Michigan State University
4-3 , 2-2
Michigan
7-1 , 5-0
No. 6 Michigan Tops No. 24 Michigan State
10/20/2018 5:11:00 PM | Football
AP Sports Writer
EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) - Shea Patterson threw two touchdown passes and No. 6 Michigan earned a desperately needed 21-7 win over No. 24 Michigan State on Saturday.
The Wolverines (7-1, 5-0 Big Ten) had lost eight of 10 against their in-state rivals.
The Spartans (4-3, 2-2) struggled to move the ball, getting held to 94 yards and failing to convert any of its 12 third downs.
Patterson's 79-yard pass to Donovan Peoples-Jones put Michigan ahead late in the third quarter. He converted a fourth-and-2 from the Michigan State 41 early in the fourth, setting up Ben Mason's 5-yard run that gave the Wolverines a 21-7 lead.
The Ole Miss transfer was 14 of 25 for 212 yards and made a successful debut in a series that has been tilted Michigan State's way in part because of poor quarterback play. His 6-yard pass to Nico Collins broke a scoreless tie early in the second quarter and was Michigan's first touchdown thrown against the Spartans since 2011.
Michigan State needed a fumble deep in Michigan territory and a trick play to score once.
Chris Evans lost the football at the Wolverines 7 early in the third. Two plays later, quarterback Brian Lewerke caught a 4-yard pass from receiver Darrell Stewart off a reverse to pull the Spartans into a tie.
Michigan's Karan Higdon had 144 yards rushing on 33 carries against the nation's top-ranked rushing defense, which entered the game giving up an average of 62 yards on the ground.
LJ Scott returned from a leg injury to play for the Spartans after a four-game absence and ran for just 25 yards on 10 carries.
Lewerke was 5 of 25 for just 66 yards with an injury-depleted corps of receivers, which now includes Felton Davis after he was carted off during the game with an apparent Achilles tendon injury.
UP NEXT
Michigan: Off until hosting Penn State on Nov. 3.
Michigan State: Plays Purdue at home.
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Team Stats
MICH 7, MSU 0
MICH - Collins, Nico 6 yd pass from Patterson, Shea (Nordin, Quinn kick) 14 plays, 84 yards, TOP 7:56
MICH 7, MSU 7
MSU - Lewerke, Brian 4 yd pass from Stewart, D. (Coghlin, Matt kick) 2 plays, 7 yards, TOP 0:48
MICH 14, MSU 7
MICH - Peoples-Jones 79 yd pass from Patterson, Shea (Nordin, Quinn kick) 1 plays, 79 yards, TOP 0:11
MICH 21, MSU 7
MICH - Mason, Ben 5 yd run (Nordin, Quinn kick), 13 plays, 84 yards, TOP 6:41
