Michigan Unable to Catch Michigan State Late, Takes First Loss of Season

Saturday, October 30

East Lansing, Mich.

Noon

Michigan

7-1 , 4-1

Michigan State

8-0 , 5-0

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Michigan

Michigan St.

Cade McNamara (Michigan Photography)

Michigan Unable to Catch Michigan State Late, Takes First Loss of Season

10/30/2021 4:43:00 PM | Football

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By: Dave Ablauf, Chad Shepard

Site: East Lansing, Mich. (Spartan Stadium)
Score: #8 Michigan State 37, #6 Michigan 33
Records: U-M (7-1, 4-1 B1G), MSU (8-0, 5-0 B1G)
Attendance: 76,549
Next U-M Event: Saturday, Nov. 6 -- vs. Indiana (Michigan Stadium), 7:30 p.m. (TV: Fox)

EAST LANSING, Mich. -- The No. 6-ranked University of Michigan football team led by 16 points in the third quarter and retook a three-point lead in the fourth but could not hang on, falling to No. 8 Michigan State 37-33 on Saturday afternoon (Oct. 30) at Spartan Stadium. It was the Wolverines' first loss of the season.

The Wolverines put up 552 total yards of offense, outgaining MSU by 157 yards, with a season-best 406 passing yards as junior quarterback Cade McNamara completed 28 of 44 passes for 383 yards and two touchdowns for the best passing game of his collegiate career.

But Michigan (7-1, 4-1 Big Ten) was doomed by Spartan running back Kenneth Walker, who rushed for 197 yards -- half of MSU's total -- and five touchdowns. He scored on touchdown runs of 58 yards and 23 yards in the fourth quarter to twice put the Spartans in the lead -- the latter for good with 5:08 remaining on the clock.

Senior kicker Jake Moody went 4-for-4 on field goals and reclaimed Michigan's lead with a 36-yarder with 9:20 remaining in the fourth quarter. The Wolverines defense forced MSU into a three-and-out, but quarterback J.J. McCarthy fumbled the ball at the U-M 41-yard line to give Michigan State (8-0, 5-0 Big Ten) a short field for its go-ahead touchdown drive.

Michigan used another stop to earn one more chance late, taking over at its own 33-yard line with 1:15 remaining, but after advancing 15 yards on a roughing-the-passer call, an interception -- just the second thrown by McNamara all season -- effectively ended the game.

It was the Wolverines who won the turnover battle early, scoring 10 points off a pair of interceptions in the first quarter. Freshman wide receiver Andrel Anthony, an East Lansing native, broke out with two touchdowns in the first half, including a 93-yard reception down the left sideline for the first reception and just second touch of his career. He also scored on a 17-yard catch up over a Spartan defender in the end zone late in the second quarter. Anthony finished with six catches for 155 yards -- both career highs.

U-M appeared to have another touchdown a couple minutes later when junior linebacker David Ojabo stripped the ball loose inside the MSU five-yard line and senior defensive end Aidan Hutchinson recovered in the end zone, but the call was overturned upon review. Michigan settled instead for a 34-yard field goal from Moody -- his third of the first half -- to take a 23-14 lead into halftime.

U-M will return home next Saturday (Nov. 6) for a matchup against Indiana at Michigan Stadium. Kickoff time is scheduled for 7:30 p.m., and the game will broadcast live on Fox.