Spartans Set to Face No. 9 UCLA in Rose Bowl on Saturday

Saturday, October 24

Pasadena, Calif.

3:30 PM ET / 12:30 PM PT

Michigan State University

UCLA

Photo by: Matthew Mitchell/MSU Athletic Communications

10/20/2026 2:41:00 PM | Football

Game 8: Michigan State (2-5, 0-4 B1G) at No. 9/10 UCLA (6-0, 4-0 B1G)

Date: Saturday, Oct. 24
Kickoff: 3:37 p.m. ET / 12:37 p.m. PT
Location: Pasadena, Calif.
Stadium: Rose Bowl Stadium (81,258)
Surface: Natural Grass
Game Notes: MSU | UCLA

►BROADCAST INFORMATION
TV: CBS
Streaming/Mobile: Paramount+
Announcers: Brad Nessler (play-by-play), Charles Davis (analyst), Jenny Dell (sidelines)

Radio: Spartan Media Network | Affiliate Listings
Announcers: George Blaha (play-by-play), Jehuu Caulcrick (analyst), Tre Mosley (sidelines), Dalton Shetler (broadcast host)
Website/Mobile: msuspartans .com/watch, MSU Athletics app, Tune In radio
Flagship Stations: Lansing: WMMQ (94.9 FM); Detroit: WJR (760 AM); Grand Rapids: WBFX (101.3 FM)
Affiliates: 17 affiliates listed at msuspartans.com
Satellite: SiriusXM Ch. 267 | SiriusXM App Ch. 977
Pregame Show: Begins at 2 p.m. ET

►SERIES INFORMATION
All-Time Series: UCLA leads, 4-3
Series at Rose Bowl: MSU leads, 2-1
Last Meeting: UCLA 38, MSU 13 (2025 in East Lansing)
Current Series Streak: 4 by UCLA

►HEAD COACHES
MSU Head Coach: Pat Fitzgerald
MSU Record: 2-5 (first year)
Overall Record: 112-106 (18th year)
Record vs. UCLA: 0-0

UCLA Head Coach: Bob Chesney
UCLA Record: 6-0 (first year)
Overall Record: 138-52 (17th year)
Record vs. MSU: 0-0

►SPARTANS TO FACE NO. 9 UCLA IN ROSE BOWL ON SATURDAY AFTERNOON
• Michigan State will play in Pasadena for the first time since winning the 2014 Rose Bowl Game as the Spartans take on No. 9/10 UCLA Saturday, Oct. 24 at 3:30 p.m. ET/12:30 p.m. PT. The game will be televised on CBS and streamed on Paramount+ with Brad Nessler (play-by-play), Charles Davis (analyst) and Jenny Dell (sidelines) on the call.

• MSU (2-5, 0-4 B1G) fell on a last-second field goal to No. 25 Northwestern, 24-21, last Saturday in Spartan Stadium. With the score tied at 21, the Spartans had a field goal blocked with a minute left before the Wildcats moved downfield and hit a 34-yard game-winning field goal with two seconds remaining in the 24-21 defeat. UCLA remained undefeated and improved to 6-0 on the season (4-0 B1G) with a 17-7 home win over Wisconsin.

• Saturday marks the eighth all-time meeting between Michigan State and UCLA. The Bruins hold a slight edge in the all-time series, 4-3, following a 38-13 victory in East Lansing last season in the first game between the programs as Big Ten schools. 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 four matchups. 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).

• In the only previous matchup between the two schools in Los Angeles during the regular season, UCLA posted a 56-14 win over the Spartans on Sept. 28, 1974, in the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.

• MSU's seven opponents to date have a combined 32-15 record, which ranks as the 16th-toughest schedule in the FBS by ESPN and 21st-toughest by the NCAA. MSU will be playing its third AP ranked opponent of the season against No. 9 UCLA (vs. No. 3 Notre Dame on Sept. 19; vs. No. 25 Northwestern on Oct. 17).

• Michigan State's .800 winning percentage in Rose Bowl Games (4-1 record) is the best for any school with at least five appearances in the Granddaddy of Them All. The Spartans defeated No. 5 UCLA, 28-20, in 1954; beat No. 4 UCLA, 17-14, in 1956; lost to No. 5 UCLA, 14-12, in 1966; defeated No. 16 USC, 20-17, in 1988; and beat No. 5 Stanford, 24-20, in 2014.

QUICK GLANCE AT THE SPARTANS

►OFFENSE
• Graduate running back Jaziun Patterson, who played his first four seasons at Iowa, has the led the Spartans in rushing for four straight games following the season-ending injury to Cam Edwards in Week 4 vs. Nebraska.

• Patterson has 76 carries for 327 yards and five TDs on the season, averaging 46.7 yards per game. The last four games, Patterson has 66 carries for 281 yards (16.5 carries per game and 70.3 ypg). He had 10 rushing attempts for 46 yards (3.3 carries per game and 15.3 ypg) in the first three games of the season.

• Patterson ranks tied for sixth in the Big Ten with five rushing touchdowns and tied for 10th with six total TDs.

• Patterson scored four touchdowns vs. Illinois (10/10), the most by a Spartan in a game since Kenneth Walker III scored five in the win over Michigan in 2021. Patterson rushed for 93 yards and three TDs on 17 carries against the Fighting Illini, and added three catches for 26 yards, including a 6-yard TD reception.

• Redshirt sophomore quarterback Alessio Milivojevic has started the last 11 games for the Spartans, including the final four games of the 2025 season and the first seven of this season. Milivojevic has completed 65 percent of his passes (121-of-185) for 1,263 yards and seven touchdowns with three interceptions in the first seven games of the season. Milivojevic completed a career-high 85 percent of his passes (22-of-26) for 196 yards and two touchdowns against Illinois (10/10).

• Redshirt freshman tight end Jayden Savoury leads the team with 27 receptions for 261 yards. He leads all Big Ten tight ends in receptions (27). Savoury had four catches for 33 yards vs. Northwestern and was named to the PFF Big Ten Team of the Week.

►DEFENSE
• Fourth-year safety Devin Vaught leads the Spartan defense and ranks tied for 14th in the Big Ten with 46 tackles. Vaught is in his first season at MSU after playing his first three years at Maine (2023-25).

• Fourth-year defensive lineman Eli Coenen, an Illinois transfer, leads the team with 3.5 sacks (25 yards) and ranks second with 4.5 TFLs (27 yards).

• Fifth-year defensive lineman Ben Roberts is the team's highest-graded defender according to Pro Football Focus (84.3). He had a career game against Northwestern, recording career bests in tackles (8), tackles for loss (3.0 for 19 yards) and sacks (2.0 for 16 yards), and was named to the PFF Big Ten Team of the Week. Roberts leads the Spartans with 5.0 TFLs overall.

• Senior captain linebacker Jordan Hall has missed three games due to injury, but still ranks sixth on the team with 25 tackles and tied for third with three tackles for loss. A first-team preseason All-Big Ten selection by Phil Steele, Hall is the first Spartan linebacker to be named a captain in back-to-back years since Joe Bachie (2018-19). Hall entered entered 2026 on preseason watch lists for the Bednarik Award (best defensive player), the Butkus Award (nation's top linebacker) and the Wuerffel Trophy (premier community service award in college football).

►SPECIAL TEAMS: BOYD, DAKIN LEAD THE WAY FOR MSU IN KICKING GAME
• Fifth-year graduate kicker Liam Boyd is tied for fourth in the Big Ten and tied for 19th in the nation with 10 field goals, already surpassing his previous career high of nine from a year ago at Charlotte. Boyd is 4-for-5 from 30-39 yards and 5-of-5 from 40-49 yards and also connected on a career-long 51-yarder in the season opener vs. Toledo.

• Third-year punter Rhys Dakin, a transfer from Iowa in his first season at MSU, leads the Big Ten with his 51.0-yard average (18 for 918 yards). He would rank No. 2 in the FBS as well, but doesn't have the minimum amount of punts to qualify for the national leaders. Dakin booted a career-high 74-yard punt in the Illinois game. A native of Melbourne, Australia, Dakin also ranks second in the conference with 11 punts of 50-plus yards and has placed eight punts inside the 20.

►STAT LEADERS
Michigan State:
Rushing – Gr. Jaziun Patterson (76 carries for 327 yards, 4.3 avg., 3 TDs, 46.7 ypg)
Passing – R-So. Alessio Milivojevic (121-of-185, .654, 1,263 yards, 7 TDs, 3 INTs, 180.4 ypg)
Receiving – R-Fr. TE Jayden Savoury (27 receptions for 261 yards, 9.7 avg., 0 TDs, 37.3 ypg)
Tackles – R-Jr. S Devin Vaught (46 tackles, 1 TFL, 1 INT)

UCLA:
Rushing – 5th Wayne Knight (84 carries for 571 yards, 6.8 avg., 11 TDs, 95.2 ypg)
Passing – Sr. Nico Iamaleava (72-of-116, .621, 982 yards, 4 TDs, 4 INTs, 196.4 ypg)
Receiving – Sr. Semaj Morgan (24 receptions for 313 yards, 13.0 avg., 2 TDs, 52.2 ypg)
Tackles – 5th LB Jalen Woods (50 tackles, 4.5 TFLs, 2 sacks, 1 INT, 2 PBUs, 2 QBHs, 1 FR)

►A GLANCE AT NO. 9/10 UCLA (6-0, 4-0 B1G)
• The Bruins moved up from No. 12 to No. 9 in the AP Poll this week, matching UCLA's highest ranking since 2022, as the Bruins are 6-0 overall for first time since that same 2022 season. UCLA is the only undefeated team remaining in either the B1G or SEC, and are just one of six undefeated teams in FBS (UCLA, Utah, Texas Tech, Miami (Fla.), BYU and James Madison). The Bruins have doubled last season's win total of three wins.

• The Bruins beat the Badgers, 17-7, last week, as senior quarterback Ty Dieffenbach made his first start as a Bruin and threw for 264 yards on 22-of-33 passing. Despite not throwing any TD tosses, Dieffenbach led two drives that ended with rushing TDs and one with a field goal, but threw one interception and was sacked once.

• Dieffenbach took over the reins of the Bruins' offense after quarterback Nico Iamaleava was injured late in the first half of UCLA's 17-15 win against then-No. 13 Oregon on Oct. 10. UCLA head coach Bob Chesney announced on Monday that Iamaleava will be out the rest of the season.

• Fifth-year senior running back Anthony Woods had eight carries for 39 yards in the win over Wisconsin with a 3-yard rush early in the fourth quarter to cap the scoring. Fellow fifth-year senior running back Wayne Knight had a team-high 13 carries for 23 yards and scored on a 1-yard TD plunge in the second quarter to give the Bruins a 10-0 lead.

• Senior wide receiver Semaj Morgan had five catches for 84 yards, one of eight Bruins with at least one catch and one of four with three or more receptions. Morgan also had one pass attempt, but it was intercepted on UCLA's first drive of the second half.

• Senior linebacker Jalen Woods led the Bruins' defense with a game-high nine tackles, including 1.0 tackle for loss on 1.0 sack. Senior linebacker Sammy Omosigho added five stops and one forced fumble, while sophomore linebacker Scott Taylor had 1.0 TFL on 1.0 sack and a forced fumble.

• UCLA is sixth in the B1G and 33rd in the FBS in scoring offense (35.5 ppg), while ranking fifth in the conference and 21st in the country in scoring defense (16.2 ppg), highlighted by scoring 50+ points twice and holding three opponents to 10 points or less.

• The Bruins are fourth in the B1G and 33rd in the FBS in total offense (445.8 ypg), boosted by leading the league and ranking 12th in the nation in rushing offense (231.0 ypg), while ranking 14th in the conference and 87th in the country in passing offense (214.8 ypg).

• UCLA's defense is seventh in the league and 20th in the nation in total defense (292.3 ypg), ranking fifth in the B1G and 20th in the FBS in rushing defense (97.7 ypg), and seventh in the conference and 46th in the country in passing yards allowed (194.7 ypg).

• Dieffenbach is 25-of-39 for 307 yards passing with one TD and one INT in two games, with one start. Dieffenbach would rank 18th in the B1G with 153.5 ypg, 12th in QB rating (133.55) and ninth in yards/att (7.9), but he doesn't reach the minimum of playing in 75 percent of the team's game.

• Knight is second in the B1G and 20th in the FBS in rushing (95.2 ypg), and also leads the league and ranks fourth in the nation in rushing TDs (11), as well as fourth in the conference and 15th in the country in rushing average (6.8 ypc). Knight is also eighth in the league and 50th in the nation in points responsible for per game (12.0), as well as fifth in the conference and 25th in the country in kickoff returns (20.0 ypr). He has 84 carries for 571 yards overall.

• Morgan has 24 catches for 313 yards with two TD catches, ranking 24th in the B1G in both receiving yards/game (52.2) and receptions/game (4.0). Morgan is also fifth in the league in punt returns (9.5 ypr).

• Woods spearheads the Bruin defense with 50 total tackles (28 solo, 22 assists), with 4.5 TFLs and 2.0 sacks, adding one INT, two pass break-ups and one fumble recovery.

• Omosigho is fourth in the B1G and 24th in the FBS with 7.5 tackles for loss, ranking sixth in the league in TFL yards (36) and fourth in TFL/game (1.25). He is tied for 11th in the conference with 3.0 sacks, ranking tied for fifth in sack yards (27) and tied for sixth in sacks/game (0.5). Omisigho has 50 total tackles, ranking tied for fifth in the B1G in total tackles, while leading the league in solo stops (32), and is 31st in the conference with 18 assists.

• Senior defensive back Ta'Shawn James leads the B1G and is tied for third in the FBS with four interceptions, adding two pass break-ups to rank tied for sixth in the B1G in passes defended.

• Senior placekicker Mateen Bhaghani is 6-of-8 on field goals with a long of 40 yards and having one blocked. Bhaghani is also 27-of-27 on PATs. He also handles kickoff duties, with 40 kickoffs for a 63.3 ypk average with 30 touchbacks.

• Sophomore punter Curtis Gerrand is third in the B1G in punting with a 45.2 ypp average with 25 punts. Gerrand has a long of 55 yards, one of five punts of 50+ yards, with 13 punts inside the 20 with one touchback.

• Coach Chesney is in his first season at UCLA and his 17th season as a head coach, coming to LA after two seasons at James Madison. Chesney has a 138-52 (.726) overall record as a head coach.

►MSU-UCLA SERIES NOTES
• Saturday marks the eighth all-time meeting between Michigan State and UCLA. The Bruins hold a slight edge in the all-time series, 4-3, following a 38-13 victory in East Lansing last season in the first game between the programs as Big Ten schools.

• 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 four matchups.

• 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).

• In the only previous matchup between the two schools in Los Angeles during the regular season, UCLA posted a 56-14 win over the Spartans on Sept. 28, 1974, in the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.

►MSU-UCLA CONNECTIONS
• UCLA first-year defensive line coach Legi Suiaunoa spent two seasons (2024-25) coaching the defensive line at Michigan State under Jonathan Smith.

• UCLA first-year assistant quarterbacks coach Jon Boyer coached one season (2025) as the QB coach at Michigan State.

►SPARTANS FROM THE GOLDEN STATE
• Michigan State has two players on its 2026 roster from the state of California: QB Leo Hannan (Long Beach/Servite HS) and OL Drew Nichols (Murrieta/ Murrieta Valley HS).

LAST TIME OUT: NO. 25 NORTHWESTERN 24, MSU 21

►GAME RECAP
• Michigan State had a field goal blocked with a minute left before No. 25 Northwestern moved downfield and hit a 34-yard game-winning field goal with two seconds remaining in a 24-21 loss at Spartan Stadium last Saturday.

• Redshirt sophomore quarterback Alessio Milivojevic completed 19-of-30 passes for 216 yards and two touchdowns, with redshirt senior wide receiver Chrishon McCray catching three passes for 64 yards, including a 53-yard touchdown, and graduate senior running back Jaziun Patterson had 15 carries for 72 yards. Redshirt freshman wide receiver Bryson Williams caught a 32-yard touchdown pass in the second quarter for his first career touchdown.

• Senior linebacker Dion Crawford led Michigan State with 14 tackles, including 1.5 for loss and a breakup, while senior linebacker Cam Stodghill had 11 tackles, including 1.5 for loss and two pass breakups.

►SPARTAN PLAYERS OF THE GAME
• Offense: #13 R-Sr. WR Chrishon McCray (3 catches for 64 yards, 53-yard TD reception)
• Offensive Playmaker: #14 R-Fr. WR Bryson Williams (32-yard TD catch in second quarter)
• Defense: #55 R-Sr. DL Ben Roberts (8 tackles, 3.0 TFLs for 19 yards, 2 sacks for 16 yards)
• Defensive Playmaker: #11 R-So. EDGE Anelu Lafaele (4 tackles, 2 sacks for 9 yards, 1 FF)

►SCORING SUMMARY
Northwestern took an early 3-0 lead with a 39-yard field goal midway through the first quarter, but the Spartan defense actually held the Wildcats to minus-10 yards on the drive with two sacks following an MSU fumble that originally gave NU the ball on the 10-yard line.

The Spartans responded with a 44-yard kickoff return by Kenneth Williams that sparked a 12-play, 49-yard touchdown down drive capped by a 3-yard TD run by Milivojevic on a fourth-and-1.

Northwestern reclaimed the lead at 10-7 following a 10-yard touchdown run by Caleb Komolafe with 11:04 left in the second quarter. The Wildcats were looking to extend their advantage with a 41-yard field goal with under three minutes remaining in the first half, but Eli Coenen blocked the kick. On the ensuing possession, MSU went 77 yards in just 2:01 and scored the go-ahead touchdown on a 32-yard pass from Milivojevic to Bryson Williams to make it 14-10 at the half.

NU trimmed the Spartan lead to 14-13 on Jackson Kleather's 37-yard field goal, his second of the game, at the 4:24 mark in the third.

Following a season-long 41-yard punt return by McCray that gave MSU the ball on its own 48-yard line, Milivojevic found McCray for a season-long 53-yard touchdown pass two plays later that put the Spartans on top, 21-13, with 11:48 left in the game.
Northwestern tied it at 21 with 7:24 remaining as Aidan Chiles scored on a 1-yard TD run and then found Alex Honig in the end zone for the 2-point conversion.

The Spartans stopped a fake Northwestern punt on fourth-and-8, and took over on the Wildcat 28-yard line with 3:29 left. The Spartans rushed the ball five times to the Wildcats' 15-yard line before a 33-yard field goal attempt from Liam Boyd was blocked with one minute left.

Northwestern took over and Chiles completed three passes for 50 yards and a 14-yard rush moved the ball to the MSU 16-yard line, where Kleather connected on a 34-yard field goal with two seconds left to give the Wildcats a 24-21 lead and the victory.

►OFFENSIVE NOTES
• Redshirt sophomore quarterback Alessio Milivojevic was 19-of-30 passing for 216 yards and two TDs, with no interceptions . . . it marked his third game this season with 200+ yards passing and 30+ passing attempts . . . he also ran for a 3-yard TD for his first rushing TD of the season and second of his career.

• Redshirt senior wide receiver Chrishon McCray snared his first TD of the season with a 53-yard pass from Milivojevic in the fourth quarter . . . it was McCray's fourth TD catch as a Spartan and the 17th of his collegiate career, with 13 during his three seasons at Kent State (2022-24) . . . McCray finished the game with three catches for 64 yards.

• Redshirt freshman wide receiver Bryson Williams snared the first TD catch of his collegiate career with the 32-yard catch from Milivojevic in the second quarter . . . the 32-yard catch was also his longest catch of his career . . . Williams now has two catches for 51 yards this season and three receptions for 59 yards in his career.

• Redshirt freshman tight end Jayden Savoury led MSU with four catches, going for 33 yards.

• Redshirt junior Fredrick Moore had three catches for 43 yards, including a 29-yard catch that was a new career-long reception, topping his previous career-high of 24 yards vs. Illinois on a TD catch.

• Graduate running back Jaziun Patterson made his third straight start and had 15 carries for 72 yards . . . the 72 yards marked the second-highest rushing total of the season behind his top mark of 93 yards vs. Illinois . . . he has rushed for 50 or more yards in the last four games.

►DEFENSIVE NOTES
• Michigan State recorded a season-high 5.0 sacks (35 yards) . . . it marked the most sacks in a game by the Spartans since Oct. 4, 2025, at Nebraska (5.0) . . . the Spartans also had a season-high 10.0 tackles for loss (43 yards).

• Redshirt senior defensive lineman Ben Roberts registered a career-high for the second straight week with eight stops, after seven tackles vs. Illinois . . . he also registered a career-high 2.0 sacks and finished with a career-best 3.0 tackles for loss.

• Senior linebacker Dion Crawford registered a season-high 14 tackles, which tied his career-high of 14 stops last season vs. Minnesota (8/25/25) while he was at Buffalo.

• Making his second start of the season, senior linebacker Cam Stodghill registered 11 tackles for the second straight game after 11 stops vs. Illinois.

• Redshirt sophomore Anelu Lafaele recorded a career-high two sacks (9 yards) and also forced a fumble.

• Redshirt junior safety Devin Vaught tied a season-high with eight tackles for the third time this season.

►SPECIAL TEAMS NOTES
• Junior punter Rhys Dakin had three punts for a 48.0 ypp average with a long of 58 yards, adding a 56-yarder . . . he placed two punts inside the 20 . . . he now has 11 punts of 50+ yards this season and 37 for his career.

• Fourth-year defensive lineman Eli Coenen blocked a field goal in the second quarter, marking MSU's first blocked field goal since Nov. 22, 2024, against Purdue (Ru'Quan Buckley).

►SPARTAN ROSE BOWL GAME FLASHBACKS
• Michigan State's .800 winning percentage in Rose Bowl Games (4-1 record) is the best for any school with at least five appearances in the Granddaddy of Them All. The Spartans defeated No. 5 UCLA, 28-20, in 1954; beat No. 4 UCLA, 17-14, in 1956; lost to No. 5 UCLA, 14-12, in 1966; defeated No. 16 USC, 20-17, in 1988; and beat No. 5 Stanford, 24-20, in 2014).

• Michigan State is 4-2 all-time in games played at Rose Bowl Stadium (4-1 in Rose Bowl Games; lost to UCLA in 1974).

Jan. 1, 1954 | No. 3 Michigan State 28, No. 5 UCLA 20, Coach: Biggie Munn
Billy Wells ran for one touchdown and returned a punt for another score to lead No. 3 Michigan State to a 28-20 victory over No. 5 UCLA in the 1954 Rose Bowl. It was the final game in Hall of Fame Coach Biggie Munn's illustrious career at Michigan State.

UCLA jumped out to a 14-0 lead, capitalizing on two Spartan turnovers. Midway through the first quarter, Jim Salsbury recovered a fumble on the MSU 37 and six plays later, Paul Cameron hit Bill Stits with a 13-yard TD strike to give the Bruins a 7-0 lead. Early in the second quarter, Hardiman Cureton and Bob Long combined to sack Spartan QB Earl Morrall, who fumbled, and Cureton fell on it at the MSU 18. Seven plays later, Cameron scored on a 2-yard run off left tackle.

The momentum changed midway through the second quarter when Ellis Duckett blocked Cameron's punt from the UCLA 25 and returned it 6 yards for a touchdown as the Spartans cut the deficit to 14-7 at halftime.

The Spartans dominated play in the third quarter. Michigan State took the second-half kickoff and drove 78 yards in 14 plays with LeRoy Bolden scoring on a 1-yard dive to tie the game at 14. Wells capped a 10-play, 73-yard drive with a 2-yard TD run to give the Spartans their first lead at 21-14 late in the third quarter.

Early in the fourth quarter, UCLA forced another fumble and Jack Ellena recovered it at the MSU 24. Two plays later, Cameron hit Rommie Loudd with a 28-yard TD toss but Cameron's conversion attempt sailed wide and the Bruins still trailed 21-20.

Michigan State iced the game when Wells returned Cameron's punt 62 yards for a touchdown with 4:51 left in the fourth quarter. Wells led a well-balanced Spartan running attack, picking up 80 yards on 14 carries.

Jan. 2, 1956 | No. 2 Michigan State 17, No. 4 UCLA 14, Coach: Duffy Daugherty
Dave Kaiser, who is in the Rose Bowl Hall of Fame, converted his first career field-goal attempt, a 41-yarder with seven seconds left, to give No. 2 Michigan State a 17-14 win over No. 4 UCLA in the 1956 Rose Bowl.

Michigan State found itself in an early hole as Earl Morrall's pass on the first play from scrimmage was intercepted by Jim Decker and returned 4 yards to the MSU 16. Four plays later, Bob Davenport scored on a 2-yard run over left guard to give the Bruins a 7-0 lead with 11:48 left in the first quarter. Midway through the second quarter, Michigan State put together an 11-play, 80-yard drive to pull even at 7. Walt Kowalczyk's 30-yard run to the UCLA 17 set up Morrall's 13-yard touchdown toss to Clarence Peaks.

On the second play of the fourth quarter, the Spartans took their first lead at 14-7 on Peaks' 67-yard TD pass to John Lewis, who caught the ball on the 50 and took it the distance. Five minutes later, UCLA's passing game produced a big play as Ronnie Knox hit Decker with a 47-yard bomb to the MSU 7. Three plays later, Doug Peters scored on a 1-yard plunge at center. Morrall directed an 11-play, 59-yard drive to the UCLA 24 but Gerald Planutis missed a 41-yard field-goal attempt. Five penalties were called in the closing minutes and field position shifted in Michigan State's favor when UCLA was flagged for three straight fouls. The Spartans' game-winning drive started at the UCLA 19.

Jan. 1, 1966 | No. 5 UCLA 14, No. 2 Michigan State 12, Coach: Duffy Daugherty
Gary Beban ran for two touchdowns and threw for 147 yards to lead No. 5 UCLA to a 14-12 upset win over No. 2 Michigan State in the 1966 Rose Bowl. Michigan State committed four first-half turnovers, with the first coming late in the first quarter as Don Japinga fumbled away a punt at the Spartan 6 that UCLA's John Erquiaga recovered. On the opening play of the second quarter, Beban scored on a 1-yard sneak to give the Bruins a 7-0 lead. UCLA then surprised the Spartans with an onsides kick that Bruin Dallas Grider recovered at the MSU 42. Beban hooked up with Kurt Altenburg for a 27-yard pass to the MSU 1. Beban capped off the five-play, 42-yard drive with another 1-yard sneak as UCLA scored twice in 3:07 to build a 14-0 lead. Michigan State rallied late in the fourth quarter, scoring twice in the final 6:13. Steve Juday's 42-yard strike to Gene Washington set up Bob Apisa's 38-yard TD run. Juday's two-point pass attempt failed and the Spartans trailed 14-6.

The Spartan defense held on the next series and Bubba Smith partially blocked Larry Cox's punt to give MSU possession at the UCLA 49. Juday finished off the 14-play scoring drive with a 1-yard sneak with :31 left. On the two-point try, Apisa was stopped short of the goal line by Grider and Bob Stiles. UCLA stopped the Spartans on fourth-and-1 plays three times in the second half, including twice in the fourth quarter. Michigan State outgained UCLA in total yards, 314-212. The Spartans picked up 204 yards on the ground, with Clinton Jones rushing for 113 yards on 20 carries.

Jan. 1, 1988 | No. 8 Michigan State 20, No. 16 USC 17, Coach: George Perles
John Langeloh kicked a 36-yard field goal with 4:14 left in the fourth quarter, which proved to be the game winner, as No. 8 Michigan State defeated No. 16 Southern Cal, 20-17, in the 1988 Rose Bowl. The Spartans, making their first trip to Pasadena in 22 years, ended the Big Ten's six-game losing streak in the Rose Bowl.

USC scored on its second possession as a 12-play, 52-yard drive produced a 34-yard field goal by Quin Rodriguez. MSU responded with a 15-play, 76-yard drive of its own to take a 7-3 lead on Lorenzo White's 5-yard touchdown run around left end with :54 left in the first quarter. The Spartans built a 14-3 advantage early in the second quarter as Bobby McAllister's 55-yard completion to Andre Rison set up White's second TD run from 3 yards out.

The Trojans cut the deficit to 14-10 early in the third quarter as Rodney Peete hit Kevin Henry with a 33-yard TD strike. Michigan State extended its lead to 17-10 on Langeloh's 40-yard field goal early in the fourth quarter. USC put together a 10-play, 80-yard drive to tie the score at 17 on Peete's 22-yard TD toss to Henry in the back of the end zone with 8:33 remaining. Facing a third-and-8 from the MSU 30, McAllister eluded a heavy rush and completed a 36-yard pass to Rison for a first down at the USC 34. Blake Ezor carried the ball six straight times to the USC 18 to set up Langeloh's game-winning field goal. USC took the ensuing kickoff and drove to the MSU 30 but Peete fumbled away the center snap and Todd Krumm recovered. John Miller iced the game for the Spartans, intercepting Peete's "Hail Mary" pass at the MSU 13 with only :03 left.

USC dominated the final stats, outgaining MSU, 410-276, in total yards, but the Trojans committed five turnovers while the Spartans managed to play error-free football. White gained a game-high 113 yards rushing and scored twice. Peete completed 22-of-41 throws for 249 yards and two TDs, but he was intercepted three times.

Dantonio - 2014 Rose Bowl

Jan. 1, 2014 | No. 4 Michigan State 24, No. 5 Stanford 20, Coach: Mark Dantonio
Fourth-ranked Michigan State won its first Rose Bowl in 26 years and fourth in program history with a 24-20 comeback victory over fifth-ranked and defending Rose Bowl Champion Stanford in the 100th Rose Bowl Game.

Connor Cook, who completed 22-of-36 passes for a 332 yards to earn Offensive MVP honors, hit Tony Lippett with the game-winning, 25-yard touchdown pass with 13:22 left in the fourth quarter that put Michigan State on top, 24-17.

Stanford scored on the game's opening drive as Tyler Gaffney's 16-yard touchdown run capped a seven-play, 77-yard drive for the Cardinal. Jordan Williamson's 34-yard field goal with 1:40 left in the first quarter extended Stanford's lead to 10-0. The Spartans got on the board with 10:45 on the clock in the second quarter as Jeremy Langford's 2-yard TD run cut MSU's deficit to 10-7. Stanford pushed its advantage back to 10 points at 17-7 on a Kevin Anderson 40-yard interception return for a touchdown with 2:07 remaining in the second, but the Spartans quickly responded with a seven-play, 75-yard touchdown drive that concluded with a 2-yard pass from Cook to Trevon Pendleton just 28 seconds before halftime.

MSU tied the score at 17 on Michael Geiger's 31-yard field goal with 12:56 left in the third quarter. A 19-yard punt return by Macgarrett Kings Jr. late in the third quarter gave Michigan State great field position on the Cardinal 27-yard line, and the Spartans took advantage as Cook found Lippett for a 25-yard TD pass on a third-and-8 play early in the fourth.

Stanford trimmed the margin to 24-20 on a 39-yard field goal by Williamson with 4:15 remaining. The Cardinal got the ball one last time on its own 25-yard line with 3:06 to play, but couldn't convert a first down, as Kyler Elsworth sealed the victory for MSU by leaping over the pile at the line of scrimmage and stopping fullback Ryan Hewitt on fourth-and-1. Elsworth, who collected four tackles including 1.5 for losses in his first career start at linebacker, was named the Rose Bowl Game Defensive MVP.