Of all the ways to lose a football game. Michigan State is basically inventing new ways to lose games these days, this time snatching defeat from the jaws of victory.
Tied 21-21 and getting the ball back after a failed fake punt attempt deep in Northwestern territory, Michigan State looked to have a win in the bag but a blocked field goal was the end of any hope. Northwestern and Aidan Chiles immediately marched down the field and led the Wildcats to a game-winning field goal with two seconds left.
Essentially this was the second straight game in which Michigan State lost on the final play. Just excruciating losses for a team that’s clearly growing and getting better.
Give it up to Chiles for getting hot at the right time and leading Northwestern to a huge come-from-behind win.
What’d we learn from another tough loss?
Ben Roberts is a special player
Let’s start with a positive since 59 minutes of Saturday’s game was a good vibe. Ben Roberts was about as good as you can be on the defensive line, wreaking havoc against both the run and pass and it was clear that Northwestern was trying to avoid him.
Any time the ball was run up the middle, there was no room. Any time Chiles dropped back, he was in his face. Roberts was everywhere and Northwestern’s line couldn’t handle him.
He finished with eight tackles, three tackles for loss, and two sacks — as an interior defensive lineman (!!). Just an insane stat line and performance today from the ”Big Worm”.
Roberts will be making on NFL team happy in the near future.
Aidan Chiles got his revenge
Fitzgerald looked like he was going to get his revenge on his former school but Chiles had different plans and morphed into a player we saw on rare occasions in East Lansing. He flashed signs of being a future NFL quarterback at Michigan State in games against Iowa and Boston College, but it just wasn’t consistent.
This year, it’s been consistent.
Although he struggled through the first three quarters because of all the pressure he was seeing from Michigan State’s defensive line (not a typo), he stuck with it and delivered when it mattered most. He led the Wildcats all the way down the field in a minute with no timeouts and put them in position to hit the game-winning field goal.
Tip of the cap. That was an impressive drive.
The defense played a great game — until the final minute
Pressure on the quarterback, tackles for loss, gang tackling — it was all there for Michigan State’s defense on Saturday despite missing both of its starting linebackers and cornerbacks. Down four key defenders, Michigan State’s defense didn’t miss a beat and actually played probably its best game of the year.
Until that last drive.
The defense was smothering Chiles all game but it just couldn’t finish things off after momentum shifted in a massive way following the blocked field goal.
These guys really fought to the end and just ran out of gas. Down as many players as they were, you have to tip your cap at the effort. Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough.
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