East Lansing, MI (Sports Network) – Kirk Cousins threw three touchdown passes, leading 24th-ranked Michigan State to a 34-24 victory over 11th-ranked Wisconsin in the Big Ten opener for both schools.
Cousins completed 20-of-29 passes for 269 yards and was picked off twice for Michigan State (5-0, 1-0 Big Ten), which won its first five games for the first time since 1999 despite playing without head coach Mark Dantonio. Dantonio, who suffered a heart attack two weeks ago, was expected to be in the press box on Saturday, but was re-admitted to the hospital Thursday with a blood clot in his leg.
Offensive coordinator Don Treadwell guided the team in Dantonio’s absence, and the Spartans racked up 444 total yards of offense in the key victory. Edwin Baker ran for 87 yards, while Le’Veon Bell garnered 75 yards on the ground. Mark Dell caught six passes for 91 yards and a score for MSU.
Scott Tolzien struggled for Wisconsin (4-1, 0-1), completing only 11-of-25 passes for 127 yards and a touchdown. The Badgers, who scored a school-record 70 points in a win last week, recorded only 292 yards of total offense, with most of that coming from running backs James White and John Clay, who recorded 98 and 80 yards, respectively. White ran for two touchdowns in defeat.