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10/10 19:08 CDT Illinois makes a stop on Michigan State's 2-point conversion
attempt in OT, holds on for 38-37 win
Illinois makes a stop on Michigan State's 2-point conversion attempt in OT,
holds on for 38-37 win
By LARRY LAGE
AP Sports Writer
EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) --- Michael Clayton threw a 25-yard touchdown pass to
Hudson Clement on the first play of overtime and Illinois made a stop on a
2-point conversion attempt to hold on for a 38-37 win over Michigan State on
Saturday.
The Fighting Illini (3-3, 1-2 Big Ten) scored on their first five drives to
take a 16-point lead midway through the third quarter and coach Bret Bielema
made a decision late in the game that helped Spartans (2-4, 0-3) come back.
Bielema chose to go for it on a fourth-and-1 at his 33 and Clayton was stuffed
on a sneak, giving Michigan State the ball with 3:27 left.
Jaziun Patterson's 2-yard touchdown run with an extra point made it 31-all with
1:17 left.
Patterson scored a third touchdown in overtime and coach Pat Fitzgerald went
for 2 points and the win. The Spartans lined up in a wildcat formation and
tossed the ball to quarterback Alessio Milivojevic, whose pass short of the end
zone fell incomplete.
"We were just so beat up on defense that to go for 2 in the end was a
no-brainer," Fitzgerald said.
Illinois quarterback Katin Houser, who threw for a touchdown pass and ran for a
score against one of his former teams, was injured while making a tackle on an
interception return in the third quarter.
Clayton threw passes for the first time in his career, including a 14-yard
throw to Collin Dixon early in the fourth quarter for his ninth receiving
touchdown this season, and a 2-point conversion created a 14-point lead.
Behind the call The Spartans surprised Illinois with an onside kick in the fourth quarter and a video review determined receiver Samson Gash recovered it. Gash, though, was flagged for being offside. "I've never seen a review go and then come back and review it again and change," Bielema said. While TV replays appeared to show he was not offside, Fitzgerald could not challenge the call. "We were not offside," Fitzgerald said. "I was told you couldn't review being onside on the kick."
The takeaway Illinois: Houser hurt his left hand and will be out indefinitely. "I do know he had something broken in his hand, so we'll try to gather information as best we can there," Bielema said. "Didn't say it was out for the year, but he'll be out for obviously a considerable amount of time." Houser was 20 of 29 for 194 yards with a touchdown pass, interception and rushing score. After starting his college career with the Mel Tucker-led Spartans in 2022, he spent the last two seasons at East Carolina. Michigan State: After averaging fewer than nine points over the previous three games and being held to seven points in the first half, the offense suddenly showed signs of life with 24 points in the second half in a potentially positive sign. "We're going to get this going in the right direction," Fitzgerald said. "We didn't get the win, but we're seeing growth."
Up next Illinois: After a bye, host No. 13 Oregon on Oct. 24. Michigan State: Host Northwestern, Fitzgerald's former team, on Saturday. ___ Sign up for Top 25 poll alerts here. Visit the Top 25 here and see AP's full college football coverage here
Behind the call The Spartans surprised Illinois with an onside kick in the fourth quarter and a video review determined receiver Samson Gash recovered it. Gash, though, was flagged for being offside. "I've never seen a review go and then come back and review it again and change," Bielema said. While TV replays appeared to show he was not offside, Fitzgerald could not challenge the call. "We were not offside," Fitzgerald said. "I was told you couldn't review being onside on the kick."
The takeaway Illinois: Houser hurt his left hand and will be out indefinitely. "I do know he had something broken in his hand, so we'll try to gather information as best we can there," Bielema said. "Didn't say it was out for the year, but he'll be out for obviously a considerable amount of time." Houser was 20 of 29 for 194 yards with a touchdown pass, interception and rushing score. After starting his college career with the Mel Tucker-led Spartans in 2022, he spent the last two seasons at East Carolina. Michigan State: After averaging fewer than nine points over the previous three games and being held to seven points in the first half, the offense suddenly showed signs of life with 24 points in the second half in a potentially positive sign. "We're going to get this going in the right direction," Fitzgerald said. "We didn't get the win, but we're seeing growth."
Up next Illinois: After a bye, host No. 13 Oregon on Oct. 24. Michigan State: Host Northwestern, Fitzgerald's former team, on Saturday. ___ Sign up for Top 25 poll alerts here. Visit the Top 25 here and see AP's full college football coverage here
