Saturday, October 11
East Lansing, Mich.
12 PM
Michigan State University
vs
UCLA
Spartans Host UCLA in 109th Homecoming Game
10/7/2025 2:10:00 PM | Football
Game 6: Michigan State (3-2, 0-2 B1G) vs. UCLA (1-4, 1-1 B1G)
Date: Saturday, Oct. 11
Kickoff:Â 12:01 p.m.
Location:Â East Lansing, Mich.
Stadium:Â Spartan Stadium (74,866)
Surface: Natural Grass
Game Notes: MSUÂ | UCLA
â–ºBROADCAST INFORMATION
TV: Big Ten Network
Streaming/Mobile: FOX Sports app
Announcers: Mark Followill (play-by-play), Yogi Roth (analyst), Rhett Lewis (sidelines)
Live Stats:Â msuspartans.com | Live Stats
Radio:Â Spartan Media Network |Â Affiliate Listings
Play-by-Play:Â George Blaha
Analyst:Â Jehuu Caulcrick
Sidelines:Â Tre Mosley
Broadcast Hosts:Â Will Tieman, Dalton Shetler
Website/Mobile:Â msuspartans.com/watch, MSU Spartans app, Tune In radio
Flagship Stations:Â Lansing:Â WMMQÂ (94.9 FM)/WJIMÂ (1240 AM); Detroit: WJR (760 AM); Grand Rapids:Â WBFXÂ (101.3 FM)
Affiliates:Â 21 affiliates listed at msuspartans.com
Satellite:Â SiriusXM Ch. 85 | SiriusXM App
Pregame Show:Â Begins at 10:30 a.m. ET
â–ºGAME DAY INFORMATION
• Game Day Central (Parking/Tailgating/Timeline)
• Parking: Parking lots will open at 7 a.m. on Saturday. | Parking Map
• Game Day Updates: Fans can sign up to receive game day updates from MSU Police and Public Safety this season by texting SPARTANFB25 to 888777. Updates will include safety information, potential game delays, traffic suggestions, etc.
Additional Links:
• Construction/Traffic Information
• Purchase Tickets
• The Munn Tailgate Information
Â
â–ºSERIES INFORMATION
All-Time Series:Â Tied, 3-3
Series in East Lansing:Â Tied, 1-1
Series in Big Ten Games: First meeting
Last Meeting: UCLA 56, MSU 14 (1974 in Pasadena)
Current Series Streak: 3 by UCLA
â–ºHEAD COACHES
MSU Head Coach: Jonathan Smith
MSU Record: 8-9 (second year)
Overall Record: 42-44 (eighth year)
Record vs. UCLA: 2-0
UCLA Interim Head Coach: Tim Skipper
UCLA Record: 1-1 (first year)
Overall Record: 8-8 (second year)
Record vs. MSU: 0-0
â–ºSPARTAN FOOTBALL NEWS AND NOTES
• Michigan State welcomes UCLA to East Lansing for Homecoming on Saturday, Oct. 11 at noon in Spartan Stadium. The game will be televised on the Big Ten Network with Mark Followill (play-by-play), Yogi Roth (analyst) and Rhett Lewis on the call (sidelines).
• MSU went 3-0 to open the season with home nonconference victories against Western Michigan, Boston College and Youngstown State, but has lost its first two Big Ten games on the road at No. 25 USC (Sept. 20) and Nebraska (Oct. 4). The Spartans rallied from a halftime deficit to take a 21-14 lead at Nebraska in the third quarter last Saturday in Lincoln, but the Huskers came back to beat Michigan State, 38-27.
• UCLA (1-4, 1-1 Big Ten) dropped its first four games but posted its first victory of the season last Saturday in the Rose Bowl with a 42-37 win over No. 7/6 Penn State. The Bruins led the entire game and raced out to a 27-7 halftime lead in the eventual five-point victory. It marked UCLA's first win over an AP Top 10 team since topping No. 7 Texas in 2010.
• Saturday marks just the seventh all-time meeting between Michigan State and UCLA, and the first since 1974. The Spartans won the first three games in the series, including wins in the 1954 and 1956 Rose Bowl Games, along with the 1965 season opener in East Lansing, but UCLA has won the last three games between the two schools. The teams have faced each other three times in the Rose Bowl Game (MSU with a 2-1 record with victories in 1954 and 1956; lost in 1966). UCLA won the last matchup in the series with a 56-14 win in Pasadena on Sept. 28, 1974.
• MSU is 1-1 against UCLA in East Lansing. The Spartans won the 1965 season opener, 13-3, but fell at home on Sept. 29, 1973, to the 17th-ranked Bruins, 34-21.
• MSU head coach Jonathan Smith went 2-0 against UCLA during his six-year Oregon State tenure, with wins over the Bruins in 2019 (48-31) and 2023 (36-24).Â
• Dating back to 1915, this year marks the 109th Homecoming game for Michigan State. The only years Homecoming games were not held since 1915 were 1943 and 2020. MSU is 71-34-3 (.671) in 108 previous Homecoming games. This year's Homecoming Parade begins at 6 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 10 in downtown East Lansing and the MSU campus. For more information, please visit alumni.msu.edu/connect/homecoming.
â–ºJUNIOR QB AIDAN CHILES RANKS AMONG BIG TEN LEADERS IN TOTAL OFFENSEÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
• Junior Aidan Chiles has started 17 consecutive games at quarterback for the Spartans. Now in his second season at MSU, Chiles is completing 63 percent of his passes (79-of-125) for 953 yards and nine touchdowns against three interceptions. Chiles had his 10-game streak of at least one passing TD snapped at Nebraska. He currently ranks among the Big Ten leaders in points responsible for per game (fourth with 16.0 ppg), passing touchdowns (seventh with nine), passing efficiency (ninth with 146.2 rating), rushing TDs (11th with four) and total offense (13th with 226.0 ypg).
â–ºOMARI KELLY PROVING TO BE A PRODUCTIVE ALL-AROUND THREAT FOR MSUÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
• Senior wide receiver Omari Kelly, who is in his first season at MSU after transferring from Middle Tennessee State, leads the team in receiving yards (326; 65.2 ypg) and all-purpose yards (451; 90.2 ypg). He is also tied for first with 22 receptions. Kelly ranks 13th in the Big Ten in receiving yards per game (65.2) and tied for 14th in receptions per game (4.4), while also ranking third in the conference and fifth in the FBS in punt returns (19.7 avg.).
â–ºRED ZONE EFFICIENCYÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
• Michigan State has scored on 20 of its 21 trips to the red zone this season, good for a .952 percentage, which ranks fifth in the Big Ten and 18th in the FBS. The Spartans have scored 16 touchdowns in the red zone, including 10 rushing TDs, along with four field goals. MSU's TD percentage in the red zone (.761) ranks third in the Big Ten and 22nd in the FBS.
â–ºMAKHI FRAZIER LEADS GROUND GAME IN FIRST YEAR AS STARTERÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
• Sophomore running back Makhi Frazier leads the team and ranks 12th in the Big Ten in rushing, averaging 65.0 yards per game (4.3 per carry) with two touchdowns. In his first collegiate start, Frazier ran for 103 yards and a touchdown against Western Michigan, then followed up with 81 yards on 17 carries in Week 2 against Boston College. In the Big Ten opener at USC, Frazier had 61 yards on 14 carries.
â–ºSPARTANS RECORD SEASON-HIGH FIVE SACKS AT NEBRASKAÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
• Michigan State recorded a season-high five sacks (35 yards) at Nebraska and posted seven tackles for loss overall (52 yards). Five different Spartans each recorded a sack: Jalen Thompson, Alex VanSumeren, Malik Spencer, David Santiago and Darius Snow.
â–ºJORDAN HALL LEADS TEAM, RANKS AMONG BIG TEN LEADERS IN TACKLESÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
• Junior co-captain linebacker Jordan Hall leads the team and ranks ninth in the Big Ten with 38 tackles (7.6 pg). He recorded a career-high 15 tackles, including nine solo stops, in the win over Boston College to earn Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week honors. Hall had his first career interception to go along with eight tackles at Nebraska.
â–ºSTOPPING THE RUNÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
• Michigan State ranks 33rd in the FBS in rushing defense, allowing 109.8 yards per game.Â
• MSU has held four of its five opponents to under 100-yards rushing (Western Michigan: 29 yards; Boston College: 67 yards; Youngstown State: 97 yards; Nebraska: 67 yards).
â–ºPRESEASON ALL-AMERICAN RYAN ECKLEY A WEAPON ON SPECIAL TEAMSÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
• Redshirt junior punter Ryan Eckley, a Ray Guy Award candidate and preseason All-American, led the Big Ten in punting in 2024 with his 47.9-yard average and was a second-team all-conference selection.Â
• Eckley has showed why he is one of the best punters in the nation in the first five games of the season. Although he doesn't meet the NCAA stat minimums, Eckley would rank No. 1 in the FBS with his 52.5-yard punting average. He also ranks first in the Big Ten in 50-yard plus punts (12) and tied for first with nine punts inside the 20. Eckley has dropped six punts inside the opponents' 10-yard line, including three at the 1 and one at the 2.
• Eckley has a career punting average of 48.0 yards per punt (116 punts for 5,570 yards), which would rank No. 1 in school history (current record: Bryce Baringer, 46.0 avg.). That average also ranks No. 1 among current active players in the FBS.
• Michigan State also ranks No. 6 in the FBS in net punting (42.0 avg.), No. 7 in punt returns (19.7 avg.) and No. 34 kick returns (24.1 avg.).
â–ºSTAT LEADERS
Michigan State:
Rushing – So. Makhi Frazier (75 carries for 325 yards, 4.3 avg., 2 TDs, 65.0 ypg)
Passing – Jr. Aidan Chiles (79-of-125, .632, 953 yards, 9 TDs, 3 INTs, 190.6 ypg)
Receiving – Sr. Omari Kelly (22 receptions for 326 yards, 14.8 avg., 1 TD, 65.2 ypg)
Tackles – Jr. LB Jordan Hall (38 tackles, 3.5 TFLs for 10 yards, 2.0 sacks for 8 yards, 1 FF, 1 INT)
UCLA:
Rushing – R-So. QB Nico Iamaleava (60 carries for 332 yards, 5.5 avg., 4 TDs, 66.4 ypg)
Passing – R-So. Nico Iamaleava (98-of-148, .662, 954 yards, 6 TDs, 3 INTs, 190.8 ypg)
Receiving – So. Kwazi Gilmer (24 receptions for 304 yards, 12.7 avg., 2 TDs, 60.8 ypg)
Tackles – R-Sr. LB JonJon Vaughns (54 tackles, 1.5 TFLs)
â–ºSERIES NOTESÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
• Saturday marks just the seventh all-time meeting between Michigan State and UCLA, and the first since 1974. The Spartans won the first three games in the series, including wins in the 1954 and 1956 Rose Bowl Games, along with the 1965 season opener in East Lansing, but UCLA has won the last three games between the two schools.Â
• The teams have faced each other three times in the Rose Bowl Game (MSU with a 2-1 record with victories in 1954 and 1956; lost in 1966).Â
• UCLA won the last matchup in the series with a 56-14 win in Pasadena on Sept. 28, 1974.
• MSU is 1-1 against UCLA in East Lansing. The Spartans won the 1965 season opener, 13-3, but fell at home on Sept. 29, 1973, to the 17th-ranked Bruins, 34-21.
â–ºMICHIGAN STATE-UCLA CONNECTIONSÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
• UCLA passing game coordinator/secondary coach Demetrice Martin served as Michigan State's cornerbacks coach during Jonathan Smith's first season in East Lansing in 2024. Martin played collegiately at Michigan State, lettering three years under George Perles (1992-94) and once under Nick Saban (1995). After catching eight passes for 83 yards as a freshman wide receiver, Martin switched to the defensive backfield, where he excelled his final three seasons with 124 tackles, 10 interceptions and 12 pass break-ups. He earned first-team All-Big Ten honors in 1994 when he led the conference with seven interceptions, which is tied for the fifth most in an MSU single season.
• Bruin redshirt junior defensive lineman Anthony Jones lettered at Michigan State in 2024, collecting 25 tackles. UCLA redshirt senior running back Jalen Berger lettered two seasons (2022-23) at MSU; he led the Spartans in rushing during the 2022 season with 683 yards and six rushing TDs.
â–ºA GLANCE AT UCLA (1-4, 1-1 BIG TEN)Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
• The Bruins bring a 1-4 overall and 1-1 B1G record to East Lansing for UCLA's first visit to MSU since 1973. Saturday is UCLA's third road game of the season.
• UCLA is coming off a 42-37 upset of No. 7 Penn State on Saturday at the Rose Bowl for the Bruins' first win of the season, as well as their first win over an AP Top-10 opponent since Sept. 24, 2010. Entering Saturday's game, only four teams ranked in the AP Top 10 have lost to a team with a record of 0-4 or worse since 1936, and the last time it happened was 1985 when UTEP beat No. 7 BYU.
• After entering the game ranked 134th in the FBS in scoring offense and scoring a combined 57 total points in their previous four games, the Bruins erupted for 27 first-half points to open a 27-7 lead at halftime. UCLA scored a TD on the opening possession and then recovered the ensuing onside kick, ending with a field goal for a 10-0 lead before the PSU offense took a snap. The Bruins then held off a late Nittany Lion rally for the upset win.
• UCLA amassed 280 rushing yards, led by 128 from redshirt sophomore quarterback Nico Iamaleava on 16 carries and scoring three TDs on scoring scampers of 3, 1 and 7 yards, tying a UCLA QB single-game record.
• Iamaleava accounted for all five Bruin TDs as he threw for two more TDs, part of finishing 17-of-24 passing for 166 yards, as UCLA finished with 435 total offense yards. He connected with sophomore wide receiver Kwazi Gilmer for an 11-yard TD pass to open the day's scoring, adding a 6-yard pass to redshirt senior wide receiver Titus Mokiao-Atimalala.
• For the season, UCLA is now 17th in the B1G and 112th in the FBS in scoring offense (19.8 ppg), while ranking 18th in the conference and 122nd in the country in scoring defense (32.4 ppg).
• The Bruins are 16th in the league and 103rd in the nation in total offense (344.0 ypg), ranking 10th in the B1G and 74th in the FBS in rushing offense (153.2 ypg) and 16th in the conference and 99th in the country in passing offense (190.8 ypg).
• In the Penn State game, UCLA scored on all six of its trips to the red zone, as the Bruins improved to 14-for-14 in red zone efficiency for the season, one of two teams in the B1G (Oregon) and one of nine teams in the FBS still at 100 percent in red zone offense.
• UCLA's defense is 17th in the B1G and 97th in the FBS in total defense (392.8 ypg), ranking 18th in the league and 127th in the nation in rushing defense (217.6 ypg), while ranking seventh in the conference and 26th in the country in passing defense (175.2 ypg).
• Individually, Iamaleava is seventh in the B1G and 45th in the FBS in passing completions per game (19.6), while ranking 10th in the league and 48th in the nation in completion percentage (.662), along with ranking eighth in the conference and 51st in the country in rushing yards per carry (5.53). He is 98-of-148 for 954 yards (190.8 ypg) with six TDs and three INTs, throwing every pass for the Bruins so far this season. Iamaleava also leads UCLA with 60 rushing attempts for 332 yards (66.4 ypg) with four TDs, scoring all four of the Bruins' rushing TDs this season.
• Gilmer is 11th in the B1G in receptions per game (4.8), and 19th in the league in both receiving yards (304) and receiving yards/game (60.8), with 24 catches for 304 yards (12.7 ypc) with two TDs.
• The Bruin defense is spearheaded by senior linebacker JonJon Vaughns, who leads the B1G and is tied for fifth in the FBS in tackles per game with 10.8, logging 54 total tackles (21 solo, 33 assists), which also tops the conference and ranks tied for seventh in the country. Sophomore linebacker Isaiah Chisom is close behind with 50 tackles (25 solo, 25 assists), ranking tied for second in the league and fifth in the nation with 10.0 tackles per game, while also ranking tied for second in the B1G and tied for seventh in the FBS in total tackles.
• Junior placekicker Mateen Bhaghani is 9-of-10 on field goals, with his season-long 54-yarder coming Saturday vs. PSU, and is also 8-of-8 on PATs, with half of those coming against Penn State alone and a combined 4-of-4 in the four previous games.
• Tim Skipper was named UCLA's interim head coach on Sept. 14, 2025. Skipper is in his first season at UCLA, previously serving as a special assistant to the head coach under DeShaun Foster earlier this season, before taking over head coaching duties the last two games, going 1-1. Skipper was also named Fresno State's interim head coach in July of 2024, leading the Bulldogs to a 6-7 mark and playing in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl. He was also interim head coach at Fresno State for one game in 2023, and has an overall interim head coaching mark of 8-8.
LAST TIME OUT: NEBRASKA 38, MSU 27
â–ºGAME RECAPÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
• Michigan State rallied from a halftime deficit to take a 21-14 lead in the third quarter, but Nebraska came back to beat the Spartans, 38-27, last Saturday afternoon at Memorial Stadium.
• MSU held Nebraska to a season-low 261 yards of total offense, including just 67 on the ground, but the Cornhuskers outscored the Spartans in the fourth quarter, 17-6, to earn the victory.
• Michigan State collected a season-high five sacks on defense and had seven tackles for loss overall.
• The Spartans held a significant advantage in time of possession, 33:24-26:36, but turned the ball over three times and gave up a special teams touchdown on a blocked punt that was returned for a score in the first quarter.
• Junior quarterback Aidan Chiles was 9-of-23 passing for 85 yards and two interceptions, but he did have a career-high two rushing touchdowns. Sophomore Makhi Frazier led MSU on the ground with 58 yards on 18 carries, while sophomore Nick Marsh had a team-high 41 receiving yards on four catches.
• Junior linebacker Jordan Hall had a team-best eight tackles, including his first career interception, while junior defensive end Jalen Thompson had five tackles and two TFLs for 20 yards, including a 10-yard sack.
â–ºSCORING SUMMARYÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
Nebraska opened the game's scoring with a nine-play, 48-yard touchdown drive on its first series, capped by a 2-yard run by Emmett Johnson. The Huskers went up 14-0 after blocking a Spartan punt and returning it for a TD at the 7:37 mark in the first quarter.
Michigan State answered with a methodical 17-play, 75-yard touchdown drive that took 9:45 off the clock. Spartan quarterback Aidan Chiles was forced out of the game with an injury late in the drive on first-and-goal, and redshirt freshman Alessio Milivojevic came in to throw his first collegiate TD pass, a 2-yard strike to Jack Velling in the end zone. It marked MSU's longest drive in terms of plays (17) and time of possession (9:45) this season.
The game remained 14-7 at halftime, but Michigan State tied it up at 14 on its first series of the second half, going 48 yards on 11 plays as Chiles finished the drive with a 16-yard touchdown on fourth-and-4. Chiles had three rushing first downs on the drive, which came after the Spartans stopped a fake Nebraska punt on the first series of the third quarter.
Jordan Hall's first career interception on the Huskers' second drive of the half gave MSU good field position on the Nebraska 38-yard line. The Spartans took advantage with their second TD drive of the half, and also on Chiles' second rushing TD of the game, with a 4-yard score at the 2:37 mark to give MSU its first lead of the game at 21-14.
Nebraska quickly tied the game at 21 on a five-play, 75-yard touchdown drive in just 1:26 as Johnson raced 23 yards into the end zone with 1:11 left in the third. MSU fumbled the ensuing kickoff, giving Nebraska the ball on the 35-yard line, but the Spartans held the Huskers to a 27-yard field goal by Kyle Cunanan.
After a Spartan three-and-out, Nebraska took a 31-21 lead on a 59-yard touchdown screen pass from Raiola to Nyziah Hunter. The Huskers stopped MSU again on the next possession, and capitalized with an 11-yard touchdown by Johnson, his third of the game, to go up, 38-21, at the 4:27 mark in the fourth quarter.
Milivojevic rushed for his first career touchdown, a 1-yard run, to finish a seven-play, 75-yard drive with 2:01 remaining. The Spartans didn't convert the 2-point conversion, however, and failed to recover the onside kick, and Nebraska ran out the clock for the victory.
â–ºOFFENSIVE NOTESÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
• Michigan State did not score on its opening possession for the first time this season, as the Spartans had scored a TD on their first drive of the previous four games.
• MSU's 17-play, 75-yard, 9:45 scoring drive spanning the end of the first quarter and start of second quarter was the Spartans' longest drive of the season by number of plays and time of possession . . . the 17-play drive was the longest by number of plays since a 17-play drive vs. Tulsa on Aug. 30, 2019 . . . the 9:45 scoring drive was the longest since at least 2014, bettering the previous longest drive in that span from a 9:24 drive on Dec. 28, 2017, vs. Washington State in the 2017 Holiday Bowl.
• MSU's 14-point third quarter tied its season-high for most points in a quarter for the third time this season, and all three times have been the third quarter, scoring 14 points in the third quarter in the season-opener vs. Western Michigan (8/29/25) and in the third quarter vs. Youngstown State (9/13/25).
• Junior quarterback Aidan Chiles was 9-for-23 passing for 85 yards . . . he added 23 yards rushing on a career-high 13 carries and scored a career-best two rushing TDs . . . the 13 rushing attempts topped the previous top mark of his career of 12, reached three previous times, most recently vs. Boston College (9/6/24)
• Chiles registered his first career multi-rushing TD outing, with both coming in the third quarter . . . he scored his third rushing TD of the season with his 16-yard scamper on fourth-and-4 on MSU's first possession of the second half, and the ensuing PAT tied the game at 14-all . . . Chiles rushed four times for 40 yards on the scoring drive, including rushing for three first downs during the drive, and two on fourth down . . . along with the scoring scamper on fourth down, he added a 10-yard run on fourth-and-6, and a 7-yard run on third-and-5 for a first down.
• Chiles' streak of throwing for at least one TD in a game was snapped as he had thrown for at least one score in each of the previous four games this season and in 10 straight games dating back to the last six games of 2024.
• Redshirt freshman quarterback Alessio Milivojevic completed his first pass as a Spartan on his first attempt of the day, coming early in the second quarter with a 10-yard pass to sophomore wide receiver Nick Marsh, coming on in place of Chiles who was temporarily sidelined with an injury . . . Milivojevic then registered the first TD pass of his Spartan career two plays later with a 2-yard TD toss to junior tight end Jack Velling.
• Milivojevic finished 6-of-7 passing for 71 yards and one TD, adding one rush for a 1-yard TD, scoring the first rushing TD of his career.
• Sophomore running back Makhi Frazier had 18 carries for 58 yards . . . the 18 carries is a new career-high, bettering his previous top mark of 17 carries vs. Boston College (9/6/25).
â–ºDEFENSIVE NOTESÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
• Michigan State's defense limited Nebraska to a season-low 261 yards of total offense, holding the Huskers under 300-yards of total offense for the first time this season . . . the Spartan defense also held the Huskers to a season-low 194 yards passing, not only their first game being limited under 200 yards passing but their lowest by nearly 50 yards, as Nebraska's previous season-low for passing yards was 243 in the season-opener vs. Cincinnati played in Kansas City.
• The MSU defense registered a season-high five sacks, topping the previous top mark of the season of four sacks in the season opener vs. Western Michigan (8/29/25) . . . the five sacks were the most by the Spartan defense since seven vs. Florida Atlantic in the 2024 season opener (8/30/24).
• Junior defensive lineman Jalen Thompson logged a season-best and tied his career-high with 2.0 tackles for loss, matching his career-best of 2.0 TFLs for the third time, last doing so in the 2023 meeting vs. Nebraska (11/4/23) . . . Thompson added 1.0 sack for his second sack of the season and fourth of his career.
• Thompson also registered a season-high five tackles, which ties his career best of five also from the aforementioned 2023 match-up vs. Nebraska.
â–ºSPECIAL TEAMS NOTESÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
• Redshirt junior punter Ryan Eckley boomed four punts for a 51.0 ypp average, his second straight game averaging over 50-plus yards for the season.
• Redshirt freshman Martin Connington was 3-of-3 on PATs and is now 13-of-13 for the season.
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