The Michigan State football team couldn’t hold onto its lead as the team struggled to generate any momentum on offense in their 26-16 loss to Iowa Saturday night.
Redshirt senior kicker Jonathan Kim produced one of the more consistent performances of the night for the Spartans and was a big contributor to MSU's scoring. Kim was 3/4 on made field goals, including 1/1 on extra points.
Kim’s biggest kick of the night came right before halftime to give the Spartans a much needed spark.
Michigan State received the ball with just 35 seconds left in the second quarter to try to get to field goal range. Redshirt junior quarterback Noah Kim put together three significant completions to get MSU across midfield, two of which were for 16 yards.
An eight yard completion to the left side of the field on a comeback route to senior wide receiver Montorie Foster Jr. put the ball on the Iowa 40 yard line. With just four seconds on the clock, interim head coach Harlon Barnett sent Kim on the field to attempt the kick.
The official marking was a 58 yard try for Kim. A good snap and hold allowed Kim to drive the ball low with significant power, and the kick sailed through the uprights with a few yards to spare. Not only was the kick a Kinnick Stadium record, but it brought the score within one at the half, a much needed score against a respectable Iowa team. Coach Barnett was fired up with the decision and had full trust in Kim despite the distance.
“It was awesome, it was awesome,” Barnett said. “We came in at halftime and he said, 'Were you nervous when you sent me out there?' I said, 'Not at all, not at all, I wasn’t. I mean I know what you can do. Were you nervous?' And he said 'No.'"
Kim’s 58-yard field goal is the fourth-longest field goal in Spartan program history and the longest since Ralf Mojsiejenko booted a 59 yard kick in 1983. Morten Anderson holds the current MSU record with a 63 yard field goal, which he converted in 1981.
Kim has played a huge role in Michigan State’s success when the offense stalls. This season, Kim is 6-8 on field goal attempts, including 9-9 on extra point tries.
For success on both sides of the ball, Kim will need to continue his consistency to keep the MSU offense in close games such as the matchup with the Hawkeyes tonight.
“He is a weapon for us for sure,” Barnett said.
