U-M Unable to Take Back Paul Bunyan Trophy from MSU

Saturday, October 25

East Lansing, Mich.

3:30 PM

Michigan

3-5 , 1-3

Michigan State

7-1 , 4-0

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Michigan

Michigan State

Jake Butt

10/25/2014 12:00:00 AM | Football

Box Score Postgame Notes PDF Boxscore Photo Gallery

By: Derek Satterfield, Zach Eisendrath

Site: East Lansing, Mich. (Spartan Stadium)
Score: #8 Michigan State 35, Michigan 11
Records: U-M (3-5, 1-3 Big Ten), MSU (7-1, 4-0 Big Ten)
Next U-M Event: Saturday, Nov. 1 -- vs. Indiana (Michigan Stadium), 3:30 p.m.

• Postgame Feature: Wolverines Fail to Capitalize on Chances in Loss to Spartans

EAST LANSING, Mich. -- The University of Michigan football team struggled to stop Michigan State (No. 8 AP, No. 5 USA Today) on offense and lost, 35-11, on Saturday afternoon (Oct. 25) at Spartan Stadium. The victory gives the Spartans the Paul Bunyan trophy for the second consecutive year.

Devin Gardner finished the game completing 15 of 30 passes for 125 yards and two interceptions. De'Veon Smith was Michigan's leading rusher with 39 yards and a touchdown on 11 carries, while Jake Ryan and Joe Bolden led the game with 12 tackles each.

The Spartans scored on the first possession of the game, moving 75 yards down the field on eight plays. Jeremy Langford punched in a two-yard rushing touchdown to end the drive, and MSU took a 7-0 lead at the 11:52 mark of the first quarter.

Michigan forced MSU to go three-and-out on its next possession, and during the punt, Chris Frey was flagged for a helmet-to-helmet hit on Amara Darboh. Following a review of the play, Frey was ejected from the game for targeting. The penalty gave the Wolverines the ball on MSU's 29 yard-line, but Gardner fumbled and surrendered the ball back to the Spartans. Michigan State drove all the way to Michigan's five yard-line, but the Maize and Blue pushed the home team back 13 yards in two plays, and Michael Geiger missed a 36-yard field goal attempt with 1:08 left in the first quarter.

Gardner found Darboh for a 24-yard gain on the ensuing possession to extend the Michigan drive, but the Wolverines were ultimately forced to punt. The Spartans turned the ball over on downs when they decided to gamble on a fourth-and-seven situation rather than attempt a field goal or punt, and Michigan got the ball back with 6:46 left in the first half. After another Michigan punt, Josiah Price fumbled on second down, giving the Maize and Blue possession on State's 31 yard-line. This set up a 48-yard field goal by Matt Wile, bringing the score to 7-3 with 3:30 remaining before the break. State responded with a 73-yard drive, capped off by a one-yard Langford touchdown run to give his squad a 14-3 lead heading into halftime.

With 10:05 to go in the third quarter, RJ Williamson intercepted Gardner and returned the ball 29 yards for a touchdown. This put the Spartans up 21-3, and on their first play after forcing a Michigan punt, Connor Cook threw a 70-yard touchdown pass to Tony Lippett to increase the lead to 28-3. On the Wolverines' next drive, they made it all the way to State's six yard-line, but Gardner was just inches short of the first-down marker on a fourth-and-five play.

U-M recovered a Michigan State fumble with 5:24 left in the fourth quarter and gained possession on MSU's 33-yard line. Receptions by Devin Funchess and Freddy Canteen set up a one-yard touchdown run by Smith. The Wolverines elected to go for two, and Gardner found Jake Butt in the end zone to make the score 28-11 with 3:40 remaining. Langford ran in another touchdown on the Spartans' final possession, making the final score 35-11.

Conor Cook completed 12-of-22 passes for 227 yards and one touchdown, while Langford led all rushers with 177 yards on 35 carries. Michigan State posted 446 total yards of offense, while the Wolverines finished with 186.

Michigan still leads the all-time series, 68-34-5.

The Wolverines return home next Saturday (Nov. 1) to take on Indiana for the homecoming game at Michigan Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. on the Big Ten Network.