Total Yards
Michigan State425
Northwestern381
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Data sourced from NCAA game stats archive (2018)
Game Center
Northwestern at Michigan State
Oct 6, 2018 • Completed
Season 2018RegularWeek 6
Away
Northwestern
Big Ten
Final Score
29 - 19
NMS
Home
Michigan State
Big Ten
Game Pulse
Immediate edge indicators from the box score.
Passing Yards
Michigan State329
Northwestern373
Rushing Yards
Michigan State96
Northwestern8
Turnovers
Michigan State1
Northwestern2
Game Conditions
Temperature67°F
Wind8 mph SE
Humidity
95%
Precipitation
0.01 in
Player Game Leaders
Top individual performers and full player box data.
Full Player Box
Box Score Comparison
Michigan State vs Northwestern box score comparison chart
Possession Split
Possession split chart
Michigan State33:41
Northwestern26:19
Stat Dominance
Team comparison across key performance areas
Radar chart comparing team performance across key metrics
Game Story
Northwestern beats Michigan State 29-19
Northwestern defeated Michigan State 29-19 in Week 6 of the 2018 regular slate, finishing with a 381-425 edge in total yards, and scoring 3 passing touchdowns and 1 rushing touchdowns.
Northwestern set the terms early in a game that finished 29-19. Matt Coghlin 27 yd FG GOOD came with {'seconds': 59, 'minutes': 0} left in the first quarter, giving Michigan State the first major swing.
Northwestern's box score carried the story: 381 total yards, 8 rushing yards, and 373 passing yards. Michigan State finished with 425 total yards, including 96 on the ground and 329 through the air.
Northwestern converted 5-14 on third down, went 1-1 on fourth down, the turnover count was 2-1, Northwestern led 14-6 at halftime. The explosive highlight was Clayton Thorson pass complete to Kyric McGowan for 77 yds for a TD (Charlie Kuhbander KICK).
Key Moments
Field Goal Good
Matt Coghlin 27 yd FG GOOD (Michigan State led 3-0 over Northwestern).
Passing Touchdown
Clayton Thorson pass complete to Kyric McGowan for 77 yds for a TD (Charlie Kuhbander KICK) (Northwestern led 7-3 over Michigan State).
Passing Touchdown
Clayton Thorson pass complete to JJ Jefferson for 34 yds for a TD (Charlie Kuhbander KICK) (Northwestern led 14-3 over Michigan State).
Field Goal Good
Matt Coghlin 25 yd FG GOOD (Michigan State led 6-14 over Northwestern).
Passing Touchdown
Brian Lewerke pass complete to Felton Davis III for 3 yds for a TD (Matt Coghlin KICK) (Michigan State led 19-14 over Northwestern).
Rushing Touchdown
Felton Davis III run for 48 yds for a TD (Two-Point Conversion failed ) (Michigan State led 12-14 over Northwestern).
Stat Callouts
Final score
29-19
Northwestern defeated Michigan State.
Total yards
381-425
Northwestern held the yardage advantage.
Rushing yards
8
Northwestern averaged 0.4 yards per rush attempt.
Passing yards
373
Northwestern averaged 7.9 yards per pass attempt.
Third downs
5-14
Northwestern's conversion rate helped sustain possessions.
Opponent third downs
4-15
Michigan State's offense worked through that conversion rate.
Turnovers
2-1
Turnover totals are listed winner first.
Analysis
Game Breakdown
| Statistic | Michigan State | Northwestern |
|---|---|---|
| Total Yards | 425 | 381 |
| Passing Yards | 329 | 373 |
| Rushing Yards | 96 | 8 |
| First Downs | 22 | 19 |
| Third Down Efficiency | 4-15 | 5-14 |
| Fourth Down Efficiency | 0-2 | 1-1 |
| Total Penalties (Yards) | 5-49 | 3-35 |
| Turnovers | 1 | 2 |
| Completions / Attempts | 31-52 | 31-47 |
| Rushing Attempts | 24 | 20 |
| Passing TDs | 1 | 3 |
| Rushing TDs | 1 | 1 |
| Kicking Points | 7 | 3 |
| Possession Time | 33:41 | 26:19 |