Michigan State University Athletics
Post-Game Quotes: Northwestern
10/17/2026 4:38:00 PM | Football
Michigan State Head Coach Pat Fitzgerald
Opening Statement…
All right, everybody, thanks for being here. Appreciate you guys covering our team. Obviously, a disappointing loss when we had every opportunity to win that football game. When we look back and watch the tape tomorrow, you're going to see missed opportunities that we left out there in all three phases.
Credit to Northwestern—they made the plays that needed to be made down the stretch to find a way to get the win. So, credit to them, and I'll answer any questions.
On his message to the fans processing another close, emotional loss…
First of all, thank you. I thought the atmosphere was great; the support has been incredible all year. Obviously, two weeks in a row now we've ended up on the short end of games where we've got to coach better to be able to get over the hump to win those games. We'll take a look at a lot of plays today that were missed opportunities in all three phases.
Again, I don't want to discredit Northwestern. They made a bunch of big plays, especially the ones down the stretch that you need to make in a one-score Big Ten game.
On the blocked field goal late and Northwestern moving down the field in the two-minute drill, and his message to the team…
I don't message it; the scoreboard messages it. We didn't execute the field goal. We had an MA (missed assignment) in the two-minute drill and let somebody loose—which again, credit to them for finding the guy and making the play. We come back the next time, we cover the guy, and we get a PBU.
That's just kind of where we're at: coach better for those plays. Coach Dantonio used to say all the time that it's a game of inches, right? And we're not making those plays in the inches to get us over the hump and get a win.
On the late offensive drive, clock management, and whether the false start altered the plan…
No, we were trying to get the ball down and go score, frankly, if it happened. But at the same time, it's a four-minute situation where you want to get a first down. If we get a first down, then it's completely in our control.
Then we jump offsides, and then we have an MA at the point of attack. Two critical errors at a critical time in the game—that's on us, it's our fault. That starts with us as coaches. You can't have that happen in a close game. That's what happened, at least from what we talked about then. Once I watch the tape, I'll be able to tell you more.
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On getting consistent pressure on Aidan Chiles early and how the pass rush held up late…
At times we had a rush plan and maybe we didn't execute the plan. We had some guys come free or halfway free, and then a looper didn't get out there if he needed to be on an extended play. But for the most part, I thought we had a really good plan; at times we just didn't execute it.
On David Braun dialing up a fake punt late and the defense staying disciplined to stop it…
Yeah, we were ready for it. Formation variations—all the formation variations that we've seen on tape. Good job by our kids. Really proud of them for that.
On the defense recording five sacks and taking pressure off inexperienced players…
Especially against a really athletic quarterback playing at a high level. I thought the plan—not perfect—for the most part was executed. There were times we had breakdowns where we allowed some things to happen and plays to be extended. So, we'll start with us as coaches: look at it and figure out exactly what happened and why and coach them better.
On the emotions of coaching against Northwestern and his alma mater for the first time…
Like I said all week, this game is about the players. It was great to compete in a Big Ten game. I thought it was a heck of a football game; we just didn't make the plays down the stretch that we needed to make. We've got another big one against UCLA on the road next week, so our focus is going to be to coach the guys better and get them better.
Like I said on Monday, I look back at my time very fondly. I'm very proud of my experiences as a player and my teammates—so grateful to hear from a lot of those guys this week. Same thing for a lot of the players and parents that I recruited that are still in that locker room. Proud of those guys for finding ways to win, and that's credit to their football team.
On defensive tackle Ben Roberts' dominant performance on the interior with eight tackles and two sacks…
He's playing really well. I've got to watch the tape to see the fine points, but he's playing very hard. He's playing probably the best football of his career. I've obviously got this year's snapshot, and you guys can probably speak more to that, but he's playing at a very high level and made a lot of plays. Very proud of him.
On regrouping the locker room after another heartbreaking finish…
I get paid to win, and we're not winning, so it starts and ends with me. We've got to look at all the reasons why things happened the way that they did and just get back to work and roll our sleeves up.
There's a lot of fight in this group. A lot of guys are getting their first opportunity, and I'm proud of them. Like I said to them after the game: for a lot of the guys whose first opportunity happened today, they'll be better on Tuesday going through the experiences that they had, and we'll coach the you-know-what out of them. We've just got to find a way to get one more point.
On hitting explosive plays in the passing game and whether there were more left out on the field…
Yes. Short answer: yes. You watched the game; you got it right.
On how emotionally charged the matchup felt from the sideline…
I don't think it was a very emotional game, to be honest with you. I think it was two Big Ten teams that really respected each other going toe-to-toe.
That was what some folks—not everybody, but some folks—tried to create a narrative about: that with Aidan (Chiles) and myself, it was about that. It's not about that. It's about the teams and it's about the players. They found a way to get the job done, so credit to them. They got a big block on a field goal by their defense, and then some big plays down the stretch that ended up being the reason why they won. From an emotional standpoint, every game is emotional and hard-fought, so it's no different than any other.
On catching up with familiar faces and former recruits after the game…
We do the same thing every week: go over and shake hands, win or lose, and certain guys ran into me as I ran into them. It was more coincidence than anything else.
I counted about 34 guys on their roster that we recruited. I'm really proud of those guys playing at a really high level and watching the way that they've grown and developed. David (Braun) has done a fabulous job, and so has that staff, so credit to them.
On balancing in-game injuries with young players getting a "baptism by fire"…
I lived through this as a player in my first and second year, where we had a lot of guys getting their first experiences. There is a little baptism under fire in the arena. If you take it the right way—you learn, you grow, and you embrace the improvement mentality—then the sky is the limit as you move forward. That'll be how I share that wisdom with the guys and educate them.
We came out of the game injury-free today, so thanks for the question about how clean we came out of it (Fitzgerald jokingly said). First time in a month.
On special teams' execution leading up to the blocked kick…
I think the guys played really well. Our players executed; there was nothing new or magical that we did. It was just them executing at a higher level. Kicking-wise, it was a great game until the end. In a one-score game that goes down to the wire, every play matters. We didn't make the plays that winners make; they did. So, congratulations to them.
On the strategy on the final offensive drive before the field goal try…
It's a barrier situation where you don't want to score, but you want to get a first down. That's what we were doing. We called a couple of the run plays we thought would pop to get us 3 or 4 yards, and we had a false start and a critical mistake at the end. When those things happen, you've got to overcome them.
Then the discussion is: do we want to throw it there on the last play or not? That's my decision, and I made the decision to run the ball. That's on me, for sure.
On true freshman cornerback Jeremiah Favorite earning his first career start…
Jeremiah has been working really hard in practice, and he earned the role through practice and through his performance over time—not just this week, but over time. He had done some pretty good things early (in the season) in the kick game that we were proud of.
He went out and earned the job over time, and he'll learn a ton from today, just like everybody will. We're really proud of him stepping up along with a lot of the other guys getting their first game experience.
Thanks, everybody. Thanks for coming. Go Green.
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Northwestern Head Coach David Braun
Opening Statement…
I'm speechless here, guys. What a game! What a game! Credit to Michigan State. That's Big Ten football, especially on the road. I'm really proud of our team for a lot of reasons. I think going in at halftime, we felt like we had some missed opportunities in the first half. I thought we kept our poise and our composure. Came back in the second half and just continued to plug away. And I think those last few minutes of the game are a direct reflection of what this team is all about. We're not going to operate off a platform of fear. I certainly made a decision to go with the fake punt that, you know, thought was a good call, and in hindsight it wasn't. But that's what great teams look like. They have one another's back. This football team had my back in that. Our defense came out and did a great job getting a stop. Unbelievable play by (graduate defensive lineman) Brendan Flakes, blocking that field goal, and just trusting our offense to operate with the football, drive down for a winning score. As much as there was a wave of momentum and emotion, really proud of the way that our guys just continued to take it one play at a time, which is very cliche, but there was an unwavering belief that we were going to find a way to win that football game, and that's a credit to the leadership on this team.
On the fake punt decision…
It's one of those things based on the down and distance, and other factors. Felt like we had an advantageous look to it. It's something that we plan for and evaluate, and as the game flow was going, there was a sense that defensively we were doing a good job of getting stops, but Michigan State was moving the ball. It's a tie game, an opportunity for them to get into field goal range and go win it, and specifically with the last punt return that they had created. I just felt like the combination of a look that we felt was advantaged and put us in a situation to continue to possess the ball and go win the football game, and just the way the game flow was working out. I wanted to call it and there was a sense of 'ahhh' (uncertainty/weighing both sides). I just trust yourself and let it rip. We went through our preparation. Obviously, in hindsight, it was a horrible decision, and this team had my back.
On senior quarterback Aidan Chiles throughout this week…
I think Aidan did a great job of settling in and just keeping his composure. Guys respond to his belief, whether it be at halftime or on the sideline. And, in terms of this week, I was just really impressed. I challenged our coaching staff, our team, myself, Aidan, that this wasn't about anything else other than going on the road and finding a way to win a Big Ten football game. And where I think Aidan has such unique maturity is as the week went along, he could acknowledge when he could start to feel that emotion coming up, could acknowledge that this will be maybe a little different, but he's got to continue to shift his focus to just playing at one play at a time and executing with this team, and I think that showed up over the course of four quarters. He was able to settle in and finish the right way.
On the emotions over the last few minutes of the game and what they say about the team…
I've talked a lot about the humility in this group and the confidence in this group, but I think it showed just the composure and the maturity of this group. You know, not ride too high of a high or too low of a low, and again, when we talk about expecting victory, when we talk about being built for this. To go on the road in the Big Ten and win on the road, you have to earn that daily, and we've challenged the group with that. But the types of scenarios that we work today, whether it be an all-out block situation on our PAT field goal block or a two-minute scenario with no timeouts, our guys have been in the furnace in practice scenarios, with that so many times you could tell that they were ready for the moment.
On blocking a field goal against Michigan State's special teams…
(Northwestern Special Teams Coordinator) Paul Creighton does an unbelievable job, and I think we had the right personnel on the field. Just evaluating that, I think we had the proper alignments to make sure that we were getting the proper push at the proper angle to make sure that when the hands went up, they had a chance to get their hand on the football. We knew it was going to be a knockout, dragout battle on special teams. Just with (Michigan State Assistant Head Coach and Special Teams Coordinator) LeVar (Woods) and the quality special teams coach that he is, and ultimately we've got to improve in that space. Two big returns on our kickoff unit, one big return on our punt unit, and we had our own field goal blocked earlier in the game. So there's plenty to go back to and identify what we did well, but also plenty to ratchet down on and get fixed.
On how his team responded in the first half…
I don't know, to be completely honest with you. So much of it's a blur at this point, but I think we started to settle in. There were too many missed opportunities there in the first half. I felt like we were moving the ball. I felt like we started to settle in, but whether it be a dropped pass or a false start in the noise, we got to find ways to start cleaner, and I don't want to say faster. We got to start cleaner as a football team on the road, and that again, that's what I appreciate about this group. They're going to celebrate a win, a resilient win, and also go back and recognize that. And this is, I know it's a broken record, but that's what I love about this group. They're going to just keep showing up and knowing that they got to find ways to improve.
On his interactions with Michigan State Head Coach Pat Fitzgerald and coaching against him…
Kind of strange to coach against him, but that's now the new norm. We got over the first time, right? And interactions were as you would expect. I mean, asking about each other's families, how everyone's doing. I've said it before, but this coaching fraternity is something really special. And when you identify other people that are in this profession for all the right reasons, those are people that naturally you become really close to.
On the rushing touchdown to start the game...
We were rolling out to the right, stressing the flat with the running back. The guy latched onto the running back, and that's my turn to go run. I saw an opening, and I took it.
On going forward through last five games...
I think every loss stinks. Obviously, a close one like this stinks a little more, but you never want to lose a game. I know the character of this team. I know the guys we have in the locker room. I know the coaches we have coaching us. I know no one's going to put their head down and stop working. I know we're going to go back in and work and prepare to go win the next game.
On missed opportunities on mis-throws...
Besides completing it, the read was right, the route was right; I just have to put it on his body. When he's that open, all you've got to do is give him a chance to go make a play. That's what I have to do better.
On working through the little details in the coming weeks...
It's all you can do, is go back and practice. Take every single rep in practice like it's a game, and then those details will come. You did it so many times in practice that it's just second nature in the game. That's exactly what has to happen.
On the final drive & blocked kick...
We have a lot of trust in our special teams and our kicker. He's been great all year. We ran the ball three times and ran some clock down. We know he's going to make that every single other time he attempts it. We have a lot of trust in him, and that was our plan.
On having confidence after this performance...
I hope I showed confidence out there. I felt confident. Those two throws I need to put on his body. Obviously, those are two I want back, but I'm always going to play with confidence. That's the type of player I am.Â
 Michigan State Sophomore Quarterback Alessio Milivojevic
On the rushing touchdown to start the game...
We were rolling out to the right, stressing the flat with the running back. The guy latched onto the running back, and that's my turn to go run. I saw an opening, and I took it.
On going forward through last five games...
I think every loss stinks. Obviously, a close one like this stinks a little more, but you never want to lose a game. I know the character of this team. I know the guys we have in the locker room. I know the coaches we have coaching us. I know no one's going to put their head down and stop working. I know we're going to go back in and work and prepare to go win the next game.
On missed opportunities on mis-throws...
Besides completing it, the read was right, the route was right; I just have to put it on his body. When he's that open, all you've got to do is give him a chance to go make a play. That's what I have to do better.
On working through the little details in the coming weeks...
It's all you can do, is go back and practice. Take every single rep in practice like it's a game, and then those details will come. You did it so many times in practice that it's just second nature in the game. That's exactly what has to happen.
On the final drive & blocked kick...
We have a lot of trust in our special teams and our kicker. He's been great all year. We ran the ball three times and ran some clock down. We know he's going to make that every single other time he attempts it. We have a lot of trust in him, and that was our plan.
On having confidence after this performance...
I hope I showed confidence out there. I felt confident. Those two throws I need to put on his body. Obviously, those are two I want back, but I'm always going to play with confidence. That's the type of player I am.Â
Michigan State Graduate Edge Kenny Soares
What can you do better to force takeaways...
Continue working in practice every day and homing in on the details. We have to keep going.
What communication looks like at the end of the game when unexpected strikes...
We are just talking together as brothers, sticking together as a family, staying even, and then trying to be the guy that goes and makes the play. That is what we are taught to do, that is why we play this game, we have to go be football players at the end of the day.
What stood out about Northwestern's last drive of the game...
They are a great team, Aiden (Chiles) is a great quarterback. They have been having a good year so far. Talking less about them and focusing more about us, we have to be able to execute when the time comes. It does not matter who is on the other side of us. It does not matter what they are running, at the end of the day, we are all football players, we are out here for a reason, so we have to go and make a play.
On what it will take to get the program trending upwards...
It is going to take everything. We are going to have to be exhausted after every single game. Then we will have to come back and do it again week after week. That is the story of the game, you have to keep going and then keep coming back.
On any extra motivation the game might've brought…
Every game is a game. We just wanted to go out there and win. That was our number one goal. Obviously, we weren't good enough. If we didn't come out of here with a win, it doesn't matter. Our process is our process and we're trying to go win games.
On if being ahead on the scoreboard would have changed the last defensive drive...
Well, you know, it doesn't matter what I think, can't get it back. Regardless if the outcome would have been different or not, we still got a loss here.
Michigan State Senior OL Ben Roberts
Thoughts on much improved pass rush during game...
It does not matter, it was not good enough. We lost, so we have to be better. It starts with me and my brother right here, but we will be better, we promise you that.
On what it will take to get the program trending upwards...
We expect to win in those situations. It does not matter what happened last week or the week before, we expect to win those situations, so in our head, we have to go win the game. Obviously, we came up short, so now we have to go back to work.
On balancing the emotions of this game and moving past it…
You just have to be able to flush it. Play one play at a time. Next play, bad play, good play, it doesn't matter. That's part of it. It's life. You have to keep going. That's it. It's a testament to us playing with a lot of younger guys on the field too...
