2012 GAME RECAPS GAME 10 • NO. 21/21 NEBRASKA 28, MICHIGAN STATE 24 Game 10 vs. Nebraska Nov. 3, 2012 • East Lansing, Mich. Spartan Stadium • Att: 73,522
SCORE BY QUARTERS Nebraska (7-2, 4-1) Michigan State (5-5, 2-4)
EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) - Darqueze Dennard intercepted a pass and appeared to run it back for a 96-yard touchdown - then the return was negated by a penalty. Later, Michigan State allowed a 38-yard pass on fourth-and-10 when a stop would have put the game out of reach. Finally, when Dennard seemed to have broken up a third-down throw to the end zone, he was called for pass interference. At that point, the Spartans had given No. 21 Nebraska one chance too many. Taylor Martinez threw a 5-yard touchdown pass to Jamal Turner with 6 seconds left, giving Nebraska a 28-24 win over Michigan State that kept the Cornhuskers tied with Michigan atop the Big Ten Legends Division. The Cornhuskers scored two touchdowns in the final 7:02 to erase a 24-14 deficit. The winning score was set up by a pass interference call in the end zone on Dennard, which gave Nebraska the ball at the 5 when the Cornhuskers would have otherwise had to attempt a tying field goal. Le’Veon Bell ran for 188 yards and two touchdowns for Michigan State. Martinez rushed for 205 yards and two touchdowns, becoming Nebraska’s career leader in total offense. Nebraska is unbeaten in seven meetings with Michigan State, but the Cornhuskers never led this one until the end, after they took over at their own 20 with 1:20 remaining and went 80 yards in nine plays. Martinez kept the drive alive with a 38-yard completion to Kyler Reed to the Michigan State 20 on fourth-and-10. On third down from the 20, Martinez threw down the right sideline for Kenny Bell, but Dennard was there in coverage. It looked like Dennard turned around in plenty of time to make a play on the ball, but he may have impeded Bell’s progress with his right arm. The flag came out, giving Nebraska a new set of downs. Martinez found Turner on an out pattern at the left edge of the end zone. Dennard’s penalty wasn’t the only one that cost Michigan State. With the score 24-14, Dennard intercepted a pass at his own 4 and weaved his way back for what looked like a long touchdown return. It was nullified by a personal foul during the return on Michigan State’s Johnny Adams. The Spartans ended up having to punt, and Martinez made it 24-21 with his 35-yard touchdown run with 7:02 to play. Less than a minute later, Michigan State was punting again. The Spartans stopped Nebraska on fourth down near midfield with 3:12 remaining, but the Cornhuskers had timeouts remaining and forced one more punt - on fourth-and-2 from the Nebraska 39. After a low snap, Mike Sadler kicked the ball into the end zone, giving Nebraska plenty of breathing room to start the winning drive.
SCORING SUMMARY
1 7 7
2 7 7
3 0 3
4 14 7
-
F 28 24
FIRST QUARTER MSU (7-0) Bell 11-yard run (Conroy kick), 4:28 left Drive: 10 plays, 68 yards, 5:02 NEB (7-7) Abdullah 2-yard pass from Martinez (Maher kick), 2:07 left Drive: 5 plays, 75 yards, 2:21 SECOND QUARTER MSU (14-7) Lippett 46-yard pass from Maxwell (Conroy kick), 6:56 left Drive: 4 plays, 80 yards, 2:02 NEB (14-14) Martinez 71-yard run (Maher kick), 3:11 left Drive: 2 plays, 73 yards, 0:51 THIRD QUARTER MSU (17-14) Conroy 25-yard field goal, 10:21 left Drive: 11 plays, 68 yards, 4:39 FOURTH QUARTER MSU (24-14) Bell 1-yard run (Conroy kick), 14:20 left Drive: 8 plays, 38 yards, 3:43 NEB (21-24) Martinez 35-yard run (Maher kick), 7:02 left Drive: 6 plays, 58 yards, 2:03 NEB (28-24) Turner 5-yard pass (Maher kick), 0:06 left Drive: 9 plays, 80 yards, 1:20
TEAM STATISTICS
NEB
MSU
First Downs Rushes-Yards Passing Yards Passes Total Offense Punts-Avg. Fumbles-Lost Penalties-Yards Possession Time
23 40-313 160 16-36-3 473 4-37.2 1-0 9-72 28:28
19 43-238 123 9-27-0 361 7-46.6 2-2 9-100 31:32
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS RUSHING (CARRIES-YARDS) NEB: Martinez 17-205, Abdullah 22-110, Turner 1-(-2); MSU: Bell 36-188, Hill 2-30, Fowler 3-14, Maxwell 2-6. PASSING (C-A-I-YARDS-TD) NEB: Martinez 16-36-3-160-2; MSU: Maxwell 9-27-0-123-1. RECEIVING (RECEPTIONS-YARDS) NEB: Bell 5-31, Enunwa 3-37, Reed 2-41, Turner 2-24, Marlowe 1-15, Cotton 1-6, Long 1-4, Abdullah 1-2; MSU: Fowler 3-28, Mumphery 2-15, Lippett 1-46, Thomas 1-17, D. Sims 1-10, Burbridge 1-7. TACKLES-TOP FIVE (TOTAL-SOLO-ASSISTS) NEB: Smith 12 (7-5), Stafford 11 (5-6), Compton 11 (2-9), Martin 8 (2-6), Fisher 6 (3-3); MSU: Drummond 10 (6-4), Bullough 10 (4-6), Lewis 8 (2-6), Allen 6 (4-2), Gholston 5 (3-2). Le’Veon Bell rushed for 188 yards and two touchdowns in the 28-24 loss to No. 21 Nebraska at Spartan Stadium.
44 2013 MICHIGAN STATE SPRING FOOTBALL