State of Michigan football: All 5 FBS teams won in Week 4

Michigan dominated the first half leading 20-3 at halftime. The Wolverine defense played well and gave a solid first-half performance in front of their home crowd. However, Michigan’s offense seemed to stale in the second half of play and the Rutgers offense was able to drive into Wolverine territory multiple times in the second half.

Michigan’s defense only gave up one touchdown in the second half and made Rutgers settle for two field-goal attempts in which the Scarlet Knights missed one. The Wolverine defense also recovered a Rutgers fumble with less than two minutes remaining in the game.

Michigan’s offense was led by senior running back Hassan Haskins who rushed for two touchdowns.

With this victory, Michigan remains undefeated at 4-0 and their next two games are on the road against Wisconsin and then it travels to play Nebraska the following week.

The first quarter saw both offenses struggling as either team was able to put any points on the board entering the second quarter of play. The Spartans got on the scoreboard with a similar flea-flicker play that they had used against Youngstown State where Michigan State quarterback Payton Thorne handed the ball off to junior transfer running back Kenneth Walker III who gave the ball back to Thorne who connected with junior wide receiver Jayden Reed for the touchdown.

Nebraska answers with a 28-yard field goal to make the score 7-3. The Spartans answered with a 26-yard field goal to give them a seven-point lead again. Cornhuskers quarterback Adrian Martinez scored the first touchdown for Nebraska with a 12-yard run into the end zone to tie the game at 10.

Sixth-year senior kicker Matt Coghlin made his second field goal of the night to give the Spartans a three-point lead going into the half.

Nebraska, behind the leg of former Big Ten kicker of the year and senior Connor Culp, tied the game at 13. Then, in the fourth quarter, Martinez found the end zone again on another run to give Nebraska a 20-13 lead. The Spartans would respond with just under three minutes remaining in the game on their first punt return for a touchdown since 2011. Reed would get his second touchdown of the game as he returned the Cornhuskers’ punt 62 yards for the touchdown.

The fourth quarter would end with the score tied 20-20.

Michigan State would win the coin toss and made the Cornhuskers go first on offense. The decision paid off as Florida cornerback transfer Chester Kimbrough intercepted Martinez’s pass. Michigan State was able to get the ball within Nebraska’s five-yard line and Coghlin’s 21-yard field goal gave the Spartans a 23-20 victory to improve to 4-0.

Michigan State next plays Western Kentucky before traveling to face Rutgers the following week.