Michigan State offense makes an early statement

The Spartans started the game with the ball and moved down the field with ease. Redshirt sophomore quarterback Payton Thorne attempted just two passes but completed both of them for first downs. The first was a screen pass that just narrowly missed a Penn State defender but was caught and turned upfield for a 13-yard gain by sophomore wide receiver Montorie Foster. Then, MSU faced a third and eight, and Thorne found redshirt freshman tight end Maliq Carr for a 44-yard catch-and-run.

Junior running back Kenneth Walker III, who played a limited role last week while battling an injury, looked back to form when he surged ahead for the game's opening touchdown from two yards out.

Then, on MSU's ensuing possession, Michigan State was backed up all the way to its own one-yard line. The first play was a give to Walker, who burst through the line for a 35-yard run, followed by a 15-yard run that all of a sudden put the Spartans across midfield.

A deep pass down the sidelines to redshirt junior wide receiver Jayden Reed plus a pass interference penalty set up a first goal, and MSU threatened to take an early two-possession lead. On third down, Thorne extended the play to his left and found a wide-open redshirt sophomore wide receiver Tre Mosley in the back of the end zone, and the Spartans took a 14-0 lead midway through the first quarter.

Still no answers for the Spartan secondary

It took a while for Penn State to figure out, but the Michigan State pass defense is still vulnerable.

MSU looked like it was close to getting another defensive stop when it forced a third and 12 from the 45. Penn State quarterback Sean Clifford threw a pass to the sideline, and junior cornerback Chester Kimbrough was nearly successful in jumping the route. Somehow, he missed the ball, and it fell into the hands of Penn State star receiver Jahan Dotson for a first down.

The Nittany Lions hurried to the line of scrimmage and attacked Kimbrough right away with a shot down the right sideline. Dotson easily burned Kimbrough, and he glided for a 27-yard touchdown.

Penn State went right back to the well, taking advantage of favorable field advantage following a Michigan State three-and-out. In just three plays, PSU had the game tied up in the second quarter with a 30-yard strike to Dotson, his second of the half.

Snow football is fun football

It doesn't happen much, but every so often, Michigan State fans get to battle the elements in Spartan Stadium. Today, the snow has been falling, creating quite an entertaining environment for MSU's last regular-season game.

The yard lines, the endzone, and the Spartan head at midfield are all blanketed in snow. The stadium lights are putting on a show, which looks even cooler with the snow falling from the sky. We've got shirtless fans in the crowd and players struggling to stay on their feet. We even got a warning from the stadium PA announcer to stop throwing snowballs at the Penn State bench.

Player safety is always a priority, but this is all part of the fun. In a game typically with lower attendance post-Thanksgiving, Michigan State fans packed 'The Woodshed' to see their team attempt to reach 10 wins for the first time since 2017.

We can't tell mother nature what to do, but hopefully, we'll get some more games like this in the future.