NO. 9 MICHIGAN STATE 56,
WYOMING 14
EAST LANSING, Mich. -- Michigan State's record-setting offense didn't score 73 points again, but it looked like it might in its final Big Ten tuneup on Saturday.
The No. 9 Spartans (3-1) settled for a 56-14 rout of Wyoming, completing their most explosive first four games in school history with a 50.3-point average.
"Very impressive start of the game by our offense," Michigan State Coach Mark Dantonio said. "Really, the first six drives, every drive in the first half, resulted in a touchdown. You have 42 in the first half, tough to overcome that. Defensively, came up with three turnovers and a blocked kick, which is like a turnover, so big momentum swings in the football game."
Jeremy Langford rushed for 137 of the Spartans' 533 total yards, and Connor Cook was 6 for 8 through the air for 109 yards and 2 touchdowns, helping Michigan State score more than 50 points in back-to-back games for the first time since 1978.
The Spartans have scored 174 points in three home games heading into a visit from unbeaten No. 21 Nebraska next Saturday night.
Tony Lippett had 4 catches for 76 yards and 1 touchdown, and Keith Mumphery scored on a run and a reception against the Cowboys (3-2).
Wyoming finished with 286 yards but lost the ball on two fumbles and an interception, three mistakes too many against a team that is averaging nearly a point per minute at home.
Langford began the game with a 36-yard sweep of left end, reversing his field to travel more than 80 yards. Seven plays later, Cook bulled in from the 1 on an option keeper to open the scoring.
Cook got his arm loosened up on the Spartans' second series, hitting Lippett for 18, 14 and a touchdown pass of 19 yards on a post route between three Wyoming defenders.
It was 157-2 in total offense when the Cowboys finally got a first down. They got more than that three plays later when Shaun Wick burst up the middle, eluded safety RJ Williamson and sprinted 57 yards to cut the deficit to 14-7.
Michigan State answered soon after on a 33-yard wide receiver sweep by Mumphery. And after Darien Harris recovered Colby Kirkegaard's fumble at the Wyoming 29, Cook hit wide-open tight end Josiah Price over the middle to make it 28-7.
After Shilique Calhoun leaped to block a 42-yard field goal try, the Spartans went ahead by 28 points when Tyler O'Connor hit Mumphery on a slant for a 6-yard score. Three minutes later, Delton Williams' 4-yard run gave the Spartans their first back-to-back 40-point games since 2007.
In other games involving Big Ten teams, the No. 19 Wisconsin Badgers got 181 yards rushing and 2 touchdowns from Melvin Gordon to overcome a sluggish start in a 27-10 victory over South Florida (2-3) in Madison, Wisc. Gordon scored on runs of 7 and 43 yards for Wisconsin (3-1), which extended its nonconference home winning streak to 32 games. ... Mitch Leidner ran for a touchdown and passed for another and Minnesota beat Michigan 30-14 in Ann Arbor, Mich. David Cobb had 161 total yards in the first half for Minnesota (4-1, 1-0), which held Michigan (2-3, 0-1) to 171 yards of offense. ... C.J. Brown ran for one touchdown and threw for another and backup Caleb Rowe threw two more touchdowns to help Maryland to a 37-15 victory in Bloomington, Ind. The Terrapins (4-1, 1-0) have won five consecutive road games. Nate Sudfeld was held to 14 of 37 passing for 126 yards and 1 interception for Indiana (2-2, 0-1). ... Gary Nova threw three of his four touchdown passes to Leonte Carroo and became Rutgers' all-time leader in touchdown passes to lead Rutgers (4-1) to a 31-6 victory over Tulane in Piscataway, N.J. ... C.J. Beathard's 23-yard touchdown pass to Kevonte Martin-Manley gave Iowa a lead after giving up the first 10 points and the Hawkeyes (4-1, 1-0) held on for a 24-10 victory in West Lafayette, Ind. Beathard was 17 of 37 passing for 245 yards, and Mark Weisman rushed for 76 yards and 2 touchdowns. Purdue (2-3, 0-1) was held to 156 yards of offense. ... Trevor Siemian ran for three touchdowns and passed for 258 yards to lead Northwestern (2-2, 1-0) past Penn State (4-1, 1-1) in University Park, Penn. Penn State was held to 266 yards of offense and 50 rushing yards.
Sports on 09/28/2014