The Michigan State Spartans have their eyes on a second-straight double-digit win season, but they've got to get past the Northwestern Wildcats to do it. That's proving to be a little tougher than they previously thought. Northwestern received the opening half kickoff, and after a Dan Persa completion to Drake Dunsmore for 69 yards, the Wildcats were back in business. That took the ball to the three yard line, and Persa ended up hitting Jeremy Ebert for a two-yard touchdown, bringing the Wildcats within a touchdown.
Michigan responded, though, and went on a ten play drive that took them from their own 33 yard line to the Northwestern 33 yard line, where Kirk Cousins completed, you guessed it, a 33 yard touchdown pass to B.J. Cunningham to put the Spartans back up two scores, following a Dan Conroy extra point.
Both teams exchanged punts, and the third quarter came to an end with Northwestern facing a fourth down in MSU territory.