After playing in the hottest game of the early college football season with the kickoff temperature at 107 degrees, the No. 15 Spartans would add to the 0-9 record of Big Ten teams to lose at Sun Devil Stadium Saturday night, losing to Arizona State, 16-13, due to a late, game-winning field goal.
The Spartans and Sun Devils would both struggle to find the end zone for much of the game, until the end of the third quarter, when sophomore wide receiver Cody White hauled in a long pass from junior quarterback Brian Lewerke.
Arizona State kept MSU’s offense on its toes throughout the first half. In the first quarter The Sun Devils intercepted a ball meant for sophomore tight end Matt Dotson in the Spartan end zone to stay within three points of the Spartans.
Arizona State quarterback Manny Wilkins continued to test the Spartan defense by continually throwing the ball deep, gaining 159 yards in the first half. MSU would out-tackle the Sun Devils 40-29.
Sophomore kicker Matt Coghlin went 2 for 2 in his kicks and put his team on the board scoring in the beginning of both halves to start the game out. Arizona State’s placekicker Brandon Ruiz scored nine of the Sun Devils' 16 points in the game.
Matt Morrissey would make a big tackle for the Spartans to stop Arizona State’s junior wide receiver N’Keal Harry from earning a first down deep in MSU territory in the third quarter.
Junior quarterback Brian Lewerke would pass for 315 yards in front of his hometown crowd, throwing one touchdown along with his single interception.
The Sun Devils would tie the game up at 13 after Harry caught a 27-yard pass in the end zone with 8:45 left in the 4th quarter.
Ruiz sealed the victory for Arizona State with a field goal from 28 yards out and no time remaining on the clock.
The Spartans have a bye week before traveling to Memorial Stadium to face Indiana on Sept. 22.
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