Redshirt junior quarterback Payton Thorne still didn’t give the performance many expected from him. He completed 64% of his passes for 212 yards and zero touchdowns, while throwing two interceptions.

The defense however, had quite a game. MSU forced four fumbles that were all able to be utilized by the offense and turned into scoring opportunities.

The Zips were marching down the field with ease in their opening drive until senior Kendell Brooks forced a fumble recovered by redshirt sophomore linebacker Cal Haladay, effectively ending Akron’s momentum. 

MSU’s offense then took the field and gave Berger three straight carries to get them within scoring position. Although Berger did much of the heavy lifting, it was Broussard who was given the green light to take it to the house and give the Spartans a quick 7-0 lead.

In almost an identical sequence of events, redshirt junior defensive tackle Maverick Hansen fell on another Akron fumble, this time forced by senior linebacker Jacoby Windmon, to allow the Spartans to regain possession. Thorne then rushed it down the field, before handing the ball off to Broussard for a few carries. In a complete swap of the last scoring drive, Berger was called in to get the one-yard rushing touchdown, putting MSU up 14-0.

The fumbles continued to give the Spartan defense a break in the first half. Next, Windmon recovered it and the Spartans took over at their own 44-yard line. Broussard took the lead on this drive, hand-in-hand with Thorne to get the team down the field, but this time Berger took over halfway through for yet another one-yard rushing touchdown to extend the lead to 21.

Fifth-year wide receiver Jayden Reed showed off the full extent of his skills for the first time this season by taking an 86-yard punt return to the endzone, but the touchdown was waived off due to a holding penalty.

Freshman kicker Jack Stone then nailed a 43-yard field goal to make the lead 24 before the Spartans hit the locker room at the half.

Reed, along with redshirt senior defensive tackle Jacob Slade and junior safety Angelo Grose all suffered injuries in the first half. Reed collided with the visitors bench on a hustle play and appeared to be shaken up, while Slade and Grose walked off the field unassisted after being slow to get up on separate plays. 

Slade and Grose returned in the second half, but Reed remained out the rest of the game with a cut on his back, as reported by Big Ten Network sideline reporter Audrey Dahlgren.

The second half proved to be just as eventful as the first.

Haladay had a monster sack to force a fumble that was recovered by MSU. Redshirt sophomore quarterback Noah Kim then came in after Thorne looked to be shaken up after taking a hit, and quickly recorded his first career touchdown by connecting with Tre Mosley in the endzone to put the Spartans up 31-0. 

While the Zips had no answer, Broussard and Berger weren’t done yet. Broussard got his second touchdown of the night with a two-yard rush, to extend the lead yet again to 38. Berger then followed his lead for his third touchdown of the night, also a two-yard rush to put the Spartans up 45-0.

Although the two of them made up for most of the offensive firepower, there was one more running back that wanted in on the action.

Redshirt senior Elijah Collins was given the ball for six straight carries ending with a touchdown, his first rushing touchdown since 2019, to run up the score 52-0 at the end of the third quarter. 

The Spartans used the fourth quarter to sub in young players to get in-game experience. Hence the appearance of freshman quarterback Katin Houser, who played his first snap at the college level. He went 1-2 for two yards.

There was no score change in the substitution-filled fourth quarter and the Spartans completed the 52-0 victory over Akron. They will travel to Seattle next Saturday to take on Washington for their first game on the road and first real test of the season.