Trap game? Not so much.
Between last week’s thrilling overtime win over Notre Dame and next week’s Big Ten opener versus Wisconsin, Michigan State could’ve been caught looking ahead and without focus against Northern Colorado.
(The health of head coach Mark Dantonio, who suffered a heart attack in the hours following the Notre Dame game was also a considerable concern. Spartan players wore a “D” on their helmets to honor their coach.)
Offensive coordinator Don Treadwell, filling in for Dantonio, maintained that a coaching staff with seven years together would provide stability and continuity, and the Spartans backed that up on the field with a dominating performance.
Quarterback Kirk Cousins completed 16-of-20 passes for 287 yards and two touchdowns. Tailback Le’Veon Bell added 93 yards on 11 carries, finding the end zone three times. Edwin Baker also scored a touchdown to go with his 59 yards on the ground.
Senior linebacker Greg Jones intercepted two passes (the first of his career), among four turnovers forced by the Spartans defense. Michigan State held Northern Colorado to 266 yards of total offense. The Bears finally broke through for a touchdown early in the fourth quarter.
As mentioned, the Spartans host Wisconsin to open the Big Ten season next week. After that, it’s the annual showdown with Michigan.