Bloomington, Ind. — It was a first half unlike any other this season for the MSU football team (3-2 overall, 0-1 Big Ten), as the Indiana Hoosiers (2-2, 0-1) left the field to raucous cheers, leading the Spartans 27-14.
Indiana ran roughshod against MSU’s heralded defense, scoring their first touchdown a little more than a minute into the game, before jumping out to a 17-0 lead at the end of the first quarter.
MSU struggled to keep up with Indiana’s fast-paced passing game, led by sophomore quarterback Cameron Coffman, who completed 23-of-30 passes for 256 yards and three touchdowns.
After a sluggish first quarter quarter where MSU’s offense managed just 22 yards, junior quarterback Andrew Maxwell started to heat up, and the offense kicked into gear.
After completing 4-of-8 passes for nine yards in the first quarter, Maxwell led the Spartans on two touchdown scoring drives, completing 7-of-8 passes in the second quarter for 104 yards.
Maxwell found senior running back Larry Caper for a 15-yard touchdown pass, and junior running back Le’Veon Bell ran in a touchdown from two yards out for the Spartans two scores.
Bell finished the half with 13 carries for 52 rushing yards and a touchdown.
It is the first time Oct. 29, 2009 that Indiana has led a game at halftime, but trailing after two quarters is nothing new for the Spartans, who only have led one game at halftime this season.
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