Michigan State Football: Two unsung heroes from Michigan win

Connor Heyward, RB, Junior

Four games into the 2019 season, running back Connor Heyward entered the transfer portal and it appeared his time with Michigan State had ended.

Going into that season, Heyward was named honorable mention All-Big Ten as a kick returner and it appeared that he would be the No. 1 running back. He was eventually passed up by freshman Elijah Collins on the depth chart and decided to sit out and enter the portal.

However, with a new head coach, Heyward decided to stay a Spartan and not transfer in February.

Heyward didn’t have a good game in Michigan State’s season opener against Rutgers where he had seven carries for only 18 yards and five catches for a total of 25 yards. He didn’t get in the end zone but he started the game which was a positive sign that his head coach has faith in him. In his first road game of the season, he stepped up even though the stats don’t tell the whole story.

Heyward was not the Spartans’ leading rusher against Michigan as he rushed for only 28 yards on 13 carries which were only 2.2 yards a carry. He also only had two catches for 15 yards but, again, the stats don’t tell the whole story.

With the score tied at 7-7, Heyward game up big.

On third and goal at the Wolverines 2-yard line, Heyward made a play to put the Spartans up 14-7.

Then Heyward came up huge in the second half. The Spartans were only leading by a field goal with the score being 20-17, but the offense was driving and they entered the red zone with an opportunity to extend their lead to double digits and a two-score game.

Heyward caught a pass in the flat and took it to the end zone which ended up being 13-yard reception for a touchdown making the score 27-17 Michigan State.

In the final seconds of the game and on the last series, Heyward did his job by not turning the ball over. As was well documented, Michigan State turned the ball over an astonishing seven times in its loss to the Scarlet Knights. In the final series for the Michigan State offense, it appeared that fans were nervously anticipating a fumble resulting in a turnover. Heyward only ran twice for a total of four yards but he secured the ball and kept the clock moving and forcing Michigan to use their timeouts.

The little things count and inch by inch, Heyward fought to keep the Spartans offense moving resulting in an upset victory over No. 13 Michigan.

But there was another Spartan who did his part to ensure the Michigan upset as well.