Spartan Stadium filled up quickly with fans and cheers as redshirt-freshman Brian Lewerke walked onto the field to take command of the offense for the Spartans first offensive drive. A game of scores and responses resulted in Lewerke and the Spartans trailing Northwestern 19-17 at halftime of MSU’s homecoming game.
The Spartans first scoring drive was sparked by great field position, following a nice special teams play by linebacker T.J. Harrell to pin the Wildcats at their own one-yard line. The defense, who got linebacker Riley Bullough back from injury, held and the Wildcats punted from their own end zone, giving MSU a drive only 38 yards from points.
Three plays later, Lewerke found tight end Josiah Price for his first career touchdown pass. Lewerke finished the half going 8-of-14 passing for 73 yards and that score.
The next Northwestern drive went much worse than the first one, as true freshman Justin Layne, who switched over from wide receiver to cornerback just two weeks ago, read a throw from Northwestern quarterback Clayton Thorson and took it back for six –– MSU’s first defensive touchdown of the season. Just like that, with 8:31 to go in the first quarter, MSU led 14-0.
Northwestern got a touchdown back in the later half of the first quarter with a 29-yard scamper from junior running back Justin Jackson, who made a few Spartan defenders miss before waltzing into the end zone. Jackson led the Wildcat offense with 18 carries for 98 yards and a score.
Lewerke and the Spartan offense got into Northwestern territory just before the end of the first, and that drive opened up the second quarter and MSU was able to cap that drive off with a 41-yard field goal from senior kicker Michael Geiger.
Northwestern responded again, this time resulting in a touchdown pass from Thorson to Austin Carr, who leads the Big Ten in most receiving categories, including yards, receptions, and touchdowns. Carr finished the half with six catches for 52 yards and that score while Thorson was 14-19 for 88 yards with a touchdown and an interception.
Following a penalty that pinned MSU at their own five-yard line, Lewerke was sacked in the end zone on third down, making the score 17-16 and giving Northwestern solid field position after a punt on the kickoff. Northwestern turned that field position into three points with a 33-yard field goal from kicker Jack Mitchell and gave Northwestern their first lead of the game at 19-17 with 6:42 left in the half.
Lewerke was MSU’s leading rusher in the first half as well, picking up 30 yards on the ground in seven attempts. Sophomore LJ Scott was next up with just two carries but for 25 yards,though Gerald Holmes and Madre London both saw action in the half. MSU’s leading receiver in the first half was R.J. Shelton, who caught three balls for 34 yards, including a 33-yard completion on Lewerke’s first throw of the game.
The Spartans were led defensively in the first half by safety Montae Nicholson who had 11 tackles and one for loss. Northwestern defensive back Godwin Igwebuike led the Wildcats with six tackles and a pass break-up.
Support student media!
Please consider donating to The State News and help fund the future of journalism.
Discussion
Share and discuss “HALFTIME: MSU trails Northwestern 19-17 in back and forth contest” on social media.
