
Photo by: Rey Del Rio/MSU Athletic Communications
Minnesota Defeats Michigan State, 27-12
10/28/2023 7:55:00 PM | Football
MINNEAPOLIS – The Michigan State football team fell at Minnesota, 27-12, before a crowd of 47,392 at Huntington Bank Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
The Spartan defense caused three turnovers, but Minnesota outgained MSU, 400-299, including a 200-109 advantage on the ground, and held the ball for 36 minutes and 15 seconds en route to the victory.
Redshirt freshman Katin Houser started his third career game at quarterback for the Spartans and was 12-of-22 passing for 117 yards. True freshman Sam Leavitt played all three series in the fourth quarter and engineered an eight-play, 75-yard touchdown drive on his first series. He finished the game 8-of-12 passing for 73 yards but did commit two turnovers, a fumble and an interception, on the last two drives of the game.
Leavitt was MSU's leading rusher in the game with 52 yards on six carries, while redshirt sophomore Nathan Carter had 11 carries for 44 yards; Carter also had five catches for 9 yards to finish with 53 all-purpose yards.
Senior Montorie Foster Jr. led the Spartan receiving corps with four receptions for 55 yards.
Defensively, redshirt junior Cal Haladay led MSU with 11 tackles, while senior defensive back Angelo Grose had 10 stops. True freshman linebacker Jordan Hall had a career-high two sacks for 19 yards, including a forced fumble that led to an MSU field goal in the first quarter, and posted nine tackles overall.
Minnesota's Jordan Nubin had 40 carries for 204 yards and two touchdowns to lead the Gophers (5-3, 3-2 Big Ten).
Michigan State (2-6, 0-5 Big Ten) took advantage of two early Minnesota turnovers to take a 6-0 lead in the first quarter. Derrick Harmon forced a Gopher fumble on the second play of the game that was recovered by Jaden Mangham at the Minnesota 26-yard line, but the Spartans couldn't convert a first down on its first offensive series, leading to a 38-yard field goal by Jonathan Kim.
Minnesota turned the ball over again on its second series, this time with a forced fumble and a sack by Hall that was recovered by Avery Dunn on the Minnesota 33. MSU capitalized on the turnover with Kim's 42-yard field goal to make it 6-0 at the 9:49 mark in the opening quarter.
The Gophers threatened to score midway through the second quarter, but Simeon Barrow Jr. blocked Dragon Kesich's 35-yard field goal to keep Minnesota off the scoreboard.
Minnesota did score on its next two possessions, however, with a 25-yard field goal by Kesich at the 4:54 mark and a 22-yard touchdown pass from Athan Kaliakmanis to Daniel Jackson with 19 seconds left in the half to go up 10-6 at the break.
Neither team scored in the third quarter, but Minnesota drove 87 yards on nine plays, capped by an 18-yard TD run by Nubin, to take a 17-6 lead with 12:07 left in the game.
Leavitt entered the game following the Gophers' touchdown, and promptly led the Spartans on an eight-play, 75-yard touchdown drive in 3:30 to cut the deficit to 17-12 with a 9-yard TD pass to Tyrell Henry, but MSU did not convert the 2-point attempt.
Michigan State tried an onside kick after the touchdown drive, but Minnesota recovered and then answered with a seven-play, 46-yard touchdown drive to go up 24-12 with 4:11 left in the game.
Leavitt then fumbled on his second series, and the Gophers capitalized with a 31-yard field goal by Kesich to make the final 27-12.
Michigan State returns to action next Saturday, Nov. 4 against Nebraska at noon in Spartan Stadium. The game will be televised on FS1.
The Spartan defense caused three turnovers, but Minnesota outgained MSU, 400-299, including a 200-109 advantage on the ground, and held the ball for 36 minutes and 15 seconds en route to the victory.
Redshirt freshman Katin Houser started his third career game at quarterback for the Spartans and was 12-of-22 passing for 117 yards. True freshman Sam Leavitt played all three series in the fourth quarter and engineered an eight-play, 75-yard touchdown drive on his first series. He finished the game 8-of-12 passing for 73 yards but did commit two turnovers, a fumble and an interception, on the last two drives of the game.
Leavitt was MSU's leading rusher in the game with 52 yards on six carries, while redshirt sophomore Nathan Carter had 11 carries for 44 yards; Carter also had five catches for 9 yards to finish with 53 all-purpose yards.
Senior Montorie Foster Jr. led the Spartan receiving corps with four receptions for 55 yards.
Defensively, redshirt junior Cal Haladay led MSU with 11 tackles, while senior defensive back Angelo Grose had 10 stops. True freshman linebacker Jordan Hall had a career-high two sacks for 19 yards, including a forced fumble that led to an MSU field goal in the first quarter, and posted nine tackles overall.
Minnesota's Jordan Nubin had 40 carries for 204 yards and two touchdowns to lead the Gophers (5-3, 3-2 Big Ten).
Michigan State (2-6, 0-5 Big Ten) took advantage of two early Minnesota turnovers to take a 6-0 lead in the first quarter. Derrick Harmon forced a Gopher fumble on the second play of the game that was recovered by Jaden Mangham at the Minnesota 26-yard line, but the Spartans couldn't convert a first down on its first offensive series, leading to a 38-yard field goal by Jonathan Kim.
Minnesota turned the ball over again on its second series, this time with a forced fumble and a sack by Hall that was recovered by Avery Dunn on the Minnesota 33. MSU capitalized on the turnover with Kim's 42-yard field goal to make it 6-0 at the 9:49 mark in the opening quarter.
The Gophers threatened to score midway through the second quarter, but Simeon Barrow Jr. blocked Dragon Kesich's 35-yard field goal to keep Minnesota off the scoreboard.
Minnesota did score on its next two possessions, however, with a 25-yard field goal by Kesich at the 4:54 mark and a 22-yard touchdown pass from Athan Kaliakmanis to Daniel Jackson with 19 seconds left in the half to go up 10-6 at the break.
Neither team scored in the third quarter, but Minnesota drove 87 yards on nine plays, capped by an 18-yard TD run by Nubin, to take a 17-6 lead with 12:07 left in the game.
Leavitt entered the game following the Gophers' touchdown, and promptly led the Spartans on an eight-play, 75-yard touchdown drive in 3:30 to cut the deficit to 17-12 with a 9-yard TD pass to Tyrell Henry, but MSU did not convert the 2-point attempt.
Michigan State tried an onside kick after the touchdown drive, but Minnesota recovered and then answered with a seven-play, 46-yard touchdown drive to go up 24-12 with 4:11 left in the game.
Leavitt then fumbled on his second series, and the Gophers capitalized with a 31-yard field goal by Kesich to make the final 27-12.
Michigan State returns to action next Saturday, Nov. 4 against Nebraska at noon in Spartan Stadium. The game will be televised on FS1.
Team Stats
MSU
UMN
Total Yards
299
400
Pass Yards
190
200
Rushing Yards
109
200
Penalty Yards
44
35
1st Downs
15
24
3rd Downs
4
6
4th Downs
0
0
TOP
23:45
36:15
1st Quarter

MSU 3, UMN 0
MSU - Kim,Jonathan 38 yd field goal 4 plays, 5 yards, TOP 01:22

MSU 6, UMN 0
MSU - Kim,Jonathan 42 yd field goal 4 plays, 9 yards, TOP 00:50
2nd Quarter

MSU 6, UMN 3
UMN - Kesich,Dragan 25 yd field goal 8 plays, 53 yards, TOP 03:40

MSU 6, UMN 10
UMN - Jackson,Daniel 22 yd pass from Kaliakmanis,Athan (Kesich,Dragan kick) 8 plays, 94 yards, TOP 02:55
4th Quarter

MSU 6, UMN 17
UMN - Nubin,Jordan 18 yd run (Kesich,Dragan kick), 9 plays, 87 yards, TOP 05:25

MSU 12, UMN 17
MSU - Henry,Tyrell 9 yd pass from Leavitt,Sam () 8 plays, 75 yards, TOP 03:30

MSU 12, UMN 24
UMN - Nubin,Jordan 2 yd run (Kesich,Dragan kick), 7 plays, 46 yards, TOP 04:25

MSU 12, UMN 27
UMN - Kesich,Dragan 31 yd field goal 4 plays, 9 yards, TOP 00:30
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