Defense/ST Notes: MSU Burns Michigan With Big Plays, Run Game

Michigan Wolverines football held the Michigan State offense to its third-lowest amount of total yards in a game this season (395), but gave up big plays, didn't buckle down in the red zone and allowed 37 points in a four-point loss at Spartan Stadium.

The Spartans averaged 6.0 yards per play, less than Michigan's 6.7, but were able to hit on some big ones. MSU had six passes that went for 15 or more yards and five runs that resulted in gains of 10-plus yards. Heading into Saturday, MSU had 18 plays of 20-plus yards on the season, but gashed the Wolverines for six of those gainers.

Junior running back Kenneth Walker III had a historic afternoon, running for five touchdowns, the most in history by any opposing player against Michigan. He found pay dirt on two fourth-quarter daggers, from 58 and 23 yards out.

RELATED: Offense Notes: Michigan Football Stalls In Red Zone, Fails To Finish Drives

RELATED: Report Card: Grading Michigan Football In A 37-33 Loss At MSU

The nation's leader in yards after contact entering the game, according to Pro Football Focus (PFF), Walker was slippery and evaded tackles, making it a long day for the Michigan defense. He totaled 197 yards on 23 carries for an average of 8.6 yards per rush.

"His ability to bounce out of tackles when you think you have him," Michigan redshirt freshman outside linebacker David Ojabo said. "His ability to extend plays. He’s a good back, and he showed that today."

"Outstanding performance," head coach Jim Harbaugh said. "He’s a very good back. A great back."

“He’s a real shifty runner," junior defensive end Aidan Hutchinson added. "A really good back. He had a really good game.”

MSU's 23 second-half points were the second-most Michigan had allowed in a half this season, behind the 29 the Wolverines gave up in a 32-29 win over Nebraska.

The Maize and Blue were up 16 points late in the third quarter, before yielding an eight-play, 75-yard drive capped off by a Walker score, before the aforementioned 58-yarder and a two-point conversion tied the game.

“I thought we made some really good adjustments," Hutchinson said. "I thought we were stopping them well. At the end of the day, we just weren’t executing our game plan. We had the momentum, things were going our way. We just couldn't capitalize, completely, on that momentum like we’d like to.”

Michigan football made two first-half interceptions, one by second-year freshman safety R.J. Moten on the first drive of the game and one by redshirt freshman defensive end Mike Morris (off a deflection by sophomore safety Daxton Hill) two possessions later.

The Maize and Blue have now forced at least two turnovers in each of the last four contests — three at Wisconsin, two at Nebraska, two versus Northwestern and two against the Spartans.

Michigan almost made one more game-changing play, too, but it was overturned by the officials after review. Ojabo had a strip sack on MSU redshirt sophomore quarterback Payton Thorne, before Hutchinson recovered in the end zone for a score that would've given the Maize and Blue a 27-14 edge late in the second quarter.

Ojabo also did force one fumble in the fourth quarter, his third of the season, but the Spartans recovered.

While Michigan's offense failed to finish drives, settling for field goals on four of its six red-zone appearances, junior kicker Jake Moody helped the Maize and Blue cash in.

Moody nailed place kicks from 26, 38, 35 and 36 yards out, each time either extending a Michigan lead or cutting into a deficit.

For the season, Moody has nailed 18 of 20 attempts, with a long of 51 yards (versus Washington). He's made 13 of his last 14 kicks.

• MSU outrushed Michigan, 199-146. The team that has gained the most rushing yards has won 46 of the last 52 games in the series.

• MSU's 37 points were the most it has ever scored against Michigan in a regulation game. They're also the second-most the Spartans have scored in a Big Ten game this season, behind only the 38 they posted at Northwestern.

• The Spartans' point total is the most Michigan has yielded in a regulation game since giving up 49 to Wisconsin in 2020.

• Ojabo has at least a share of a sack in four straight games after he took down MSU quarterback Payton Thorne near the end of the second quarter.

• Moten's and Morris' interceptions were the first of their careers.

• Hutchinson drew two holding penalties and registered one sack with a pass breakup.

• Redshirt junior linebacker Josh Ross led Michigan with 10 tackles, six solo.

• Redshirt freshman defensive tackle Mazi Smith had two pass breakups, both at or near the line of scrimmage. He has three on the season.

• Michigan has now allowed less than 400 total yards to seven of its eight opponents. The only team to gain 400 or more has been 431 by Nebraska.

• The Spartans' 199 rushing yards are the most Michigan has given up in a game this season. The second-most was 196 to Rutgers.

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