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Michigan State football holds on late in 24-17 win over Purdue

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60 minutes ago

November 24, 2024

Michigan State football holds on late in 24-17 win over Purdue

EAST LANSING — For half-hour, with the wind blowing and the rain falling and the stands removed from full, Michigan State soccer put all the pieces collectively.

The offense clicked and scored 24 straight factors. The protection received stops, producing sacks and turnovers.

Then got here the second half shutdown, bringing on survival mode. And, ultimately, escape at house in opposition to one of many nation’s worst groups.

Jonathan Smith’s staff now should discover a technique to grind out 60 extra minutes of successful soccer to increase their season.

Aidan Chiles went 15-for-31 for 159 yards and two touchdowns whereas working for 26 extra, Nate Carter scored dashing and receiving TDs, and Jordan Turner delivered a diving fourth-quarter interception because the Spartans staved off lowly Purdue, 24-17, on Friday evening at Spartan Stadium.

Finally, it got here all the way down to a fourth-down Chiles sneak after the sophomore ran out of bounds simply shy of a game-clinching first down. He picked it up one play later by the size of a soccer, and the Spartans ran out the clock.

“We gotta play for 4 quarters, and we wish to try this higher. However we discovered a technique to win a sport,” Smith stated. “Received one other house sport with loads to play for subsequent week.”

MSU (4-6, 2-5 Huge Ten) closes the common season subsequent Saturday when it hosts Rutgers, needing yet one more win in Smith’s first season to turn into bowl-eligible for the primary time since 2021. Kickoff is 3:30 p.m. (FS1).

“We’ve got to win this final sport to have the ability to have a successful season,” security Nikai Martinez stated. “On the finish of the day, if we win this final sport, we battle and get a bowl sport, win the bowl sport and finish the season on a excessive observe. I really feel like that is the most important factor.”

The Scarlet Knights (6-4, 3-4) host Illinois at midday Saturday.

INJURY WATCH:Michigan State tight finish Jack Velling carted off in Purdue sport after large hit

Quarterback Hudson Card was 26-for-47 for 342 yards, a landing and an interception for Purdue (1-10, 0-8), which has misplaced 10 straight since its season-opening win over Indiana State of the Soccer Championship Subdivision. The Boilermakers gave the Spartans matches by going 5-for-13 on third downs, together with 3-for-6 of their second-half comeback, and 2-for-3 on fourth downs.

30 sturdy minutes for Spartans

It wasn’t excellent by any measure. However MSU opened a 24-3 halftime lead with considered one of its best half-hour of the season.

The Boilers moved the ball rapidly and effectively on the opening drive, however the Spartans lastly registered their first sack in seven video games when Angelo Grose dropped Card on third-and-8. That compelled a 40-yard Ben Freehill subject purpose after a 5:23 Purdue possession that put MSU in a short gap.

Tight finish Jack Velling was knocked out of the sport on the Spartans’ ensuing drive, taken to an area hospital for analysis after being pushed off on a backboard and cart. That got here after Chiles hit his fellow Oregon State switch for an 11-yard completion on third-and-9 to maintain the chains transferring.

A Michigan State spokesperson later stated Velling was taken to Sparrow Hospital in Lansing for analysis after being knocked out of the sport within the first quarter. Smith, who recruited Velling to Oregon State and MSU, didn’t have an replace on his situation however stated Velling was capable of watch the second half on the hospital.

“I spoke to him on the cellphone within the locker room only a bit in the past. He is on the hospital, a radical, precautionary-type factor,” Smith stated. “However he was in good spirits …, however I haven’t got something definitive.”

Following an extended delay, Chiles used his legs to transform one other third down, then hit backup tight finish Ademola Faleye for 14 yards to the Purdue 7. On the following play, Chiles zipped a dart to Montorie Foster Jr. within the entrance proper nook of the tip zone for a 7-yard TD go with 4:24 left within the opening quarter.

The Spartans tacked on a 43-yard Jonathan Kim subject purpose after a three-and-out by their protection. The offense rapidly received the ball again two performs into the Boilersmakers’ subsequent drive, with Quindarius Dunningan stripping the ball from Devin Mockobee and Maverick Hansen pouncing on it at Purdue’s 33. It was MSU’s second fumble restoration of the season and first since Sept. 21 at Boston School, the Spartans’ first turnover compelled previously 4 video games.

Chiles almost gave it proper again when Purdue’s Dillon Thieneman — who delivered the hit on Velling — picked off a seemingly errant go and ran it again into MSU territory. However Foster drew a go interference flag on Tarrion Grant to as a substitute transfer the Spartans 15 yards nearer to the tip zone. Six performs later, on third-and-goal, Carter pecked his means down the road of scrimmage and hit the pylon on his dive for a 2-yard landing with 7:45 left.

MSU received one other sack of Card, then Freehill’s 30-yard subject purpose try his his teammate behind the helmet with 2:36 earlier than halftime. Chiles marched the Spartans 84 yards in 10 performs, utilizing his legs for one more third-down conversion with an 18-yard acquire earlier than making two NFL throws to shut the drive. The primary was a 33-yard deep fade to Foster, the ultimate 20 approaching a laser to Carter on a working again wheel route that despatched MSU into the locker room with its first halftime lead because it beat Iowa on Oct. 19.

Chiles was 10-for-19 for 120 yards and two TDs passing and 23 yards on three dashing makes an attempt. Kay’ron Lynch-Adams had 54 yards because the Spartans ran for 100 yards on 20 makes an attempt. Their protection held Purdue to minus-7 yards on the bottom within the first two quarters to offset Card’s 141 passing yards.

ON THE COURTS:Tom Izzo: Michigan State basketball will ‘reap advantages rapidly’ from robust scheduling

The place’d the mojo go?

Because the second half started and the off-and-on rain became a gentle drizzle, lots of the followers 57,000-plus followers who braved the chilly, a big majority of them college students, left Spartan Stadium.

And with them went MSU’s mojo and momentum.

The Spartans’ opening possession of the third quarter resulted in simply 9 yards despite the fact that a Chiles sneak gave them a fourth-down conversion. Purdue wanted 10 performs to maneuver 73 yards, with Card hitting Shamar Rigby for a 17-yard acquire on fourth-and-5 earlier than Mockobee raced across the left facet for a 2-yard landing run to chop into MSU’s lead whereas gnawing one other 5:24 off the clock.

Card and the Boilermakers continued to make the most of the additional possibilities and injury-depleted MSU secondary. Grose was flagged for go interference on a third-and-8 that saved the drive alive. Then Card, going through third-and-21 after a timeout because of the Spartans’ persistent strain, raced away from Ken Talley and delivered a 38-yard comeback strike to receiver Jaron Tibbs in entrance of cornerbacks Ade Willie and Ed Woods. Card discovered tight finish Max Klare for a 7-yard rating on the following play.

MSU’s offensive quagmire continued with a fast three-and-out, and Purdue received the ball with an opportunity to tie and 9:44 left. However Card’s go to Klare bounced off his palms, Grose tipped it and Turner made a diving interception not even a minute later.

Purdue received the ball again once more, although, as MSU couldn’t capitalize. Card’s deep shot to a wide-open Jahmal Edrine nicely behind the Spartans’ defenders hit his receiver in-stride and slid by means of his palms. Tibbs dropped a third-down go, and Turner and Khris Bogle compelled Card right into a fourth-down incompletion with 3:18 left. That arrange Chiles to get the ultimate first down, although his preliminary 4-yard run got here up simply brief in entrance of the Purdue bench.

MSU managed simply 73 of its 293 yards within the second half, together with 17 on the ultimate drive, whereas Chiles was simply 5-for-12 for 39 yards after halftime.

“We did the little issues within the first half. I imply, we nonetheless had minor errors on sure performs, however I feel we mounted them, flushed our errors and saved on pushing. And it confirmed,” Chiles stated. “After which second half, we got here out and, I do not know. We performed like — I am not gonna say what we performed like, however we did not play good.”

Contact Chris Solari:[email protected]. Comply with him @chrissolari.

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