Pat Fitzgerald had a tie in hand on Saturday night and went for the win instead. Michigan State scored in overtime to pull within a point of Illinois, and rather than kick the extra point and force a second overtime, Fitzgerald sent the offense back out. Jaziun Patterson pitched to quarterback Alessio Milivojevic on an end-around, Milivojevic’s pass to tight end Jayden Savoury fell incomplete, and Illinois left Spartan Stadium with a 38-37 win. Michigan State had been down 23-7 in the third quarter before forcing overtime. The Spartans are now 2-4, and 0-3 in the Big Ten.
The Good: Interception Sparks The Comeback Attempt
Michigan State safety Devin Vaught got his first interception as a Spartan and returned it 37 yards. It was the only turnover the Spartans forced. The offense quickly did its job as Jaziun Patterson scored on an 11-yard rushing touchdown on the first play after the pick. On the interception, Illinois starting quarterback Katin Houser got hurt while trying to tackle Vaught on the return. This forced Illinois to go with backup quarterback Michael Clayton II for the rest of the game.
Jaziun Patterson Has A Career Game
Michigan State running back Jaziun Patterson had one of the best games of his college career. He piled up 119 yards from scrimmage, 93 on the ground and 26 through the air, and accounted for four of the Spartans’ five touchdowns. It was his first game with multiple touchdowns as a Spartan, and also his first receiving touchdown in his collegiate career.
Alessio Milivojevic Shows Life
The Spartans’ passing game finally showed some life. Michigan State quarterback Alessio Milivojevic threw for two touchdowns, including a 6-yard pass to Patterson, his first touchdown passes since week two. Milivojevic was efficient on Saturday, completing 22 passes on 26 attempts for 196 yards. At 84.6 percent, it was his highest completion rate of the season.
The Bad: Defense Struggles For Negative Plays
The defense failed to pressure the Illinois offense. They got zero sacks and only one tackle for loss. It’s even worse than last week against Wisconsin, when they got two tackles for loss but still no sacks. It’s hard to stop any offense if the defense can’t complete tackles behind the line of scrimmage.
Defensive Injuries Pile Up
Coming into the game, the Spartan defense already had a list of injuries, missing three cornerbacks and a linebacker. MSU added at least four more injuries during the game. The already depleted cornerback room lost another as Charles Brantley went down. The linebacker room joined the cornerback room in having to play third-stringers as Jordan Hall, Brady Pretzlaff, and Dion Crawford went down with injuries.
The Onside Kick Michigan State Recovered And Did Not Get
Fitzgerald’s two-point call was not the only decision that went against the Spartans. Trailing 31-24 with under eight minutes left in the fourth quarter, Michigan State recovered a Liam Boyd squib kick when Samson Gash came up with it along the right sideline. Officials ruled Gash offside and wiped out the recovery, and the play was not reviewable. Replay showed Gash was onside, and Fox rules analyst Mike Pereira said on the broadcast that Michigan State should have been given possession.
The Intriguing: Fitzgerald Recklessness Decides The Game
On Monday, Fitzgerald said he wouldn’t deviate from being aggressive but that he wouldn’t be reckless. However, at the end of the game, Fitzgerald made a reckless decision that cost the Spartans a potential win. In overtime, after answering Illinois’ touchdown with their own, Fitzgerald went for two instead of the extra point that would have guaranteed a second overtime. The two-point attempt failed, and Illinois won; the decision now looks reckless.
What Michigan State vs. Illinois Says About The Rest Of The Season
Four straight losses in, the Spartans are no longer getting beaten the way they were at Wisconsin. They moved the ball, they scored five touchdowns, and they were a conversion away from a second overtime. They also still cannot get behind the line of scrimmage on defense, and the two-deep is thinning by the week.
Next Saturday gives the loss an edge Fitzgerald will not enjoy. Michigan State hosts Northwestern at noon ET on Peacock, the program Fitzgerald coached before he came to East Lansing, and the Wildcats will bring former MSU quarterback Aidan Chiles back to Spartan Stadium.