game and that anything could happen, so I had to cool myself down.
The defenses of both teams started to play well after this because no points were scored until there was 3:35 left in the game, where Nebraska scored a touchdown off of a 4-yard touchdown run by Emmett Johnson. Alvano’s kick was good, and this put the score at MSU 20, Nebraska 17.
MSU got the ball back but quickly went three and out and punted the ball back to Nebraska. I thought that MSU was starting to throw the game away and thought that there was a good chance that we would lose. Luckily, three plays later, Nebraska fumbled the ball, and MSU recovered.
Once again, the Spartans had a short field, but this time, they weren’t able to find the end zone and decided to try a 44-yard field goal. The kick by Kim on the field goal attempt was no good, and the score stayed where it was 20-17. Nebraska took the ball over in their own territory with 43 seconds left. The MSU defense held strong though, and won the game for the Spartans in the end.
MSU had finally snapped their 6-game losing streak against Nebraska. This was the happiest I had been as an MSU football fan since week two—when we beat Richmond.
