Wisconsin Overpowers Michigan State 31-3 as Spartan Losing Streak Hits Three

Pat Fitzgerald's Spartans dropped to 2-3 and 0-2 in the Big Ten with a 31-3 loss at Wisconsin; they host Illinois on Saturday, Oct. 10, at 3:30 p.m. on FS1.

Wisconsin handed Michigan State a 31-3 defeat at Camp Randall Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 3, the third consecutive loss for the Spartans. Michigan State fell to 2-3 overall and 0-2 in Big Ten play, while the Badgers improved to 4-1 and 2-0 in the conference.

First-year coach Pat Fitzgerald was blunt afterward, telling reporters there was nothing else to take from a defeat that lopsided and that the Badgers had won the physical battle in every facet. He raised the idea of reviewing the film five separate times during a news conference that ran nearly 11 minutes.

The Badgers set the tone immediately, using a clock-eating opening drive that finished with quarterback Colton Joseph's 20-yard touchdown pass to Jacob Harris and a 7-0 lead. Fitzgerald answered by going for it on fourth down six times, including twice on the Spartans' first series.

The gamble misfired early. After sophomore Alessio Milivojevic converted a fourth-and-1 with a sneak at the Wisconsin 46, the series unraveled on third-and-5: left tackle Ben Murawski gave up the edge, and guard Nick Sharpe, shifted left after Conner Moore was hurt on the game's first play, was driven backward. Milivojevic climbed the pocket away from one rusher and into the grasp of defensive tackle Charles Perkins for a 3-yard loss. On fourth-and-8 from the 41, Fitzgerald and offensive coordinator Nick Sheridan rolled the dice again, and Milivojevic's deep shot to Fredrick Moore, double-covered along the right sideline, was knocked away — the first of five Michigan State possessions to end on downs.

The numbers matched the struggles. Michigan State went 1-for-6 on fourth down after opening the season 6-for-7 in that spot through four games, and it hit just 5 of 18 third downs. Milivojevic completed 15 of 32 passes for 103 yards and described the performance as completely frustrating, saying the offense needed to sustain drives. The Spartans reached the red zone just once, and that trip produced a Liam Boyd field goal just before halftime; a second possession ended on downs at the Wisconsin 24, and the remaining nine drives never got past the Badgers' 39. Fitzgerald tied the three-point output to his team losing its one-on-one matchups at the line of scrimmage and on the perimeter.

Joseph powered Wisconsin, accounting for 286 of the Badgers' 373 yards — 141 rushing with a touchdown and 145 passing — and three touchdowns overall. Fitzgerald said Wisconsin ran precisely what the Spartans had readied for during the week, adding that his staff recognized each incoming play from the sideline before the snap. He said the responsibility starts with the coaches, offered no quick fix and said the staff must coach its players much harder.

The decisive stretch came after halftime. Trailing 17-3, Michigan State opened the third quarter with backup quarterback Cam Fancher, who departed with an apparent knee injury; after Milivojevic re-entered, running back Marvis Parrish was stopped for no gain on a fourth-and-short run at the Wisconsin 46. Three plays later, on third-and-3, Joseph took a shotgun snap, sold a brief pass fake and exploded upfield on a 47-yard touchdown draw — linebackers Brady Pretzlaff and Cam Stodghill were sealed out of the play, safety Nikai Martinez dove and came up empty, and safety Devin Vaught's final lunge missed as well. Fitzgerald said his defense showed no recognition of a look the staff had specifically walked through. Joseph, an Old Dominion transfer, later connected with an uncovered Malachi Coleman on a 46-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter.

Across the three-game losing streak — defeats to Notre Dame, Nebraska and Wisconsin — Michigan State has given up an average of 379 yards while producing no sacks and no takeaways. Defensive end Kenny Soares Jr., who narrowly missed Joseph's first touchdown pass before Harris caught it, said the defense simply has to limit its mistakes. Up next for the Spartans is a home date with Illinois (2-3, 0-2) in East Lansing on Saturday, Oct. 10, at 3:30 p.m. on FS1.