Michigan State University Athletics
Photo by: Rey Del Rio/MSU Athletic Communications
Post-Game Notes: Nebraska
9/26/2026 11:53:00 PM | Football
GAME NOTES
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• Saturday's game marked the 15th all-time meeting between Michigan State and Nebraska . . . the Huskers own an 11-4 advantage in the series, with Saturday's Husker win snapping the Spartans' two-game win streak in Spartan Stadium, having won in 2021 and 2023 . . . Nebraska now has a 6-4 edge in the series in Big Ten games (starting in 2011).
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• Michigan State opened its 74th season of Big Ten play on Saturday . . . the Spartans won the Big Ten in their inaugural season of conference play in 1953 and have won a total of nine Big Ten Championships (1953, 1965, 1966, 1978, 1987, 1990, 2010, 2013, 2015).
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OFFENSE
• Redshirt-sophomore quarterback Alessio Milivojevic was 18-of-26 passing for 208 yards . . . the 208 yards was his second 200+ outing of the season and his fourth in his last six games and fifth in his last eight games . . . Milivojevic was held without a TD pass for the second game in a row after having a streak of four-straight TD halted last week at Notre Dame.
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• Graduate running back Jaziun Patterson had season highs with 16 carries for 54 yards and tied his season best with one TD, scoring on a 2-yard rush in the second quarter . . . Patterson topped his previous season-highs of seven carries from the season-opener vs. Toledo (Sept. 4) and his top marks of the season of 23 yards, both vs. Toledo and in Eastern Michigan game (Sept. 12) . . . the 16 carries were the second-most of his collegiate career, behind his career-best of 18 rushes vs. Minnesota (9/21/24) during his time at Iowa.
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• Graduate receiver Chrishon McCray had four catches for 47 yards, sharing the team lead in receptions, while topping the team with 47 yards . . . McCray's four receptions was his second game with four or more catches this season behind his season-high eight catches in the season-opener vs. Toledo (Sept. 4) . . . the 47 yards is also his second-highest of the season behind 69 yards in the Toledo game.
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• Redshirt-junior wide receiver Fredrick Moore had career highs for both receptions and yards with four catches for 43 yards, topping his previous career-best of three receptions, done three times, twice during his career at Michigan and once at Michigan State in this year's season-opener vs. Toledo.
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• Graduate tight end Brennan Parachek also snared career bests for catches and yards with three receptions for 40 yards, topping his previous top receptions of two catches done four times in his career and his top receiving yardage outing of 27 yards vs. Ohio State (9/28/24).
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DEFENSE
• Graduate linebacker Caleb Wheatland posted a career-high nine tackles, topping his previous top mark of seven stops vs. USC (10/19/24) during his time at Maryland . . . the nine tackles also topped his season total of eight stops through the first three games.
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• Redshirt-junior safety Devin Vaught tied his season-high of eight tackles, matching his top mark of eight stops vs. Eastern Michigan (Sept. 12) . . . Vaught continues his pattern of 5-8-5-8 tackles through the first four games.
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SPECIAL TEAMS
• Junior punter Rhys Dakin had two punts for a 50.5 ypp average with a game-long of 52 yards . .. it was his fourth punt of 50+ yards this season and his 30th career punt of 50 or more yards . . . Dakin was limited without a punt inside the 20 for the first time this season and in his last 14 games with a punt dating back to the season-opener last year while at Iowa.
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• Graduate placekicker Liam Boyd made 2-of-3 field goals, splitting the uprights from 48 and 46 yards, while having a 52-yard attempt blocked . . . the pair of upright splits gives Boyd at least one field goal made in three of the four games this season and the second game this season with multiple field goals, joining his five field goals in the season opener vs. Toledo . . . Boyd is now 8-of-10 on field goals for the season, with both misses coming on attempts of 50+ yards that were both blocked.
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• Saturday's game marked the 15th all-time meeting between Michigan State and Nebraska . . . the Huskers own an 11-4 advantage in the series, with Saturday's Husker win snapping the Spartans' two-game win streak in Spartan Stadium, having won in 2021 and 2023 . . . Nebraska now has a 6-4 edge in the series in Big Ten games (starting in 2011).
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• Michigan State opened its 74th season of Big Ten play on Saturday . . . the Spartans won the Big Ten in their inaugural season of conference play in 1953 and have won a total of nine Big Ten Championships (1953, 1965, 1966, 1978, 1987, 1990, 2010, 2013, 2015).
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OFFENSE
• Redshirt-sophomore quarterback Alessio Milivojevic was 18-of-26 passing for 208 yards . . . the 208 yards was his second 200+ outing of the season and his fourth in his last six games and fifth in his last eight games . . . Milivojevic was held without a TD pass for the second game in a row after having a streak of four-straight TD halted last week at Notre Dame.
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• Graduate running back Jaziun Patterson had season highs with 16 carries for 54 yards and tied his season best with one TD, scoring on a 2-yard rush in the second quarter . . . Patterson topped his previous season-highs of seven carries from the season-opener vs. Toledo (Sept. 4) and his top marks of the season of 23 yards, both vs. Toledo and in Eastern Michigan game (Sept. 12) . . . the 16 carries were the second-most of his collegiate career, behind his career-best of 18 rushes vs. Minnesota (9/21/24) during his time at Iowa.
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• Graduate receiver Chrishon McCray had four catches for 47 yards, sharing the team lead in receptions, while topping the team with 47 yards . . . McCray's four receptions was his second game with four or more catches this season behind his season-high eight catches in the season-opener vs. Toledo (Sept. 4) . . . the 47 yards is also his second-highest of the season behind 69 yards in the Toledo game.
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• Redshirt-junior wide receiver Fredrick Moore had career highs for both receptions and yards with four catches for 43 yards, topping his previous career-best of three receptions, done three times, twice during his career at Michigan and once at Michigan State in this year's season-opener vs. Toledo.
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• Graduate tight end Brennan Parachek also snared career bests for catches and yards with three receptions for 40 yards, topping his previous top receptions of two catches done four times in his career and his top receiving yardage outing of 27 yards vs. Ohio State (9/28/24).
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DEFENSE
• Graduate linebacker Caleb Wheatland posted a career-high nine tackles, topping his previous top mark of seven stops vs. USC (10/19/24) during his time at Maryland . . . the nine tackles also topped his season total of eight stops through the first three games.
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• Redshirt-junior safety Devin Vaught tied his season-high of eight tackles, matching his top mark of eight stops vs. Eastern Michigan (Sept. 12) . . . Vaught continues his pattern of 5-8-5-8 tackles through the first four games.
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SPECIAL TEAMS
• Junior punter Rhys Dakin had two punts for a 50.5 ypp average with a game-long of 52 yards . .. it was his fourth punt of 50+ yards this season and his 30th career punt of 50 or more yards . . . Dakin was limited without a punt inside the 20 for the first time this season and in his last 14 games with a punt dating back to the season-opener last year while at Iowa.
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• Graduate placekicker Liam Boyd made 2-of-3 field goals, splitting the uprights from 48 and 46 yards, while having a 52-yard attempt blocked . . . the pair of upright splits gives Boyd at least one field goal made in three of the four games this season and the second game this season with multiple field goals, joining his five field goals in the season opener vs. Toledo . . . Boyd is now 8-of-10 on field goals for the season, with both misses coming on attempts of 50+ yards that were both blocked.
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Players Mentioned
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