Michigan State Wins a 2OT Classic vs. Boston College, 42-40
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EAST LANSING, Mich. --- Michigan State found a way. After a long, back-and-forth contest, Aidan Chiles found Omari Kelly in the back of the endzone for a game-winning two-point conversion in double overtime to send MSU to a 42-40 victory over Boston College on Saturday night.
The Spartans get revenge for a 23-19 loss to the Eagles from last year in sweet fashion and improve to 2-0 on the young season.
MSU trailed this game 21-14 at the half and hadn't outscored an FBS opponent in the second half during the Jonathan Smith era. The Spartans were able to do just that and get the game to overtime, where it came down to the fact that they got the two-point conversion and Boston College didn't.
It can be funny how such hard-fought games can be sized down to one or two plays. Michigan State made those plays in this one to get the win.
First Half
Ball security was not the theme of the start of this game. MSU's defense seemed to have forced a three-and-out, but then Spartan WR Omari Kelly fumbled on the ensuing punt return.
Boston College looked to turn Michigan State's mistake into points, but Turbo Richard lost the ball while trying to extend it over the goal line. MSU fell on it in the endzone to get the ball back.
With its own second chance, Michigan State took advantage. The Spartans had third-and-goal from the 11-yard line, but Nick Marsh got open and carried several defenders with him to get across the goal line and make it 7-0, MSU.
That score held for the rest of the initial 15 minutes as the two teams traded punts, but Boston College quarterback Dylan Lonergan found VJ Wilkins for 56 yards on the second-to-last play of the quarter. The Eagles got on the board a little more than two minutes into the second to tie the game up on a pass from Lonergan to Richard.
On the ensuing drive, Michigan State decided to go for it near midfield. The Spartans directly snapped it to Brandon Tullis, but Boston College was ready for it and got the stop and the ball in great field position.
The Eagles quickly paid it off to take the lead, as Lonergan went to Jaedn Skeete to give Boston College its first lead.
MSU had a quick response, though. Alante Brown returned the kickoff all the way to the BC 33-yard line. Chiles had Michael Masunas wide open a couple of plays later for the response that tied the game at 14.
Still, Boston College's offense could not be stopped. Lonergan picked up his third passing touchdown of the second quarter, this one to Reed Harris, with 31 seconds left to give the Eagles a 21-14 halftime lead.
Second Half
MSU got the ball to open the second half. Things looked bleak with third-and-7 out of the gate, but Chiles stepped up and hit back-to-back deep balls; the first went to Kelly for 30 yards, and the second went to Marsh for 41 yards and a touchdown that knotted things up at 21.
The Eagles continued to move the ball on offense, but the drive stalled out in the red zone. Luca Lombardo made his 37-yard field goal try to give BC a 24-21 lead.
We kept going back and forth, though. On his first career attempt, Spartan kicker Martin Connington boomed a 50-yard field goal to tie it up again, this time at 24.
Following that, MSU's defense was finally able to get off the field and forced a three-and-out. That ended a streak of four consecutive drives where BC scored. That sent the game into the fourth quarter tied at 24-24.
The Spartans' drive stalled after a holding penalty and a sack, but Ryan Eckley's punt pinned Boston College at its own 1-yard line. The Eagles escaped the depths of their own endzone, but didn't get much further and also punted.
MSU got its offense going again. The Spartans got right near the goal line, but a holding call wiped away a touchdown and Michigan State had to settle for the field goal try. Connington delivered again to make it 27-24 with 4:08 left.
BC wouldn't go away, though. The Eagles marched down the field and put three back on the board with 1:16 to go.
MSU's potential game-winning drive looked promising at first, getting as far as the Boston College 41, but back-to-back sacks killed the momentum. Chiles also got hurt on the third-down play.
Eckley pinned BC deep again, and the Eagles were content with taking things into overtime.
Overtime
The Spartans went to an unlikely target on the first drive of overtime. Chiles found fullback Jay Coyne to get MSU seven points with their turn with the ball.
Boston College was ready for the response, though. Lonergan found Jeremiah Franklin in the endzone to send the game to double overtime.
The Eagles went on the move quick when they got the ball first in the second overtime, scoring in two plays. What opened the door for MSU was that the Spartans stopped BC on the mandated two-point conversion attempt.
It didn't take long for Michigan State to score either. The Spartans got in the endzone on the third play of their turn with the ball in 2OT, as Chiles ran it in. MSU's QB1 then found Kelly open in the endzone for the win on its two-point try.
Notable Performances
QB Aidan Chiles: 19-29, 231 yards, 4 TDs, 0 INTs
WR Nick Marsh: 5 rec, 68 yards, 2 TDs
RB Makhi Frazier: 17 carries, 81 yards
LB Jordan Hall: 15 total tackles, forced fumble
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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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