Sophomore running back Andre Anderson pushes to score a lead-changing touchdown late in the third quarter of Saturday’s Green and White Game at Spartan Stadium. Despite Anderson’s nine-carry, 30-yard day, the White team would go on to win 38-37 in overtime.
MSU football fans got their first look at sophomore quarterbacks Kirk Cousins and Keith Nichol on Saturday during the Spartans annual Green and White game Saturday at Spartan Stadium.
And the two quarterbacks didn’t disappoint the fans who stuck it out through monsoon-like rains and gusty breezes.
Further intensifying the race for the starting job – both quarterbacks threw for four touchdowns and exactly 357 yards, but Nichol and the White team got the last laugh, squeaking out a 38-37 overtime victory.
“Offensively speaking, I’m very pleased with our quarterback situation,” MSU head coach Mark Dantonio said.
“I thought both of them responded when they were down, both showed good leadership and both of them made good plays.”
The game quickly established itself as a battle between the two quarterbacks and the play calling gave fans the opportunity to see the skill sets of both Cousins and Nichol.
The White team jumped out to a 17 point lead with 1:32 left in the second quarter, but the Green team battled back and scored 21 unanswered points of its own to take the lead.
With under three minutes remaining in the fourth quarter and the score tied at 24, Nichol orchestrated an eight play drive which drove 79 yards – culminating with a 39-yard touchdown pass to freshman wide receiver Myles White.
However, Cousins wasn’t about to be outdone.
After a penalty which set the Green team up at its own 47-yard line, Cousins had 48 seconds to drive his squad down the field to score a touchdown to tie the game.
Cousins started the drive by going 3-for-3 and the Green team got the ball down to the 7-yard line with seven seconds remaining.
After a quick incompletion, Cousins was left with only two seconds on the clock to get the ball into the end zone.
And he was able to do just that.
Cousins took the snap and fired a bullet to the number 83 on junior tight end Charlie Gantt’s jersey. The ball hit him so hard he had no choice but to catch it – thus tying the game at 31 and sending the game to overtime.
Nichol led his White team to a quick touchdown in the overtime and Cousins followed suit when his Green team took the field.
But with a heavy rain starting to fall, Dantonio decided the game would be resolved with the Green team going for a two-point conversion – and they were unable to convert, giving the White team the 38-37 victory and locking up the steak dinner.
“I’m very, very upset,” said junior linebacker Greg Jones of losing the game and having to eat the postgame meal of beans. “I’m trying not to think about it right now. I’m not a bean guy. That’s the one thing I don’t want, ever.”
Support student media! Please consider donating to The State News and help fund the future of journalism.
