Rivalry win opens Michigan State's path to bowl game: 'Bigger things to conquer'
· Yahoo Sports
EAST LANSING — Michigan State got a big win over rival Michigan to snap a six-game losing streak. If that’s all this month yields, it’d be a big boost for a program that hadn’t done that since 2021, but it also puts another goal of the Spartans within reach.
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Michigan State (3-6, 1-5 Big Ten) needs to win all three of its remaining games to reach bowl eligibility for the first time since 2021’s Peach Bowl win. First-year head coach Fitzgerald believes his squad can do it. It will take another win this Saturday at Spartan Stadium, where Washington (5-4, 2-4) awaits for a 4:15 p.m. kickoff.
“We all know that that win gave us an opportunity, and the right to have this be a big game this weekend,” Fitzgerald said. “... This is a critical game for this team, and I said listen, that creates next week, and the week after that, right. We’ll worry about them down the road. But there’s no doubt there’s an opportunity if we do what we’re capable of to create an extra month with our seniors.”
The week after Washington, No. 19 Oregon (6-3, 4-2) comes to Spartan Stadium on Friday, Nov. 20, before MSU finishes the regular season at Rutgers (2-7, 1-5) on Nov. 28. A couple near-miss losses to Illinois and Northwestern would have given the Spartans some wiggle room, but for Fitzgerald’s squad, playing meaningful football in November is nevertheless a big boost.
“I like having motivation in November,” Fitzgerald said. “So if that motivates one guy, great, fabulous.”
Michigan State just played one of its best games of the season, especially defensively. A strong game plan from defensive coordinator Joe Rossi yielded a season-low 192 yards allowed, five sacks — plus one more on a two-point conversion — and four takeaways. The Spartans allowed just a 20 percent conversion rate on third down. Michigan fired its first-year offensive coordinator, Jason Beck, the next day to the tune of nearly $10 million.
On offense, the Spartans’ line carved big holes for fifth-string running back Brandon Tullis to churn 86 yards on 25 carries. And quarterback Alessio Milivojevic made check after check to move the ball against a defense thought to be among the nation’s better units. It was one of the strongest performances of the year, and that perks up some ears when the word “bowl game” is uttered.
For their part, players are already shifting gears to the Washington game, which is MSU’s first home game in nearly a month since an Oct. 17 heartbreaker against Northwestern. And even though the energy around the Spartans is palpably higher given the big rivalry win, the larger goals of the season are still on the table.
Offensive guard Nick Sharpe wrote Sunday on Instagram, “1-0 against dem blue boys … Cool little victory, but we got bigger things to conquer. They was just in the way.”
The ability to look past one big rivalry win and reach another season goal will be a big test for Michigan State’s group, but there’s another motivating factor: age. Sharpe is one of 27 MSU players in their final year of eligibility (three traditional seniors including linebacker Jordan Hall have another year thanks to the NCAA’s new five-year eligibility plan). Michigan State’s roster is the 15th oldest among 138 FBS schools and fourth among 68 Power Four schools. This may be the last few games of football for a lot of players.
“That’s what’s so fun about the postseason, right, and then the ability to bring your program together nationally for your fan base when you go to the postseason,” Fitzgerald said. “So we’re a long way from that. I need to figure out how to block these guys and throw a completion against Washington.”
Washington at Michigan State
▶ Kick: 4:15 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 14, Spartan Stadium, East Lansing
▶ TV/radio: BTN/760-AM
▶ Records: Michigan State 3-6, 1-5 Big Ten; Washington 5-4, 2-4
▶ Line: Washington by 3
▶ Series: Washington leads, 1-4. Last meeting: Washington won, 41-7, at Spartan Stadium on Sept. 16, 2023.
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This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Rivalry win opens Michigan State's path to bowl game: 'Bigger things to conquer'