Payton Thorne, Jayden Reed and the play that saved the Spartans

In the game's biggest moment, Payton Thorne and Jayden Reed made the play of the game

EAST LANSING, Mich. – The old clichés go something like this: “It only takes one play” – or – “We’re one play away” – or – “The game could be decided on one play”.

There were a plethora of plays made in Saturday’s rivalry showdown between No. 8 Michigan State and No. 6 Michigan.

These are good teams. They each have good players – exceptional players. There were play-makers all over the field at Spartan Stadium.

But one play stood above the rest. One play when, more than at any other time of the game, the outcome hung in the balance.

Fourth down and four. Ball at the Michigan 29 yard line. Five minutes on the clock. Third quarter.

The Wolverines have scored 17 consecutive points to take a 30-14 lead. The Spartans are on the ropes. A field goal isn’t good enough here, they need a touchdown.

Michigan State quarterback Payton Thorne takes the snap, drops back, and throws up the right sideline to wide receiver Jayden Reed, who’s blanketed by Michigan’s best coverage defender – nickel corner/safety Daxton Hill.

In the game’s biggest moment, when the Spartans needed it most, Thorne’s throw was perfect, and Reed’s catch was memorable.

“The call came in and I loved it,” Thorne said of the play-call. “We hadn’t called it all game, and I knew we were going to have a matchup there, and thankfully they rolled coverage – I think they played straight man. I have confidence [Reed’s] going to win that every time he runs it, no matter who’s playing him.”

Reed got just enough separation from Hill, and Thorne dropped the ball right in his arms for a 28-yard gain.

“It felt good coming out of my hand,” Thorne said. “I was just watching it, and praying that he would come down with it. And he made a good play. It was a great catch and it set up that next touchdown.”

On the next play, Spartan tailback Kenneth Walker scored from one yard out. Michigan State converted their two-point conversion attempt to cut their deficit to 30-22, and breathe life back into a game that was getting away from them.

“In that game, when you’re down, you can’t panic,” Reed said. “You’ve got to keep your composure, keep chopping, as we always do on the sideline. You’ve got to have the mentality that you’re going to come out on top regardless, whatever position you’re in. And that’s the mindset. When things get hard you’ve got to keep going.”

The Spartans’ proved their resiliency on Saturday afternoon. The game could not have gotten off to much of a worst start for MSU. Thorne threw an interception on the opening drive, and Michigan scored on a 93-yard touchdown pass from Cade McNamara to Andrel Anthony to make it 7-0.

“I’ve just got to realize that that’s not a slow-developing play,” Thorne said. “We ran a slant and go. I knew they rolled coverage, and they’ve got [a safety] high, and that ball can’t go that high, because he’s going to make that play.”

Thorne’s second interception came on the Spartans’ third drive, and it’s fair to call it “unlucky”. Hill came off the edge on a blitz for the Wolverines, timed Thorne’s throw well, jumped up and the ball deflected up off the safety’s helmet and into the arms of Michigan’s Mike Morris.

“The second one, it hits the guy right in the stinking facemask and bounces straight in the air,” Thorne said. “I’m like, ‘Really? Or course.’ But you move past that one too. Both of them were in the first half. You’ve got the whole game in front of you.”

Thorne’s poor start didn’t sink his game. The redshirt sophomore finished the game with 196 yards on 19-of-30 passing. He didn’t throw for a touchdown, but the sideline throw to Reed and a 4th-and-2 completion in the second quarter to wide receiver Jalen Nailor set up Walker’s two shortest touchdown runs of the day.

“He just kept a ‘next-play’ mentality,” Reed said. “You can’t stay on the last play, that will mess up your game. So, you just have a next-play mentality and that helped us out a lot.”

The connection between Thorne and Reed goes beyond the completions from quarterback to receiver on the football field. The two grew up together in Naperville, Ill. and began playing football together in middle school.

They both attended Metea Valley High School and both transferred to Naperville Central High School before the 2017 season, which was Thorne's junior year and Reed's senior year.

Reed started his college career at Western Michigan University, and Thorne was originally committed to play for the Broncos as well, but flipped his commitment to the Spartans. Six months later, Reed entered the transfer portal and found a new home in East Lansing, alongside his high school quarterback.

So, when the game was on the line, who else was Thorne going to trust than the guy that he’s known and played with through most of his life?

“There was nothing that was said on the sideline, like, ‘Okay, I’m coming to you,” Thorne said. “But you look out there, they play man coverage and he’s in the slot – I feel confident in that spot.”

Reed payed off that confidence with the biggest catch of the game.

“We definitely have those connections. That’s every game. We see a mismatch, a certain coverage, we always make corrections,” Reed said.

The redshirt-junior was targeted 12 times by Thorne, more than double that of any other receiver. Reed finished with 6 catches for 80 yards. The 28-yard grab on the critical fourth down was his longest reception of the day.

“He was doing a good job getting open, offensive line was giving me time to throw it, and he made a couple great catches on balls that weren’t perfectly placed. He played great,” Thorne said.

After the game, with the celebration in the Spartan locker room in full swing, the long-time teammates connected one more time.

“I see him in the locker room after the game, and I gave him a big hug,” Thorne said. “It’s just like, ‘Man, this is awesome.’ This is what I’ve dreamt about my whole life, to play in a game like this and to do it with my life-long friend like that? What more can you ask? So, I’m definitely blessed, and it’s all to God.”