Football Game Thread: Penn State at Michigan State
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EAST LANSING, Mich. --- Michigan State (3-6 overall, 0-6 Big Ten) is set to begin its final game at Spartan Stadium of the 2025 season soon. Both the Spartans and Penn State (3-6, 0-6) enter on six-game losing streaks. These two teams and Purdue are the only members of the Big Ten without a conference victory.
Spartan Nation is on site for the game. Below is a brief summary of both teams' seasons, along with live updates from the game.
How We Got Here
Both teams have had the exact same path this year, in terms of wins and losses. Michigan State swept its non-conference schedule, beating Western Michigan, Boston College, and Youngstown State.
Penn State, which began the year ranked No. 2 in the AP Poll, did the same, easily getting through Nevada, FIU, and Villanova.
Then the Big Ten season rolled around. Five of PSU's six conference losses have been during one-possession games. Only one of MSU's defeats has been within one score.
Penn State has also played a more challenging schedule. It's faced four College Football Playoff top-25 opponents: No. 1 Ohio State, No. 2 Indiana, No. 8 Oregon, and No. 21 Iowa so far. The Spartans have only faced two: the Hoosiers and No. 18 Michigan.
For the Nittany Lions, their collapse seemed to begin with the double-overtime loss to the Ducks. It was PSU's famous "White Out" game. Then-head coach James Franklin had a great opportunity as a favorite to pick up one of those top-10 wins that had constantly evaded him in Happy Valley. Penn State had an admirable 14-point comeback in the fourth quarter to force overtime, but quarterback Drew Allar threw an interception that ended the game during the second extra period.
After that was the UCLA upset. The Bruins entered 0-4, and PSU was still ranked seventh in the AP Poll. UCLA stunned the Nittany Lions, 42-37, in what appeared to be the upset of the season in college football at the time.
Northwestern then beat Penn State at Beaver Stadium the following week, 22-21. Franklin was fired the next day, and Terry Smith has been the interim head coach ever since. Since that move, the losses have been 25-24 at Iowa, 38-14 at Ohio State, and 27-24 to Indiana.
All three of those games for the Nittany Lions have been quarterbacked by Ethan Grunkemeyer, since Allar suffered a season-ending injury towards the end of that game against Northwestern.
Live Updates
First Half
Michigan State won the coin toss and elected to defer. Penn State will get the ball first.
First Quarter
THREE-AND-OUT: MSU's defense gets off the field quickly on a Malcolm Bell sack after PSU's Ethan Grunkemeyer fumbled the snap.
TOUCHDOWN, MICHIGAN STATE: Elijah Tau-Tolliver gets in the clear and runs in a 57-yard score on MSU's first play from scrimmage; 7-0, Spartans.
TOUCHDOWN, PENN STATE: Kaytron Allen runs in a touchdown from a wildcat formation from 8 yards out; 7-7.
THREE-AND-OUT: Michigan State quickly punts it away on its second possession.
THREE-AND-OUT: Penn State's offense quickly reaches fourth down as well.
TURNOVER ON DOWNS: MSU's Alessio Milivojevic is pressured on fourth-and-3, and his pass is knocked from his hand as the arm was going forward.
End of Q1: Michigan State 7, Penn State 7
Second Quarter
TURNOVER ON DOWNS: Penn State's Nicholas Singleton gets stuffed on fourth-and-1 just past midfield, as well.
FIELD GOAL, MICHIGAN STATE: Martin Connington makes a 24-yard field goal; 10-7, MSU.
TOUCHDOWN, PENN STATE: Devonte Ross gets behind MSU's defense for a 75-yard score; 14-10, PSU.
THREE-AND-OUT: MSU can't muster up any response on the ensuing drive, and Ryan Eckley's punt was blocked and downed at the Spartans' 41-yard line.
TURNOVER ON DOWNS: Michigan State sacks Grunkemeyer on fourth-and-3 from just outside the red zone.
Half: Penn State 14, Michigan State 10
Second Half
Third Quarter
THREE-AND-OUT: MSU's offense is off the field quickly after both teams also had punted on their first possessions of the second half, as well.
End of Q3: Penn State 14, Michigan State 10
Fourth Quarter
TOUCHDOWN, PENN STATE: The Nittany Lions use some razzle-dazzle for a touchdown on third-and-goal for Devonte Ross that capped off a nine-minute drive; 21-10, PSU
MICHIGAN STATE TURNOVER: Milivojevic is immediately pressured on a blitz and fumbles, giving Penn State the ball back with 3:15 to go.
TOUCHDOWN, PENN STATE: Kaytron Allen runs in a touchdown from 26 yards out; 28-10, Nittany Lions.
TURNOVER ON DOWNS: Michigan State's desperation fourth-and-18 does not convert.
Final: Penn State 28, Michigan State 10
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A 2025 graduate from Michigan State University, Cotsonika brings a wealth of experience covering the Spartans from Rivals and On3 to his role as Michigan State Spartans Beat Writer on SI. At Michigan State, he was also a member of the world-renowned Spartan marching band for two seasons.
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