Michigan State football loses to Indiana, 39-31 (2OT): Game thread replay
Michigan State Spartans (5-5, 3-4 Big Ten) vs. Indiana Hoosiers (3-7, 1-6)
When: Noon, Saturday.
Where: Spartan Stadium, East Lansing.
TV: Big Ten Network.
Radio: WJR-AM (760).
Betting line: Spartans by 10.
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Game notes: It’s the annual battle for potentially the Big Ten’s most disgusting rivalry trophy: The Old Brass Spittoon. First awarded in 1950, the Spittoon — which supposedly dates back to the 1800s, when it was filled with, well, spit — has gone to the Spartans 50 of the 64 times it has been at stake, including last season. MSU has lost the Spittoon to Indiana just four times this century: 2001, 2006, 2016 and, most recently, 2020 when the Hoosiers shut out the Spartans, 24-0. MSU won it back last season, however, with an ugly 20-15 win in Bloomington.
Despite the numerous disappointments for the Spartans this season, quarterback Payton Thorne can still move up in the MSU QB record books today. First up, Thorne needs just 194 yards passing to move into sixth place among Spartans all-time, passing Brian Hoyer at 6,159 yards. (Next up, Brian Lewerke at 6,524 yards; Thorne could pass him next week against Penn State, or in a bowl if the Spartans can win one of their final two games.) Thorne is also targeting Lewerke’s spot in fourth place for all-time passing touchdowns; tied with Bill Burke with 46, two TDs will put Thorne alone in fourth. (Third place, held by Jeff Smoker with 61, is probably out of reach this season.) Thorne sits eighth among MSU QBs in attempts, with 776; 14 more and he’ll pass Ed Smith for seventh, with Drew Stanton’s 846 also within reach this season. And finally, Thorne has an outside shot of catching Hoyer for sixth in completions; he needs 27 to top the longtime NFL’ers 500 career completions as a Spartan. MSU would probably prefer Thorne miss out on that mark, for this week, at least. With a run-heavy gameplan, Thorne has averaged 17.8 completions in the Spartans’ five wins, and 20.4 in their five losses.
After this week, the Spartans finish up the regular season with a visit to Happy Valley to face No. 12 Penn State for the hulking (and presumably less spit-covered) Land-Grant Trophy. The Hoosiers will have another trophy to play for next week, as they take on in-state rival Purdue for the Old Oaken Bucket (won by the Boilermakers in three of the past four seasons).
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This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan State football loses to Indiana, 39-31 (2OT): Game thread
