Spartans become bowl eligible with 40-37 win against Purdue

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West Lafayette, Ind. — For the first time this season, the MSU football team won a game it probably shouldn’t have — and it couldn’t have come at a better time.

The Spartans gave up 524 yards of total offense, were more than doubled in time of possession, ran 43 fewer plays and allowed 14-of-22 third down conversions, but when it came down to it, MSU made the big plays when it needed to, erasing an 11-point fourth quarter deficit to become bowl eligible for the third straight season with a 40-37 win against Purdue at Ross-Ade Stadium.

“We always were able to come back, we were always about to counter throughout the game,” MSU head coach Mark Dantonio said. “Even in the first half when they were running as many plays as they had, I always felt like we were countering and getting right back where we needed to be.”

Currently, the Big Ten has seven bowl eligible teams. Michigan, which plays Ohio State next week, can become the eighth with a win. The Spartans will lock in a third straight bowl appearance with a U-M loss, a win against Penn State next week, or the Big Ten getting two spots in the Bowl Championship Series.

The game was the seventh MSU game this season that came down to the final minutes. The Spartans now are 2-5 in those games.

MSU opened the game with a bang, scoring a defensive touchdown on the first play from scrimmage.

Purdue quarterback Joey Elliott and running back Ralph Bolden miscommunicated on a handoff and the ball came loose and was scooped up by junior cornerback Chris L. Rucker who took it 11 yards for a touchdown.

But the Boilermakers responded in eight plays, driving 80 yards, capped by a 26-yard touchdown pass from Elliott to receiver Keith Smith.

Two field goals by Purdue kicker Carson Wiggs gave Purdue a 13-7 lead, but MSU bounced back with a quick three play, 60 yards capped by a 4-yard touchdown pass from sophomore quarterback Kirk Cousins to senior fullback Andrew Hawken. The key play on the drive was a 55-yard pass from Cousins to junior tight end Charlie Gantt to the 5-yard line.

Purdue retook the lead on a 9-yard touchdown run by Bolden, but senior kicker Brett Swenson hit a 28-yard field goal with 1:49 remaining in the half to make it 20-17 going into halftime, as Wiggs missed a 49-yard attempt to close the half.

The players said they held a players-only meeting following a talk from the coaching staff during halftime which was said to be very productive and helped rally the team from a tough first half performance. Cousins called it a “gut-check.”

“It started at halftime,” junior linebacker Greg Jones said. “We came together as a team and did what we had to do. I know it wasn’t a good start to the half but we came together at the end.”

Swenson tied the game on MSU’s first drive of the second half, drilling a career-long 52-yard field goal.

Purdue then went on what appeared to be a back-breaking drive, going 80 yards in 17 plays in 8:32, capped by a 3-yard touchdown pass from Elliott to receiver Cortez Smith. The Boilermakers converted all four of their third down opportunities on the drive.

“We were pretty tired after that,” junior linebacker Eric Gordon said. “We had so many opportunities to get off the field and we didn’t and that’s what hurt us on those long drives.”

But again, the Spartans would battle back and Swenson again nailed another 52-yard field goal to make it 27-23 heading into the fourth quarter.

Bolden added his second touchdown of the day, a 1-yard run to put Purdue ahead 34-23 but all MSU would need was one play to bring it back to four points, as Cousins hit sophomore receiver B.J. Cunningham in stride for a 73-yard touchdown.

But on the ensuing drive, MSU’s defense again struggled. Purdue drove down and went to set up a 50-yard field goal, but the try was blocked by junior cornerback Jeremy Ware and recovered by Rucker, setting MSU up at its 46-yard line with about 7:30 remaining.

The touchdown pass combined with the blocked field goal shifted the momentum in the Spartans’ favor.

“Big plays help,” senior receiver Blair White said. “Anytime you get a big play the team kind of rallies a little bit.”

On the first play of the drive, the Spartans ran a double reverse that saw sophomore receiver Keshawn Martin gain 45 yards to the Purdue 9-yard line. Three plays later, Cousins found White for a 9-yard score to give the Spartans a 37-34 lead with 6:59 remaining.

Purdue marched into MSU territory but junior linebacker Jon Misch stopped Purdue fullback Jared Crank for no gain on a pass attempt on third-and-3, forcing the Boilermakers to look to Wiggs for a 49-yard field goal, which was good with 2:38 remaining.

“We had to make them kick the field goals and we did. … We did make them kick five field goals and I think that’s something,” Dantonio said.

On the ensuing kickoff, Martin took it 85 yards down the right side to the Purdue 11-yard line.

Martin gained 236 all-purpose yards as the Spartans utilized him on kickoff returns, punt returns, at receiver and for the first time this season, in the Wildcat formation. He also has thrown a pass this season.

“He’s a playmaker unlike a lot of people,” White said. “He can make people miss, he’s fast and we use him in all facets of the game. It’s nice that he’s coming along for us.”

With just more than two minutes to play, Dantonio ran the ball twice and then ran a safe pass into a quarterback run to the 3-yard line, forcing Purdue to use all three of its timeouts.

“We wanted a touchdown, but when we got down there, we wanted to run the football and make them use the clock,” Dantonio said.

The Spartans again looked to Swenson for his fourth field goal of the game and he hit it from 21 yards out, giving MSU a 40-37 lead with 1:51 remaining.

The kick marked the third time Swenson has kicked four field goals in a game in his career and he also tied a career high in points with 16. The game-time temperature of 61 degrees was an added bonus for Swenson.

“The conditions were pretty good today especially with it being a warm day,” Swenson said. “It’s easier kicking a warm ball than a cold ball so I was excited. The ball kind of jumps off your foot.”

Purdue got the ball back and advanced to the MSU 47-yard line, but Elliott was sacked by junior defensive end Colin Neely on fourth-and-6, sealing MSU’s bowl eligibility. It was MSU’s only sack of the game.

“All you need is one,” Dantonio said.

Jones said the final drive was a complete team effort. Six different Spartans recorded at least a tackle on the 10 play drive.

“We got pressure up front, the guys in the back end did their thing and it all came together at the end when we needed it most,” Jones said.

Cousins said it was nice to be on the winning end of a close game after so many heartbreakers.

“We just kept playing all season,” Cousins said. “There’s been a lot of games like this where things haven’t gone our way early and we just keep playing and don’t give up and it was nice this one came our way at the end.”

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