Michigan State Football: Spartans humbled by Northwestern at home

Michigan State football fell straight out of the AP Top 25 with a humbling loss to Northwestern. It was the third straight year that the Spartans fell in the series.

Meanwhile, Northwestern came to East Lansing with only one win under their belt from September play. The Wildcats dropped three straight against Duke, Akron, and Michigan, and all three losses came at Ryan Field in Evanston.

The hope for Pat Fitzgerald‘s crew was that a shift of venue away from home might help spark things for the Wildcats. They got to play a team against which they enjoy a two-game winning streak and wins in three of their past four meetings. They used that familiarity to their advantage, as the Wildcats rolled to a 29-19 victory on Saturday afternoon.

With the loss, Mark Dantonio‘s squad effectively tumbled out of the AP Top 25 and severely damaged their chances at a conference crown. Northwestern is still under .500, but they will hope to build upon this upset to redirect toward a winning record and another bowl appearance.

What did we learn about both the Wildcats and the Spartans from this defensive battle in East Lansing on Saturday? Here are three takeaways from the beatdown by perennial Michigan State nemesis Northwestern in a Week 6 upset.