Fourth-down fizzles doom Michigan State football in loss to Wisconsin
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MADISON, WI – If at first you don’t succeed on fourth down … you might be the Spartans offense.
Michigan State football turned the ball over on downs five times in a 31-3 loss to Wisconsin on Saturday, Oct. 3, at Camp Randall Stadium.
The Spartans, who haven’t reached the end zone since there was 6:07 left in the first half of last week’s loss to Nebraska, reached Badgers territory three times in the first half, but were unable to convert twice, getting their lone points on a Liam Boyd field goal with 9 seconds left in the half.
The third quarter brought two more trips into Wisconsin territory, as QB Alessio Milivojevic led the Spartans first to the Badgers’ 46 – where a Marvis Parrish rush on fourth-and-1 was stopped for no gain – and then to the 39 – where a Milivojevic pass to Fredrick Moore on fourth-and-7 fell incomplete.
MSU again crossed midfield early in the fourth quarter, only for a would-be conversion pass on fourth-and-4 from the Wisconsin 43 to be dropped by Chrishon McCray.
The Spartans finished 1-for-6 on fourth down against the Badgers, with their lone conversion coming on a Wisconsin penalty in the first half.
The loss drops Michigan State to 2-3, and 0-2 in the Big Ten, while Wisconsin improves to 3-1 and 2-0 in conference play.
Even more injury woes
After a disastrous Week 4 game that featured numerous injuries, the Spartans were just hoping to get through their visit to Madison healthy.
That did not happen.
Backup QB Cam Fancher, who opened the second half at QB with the Spartans trailing 17-3, limped off the field with an apparent right knee injury on MSU's first drive.
On first-and-10 from MSU’s 45, Fancher scrambled for a 3-yard gain, diving forward when his knee appeared to go out without contact.
After a visit from the training staff, Fancher limped off the field, unable to put much weight on his right leg. After a visit to the injury tent, Fancher emerged without his helmet, visibly limping. A trainer then wrapped Fancher's knee, apparently signaling the end of his day.
On the ensuing Wisconsin drive, MSU suffered a loss on the defensive side, as linebacker Caleb Wheatland left the field to go into the injury tent. He was later shown leaving the field for the locker room, visibly limping. The Spartans were already without captain Jordan Hall and fellow starter Brady Pretzlaff played, coming off an injury. Backup linebackers Dion Crawford and Cam Stodghill also entered Saturday listed as questionable, though Crawford played.
Fourth and too long
Michigan State struggled to run the ball in the first half of its first game without standout running back Cam Edwards; the Spartans averaged just 3.2 yards on the ground. Each of MSU’s first two drives reached Wisconsin territory before sputtering out, with the Spartans going just 1-for-3 on fourth-down tries in the first 20 minutes, despite drives that lasted 11 and 12 plays.
Wisconsin had few such issues, marching into the end zone on its first drive on 13 plays covering 75 yards, and then again on its second drive. That push moved 59 yards in just five plays, with QB Colton Joseph chewing up 26 yards on the first play and finishing the drive with a 15-yard pass to Jacob Harris.
The Spartans finally got on the board on their fourth possession, after Wisconsin stalled at midfield with a little over a minute left. MSU pushed down to Wisconsin’s 13, aided by a roughing the passer call and a pass interference flag. This time on fourth down, coach Pat Fitzgerald opted to kick the field goal, with 9 seconds remaining in the half.
Next up: Homecoming
The Spartans return home to host Illinois on Saturday, Oct. 10 (3:30 p.m., FS1). The Illini were set to host Purdue on Saturday afternoon, looking for a recovery after getting flattened by Ohio State last week. It’s homecoming for MSU … and for the quarterback they’ll face in Illinois’ Katin Houser. The fifth-year senior is in his first season with the Illini after two years with East Carolina.
Houser opened his college career at MSU, appearing in 13 games and completing 58.5% of his passes for 1,132 yards, six touchdowns and five interceptions before transferring after Mel Tucker was fired in East Lansing. Houser entered Saturday having completed 68.6% of his passes for 1,021 yards nine TDs and two picks in four starts.
This is a breaking news story and will be updated.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Fourth-down fizzles doom Michigan State football in loss to Wisconsin
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