Michigan State Football: 3 takeaways from blowout win over Maryland

1. Payton Thorne can win games with his arm

I’m not sure why there was any doubt in this, but Payton Thorne showed on Saturday evening that he can lead Michigan State to wins with his arm.

The Spartans didn’t have much of a run game in the first half against Maryland and they were still up 27-14 because Thorne was having himself a really good game. He had three touchdown passes in the first half and wasn’t making any bad decisions. He was hitting all of his targets and his only interception was a Hail Mary to the end zone with no time left.

Thorne finished the day with 287 yards and four touchdowns on 22-of-30 completions. He was averaging nearly 10 yards per attempt and you would never know who the more prolific passer was heading into this game by watching both him and Taulia Tagovailoa perform.

Thorne was the better quarterback on Saturday night.

People who have said that Thorne can’t win games without Kenneth Walker are wrong because he showed just what he could do when the Heisman-caliber running back was struggling.