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Rutgers 41-14 Michigan State (Nov 30, 2024) Game Recap – ESPN

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Rutgers 41-14 Michigan State (Nov 30, 2024) Game Recap – ESPN


EAST LANSING, Mich. — — Kyle Monangai rushed for 129 yards and a touchdown, Antwan Raymond added two scoring runs and Jai Patel kicked four field goals on Saturday to help Rutgers to a 34-14 victory over Michigan State in the wintry regular-season finale for both teams.

Rutgers scored on eight of its nine possessions in the game that was played in blowing snow and wind chills in the teens.

It is the first time since 2014 that the Scarlet Knights (7-5, 4-5 Big Ten) have registered seven wins in the regular season and the first time that Rutgers has won four Big Ten games.

“I’ll tell you, 7-5 isn’t what we set out to do before the season,” Monangai said. “It’s the first time it’s been done. So it’s history. It’s special. And you know, for guys that came into my class, like we always talked about leaving the place better than we found it. So I’m glad that we can say that our last year we’re able to make a step in the right direction, in a sense, and then leave a mark as a first team to do something.”

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The Spartans (5-7, 3-6 Big Ten) lost four of their last five games and failed to earn bowl eligibility for the third consecutive year.

Michigan State opened the scoring on its first possession with Nate Carter’s 25-yard touchdown run. Rutgers responded in five plays with Monangai running for a 7-yard score.

The Scarlett Knights took the lead for good when Patel connected on a 25-yard field goal with 7:29 left in the first quarter. His kick was set up when a snap went through Michigan State punter Ryan Eckley’s hands and was recovered at the 1-yard line.

In the second quarter, Rutgers added a 13-yard touchdown run by Antwan Raymond and a pair of field goals by Patel to go up 23-7.

The Scarlett Knights’ Athan Kaliakmanis tossed a 9-yard touchdown pass to Ian Strong and a two-point conversion pass to KJ Duff in the third quarter and Patel made a 29-yard field goal in the fourth quarter to build the margin to 34-7. The Spartans last touchdown came on Aidan Chiles’ 5-yard throw to Jack Velling. Raymond closed the scoring with a 5-yard touchdown run.

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“We didn’t play well enough to earn a win or the chance to continue to play on,” first-year Michigan State coach Jonathan Smith said. “It is going to take work to get this to a better place. We’ve had definite ups and downs. We got to get it going. We got to get better; that starts with the coaches.”

The game was slightly delayed with 3:38 remaining in the first half when Spartan defensive back Jaylen Thompson was carted off the field after his head appeared to hit the ground while tackling Monangai along the sidelines. Smith said after the game that Thompson was evaluated and is in concussion protocol.

The takeaway

Rutgers: After the Spartans took a brief lead, the Scarlett Knights controlled all phases of the game. The defense prevented Michigan State from moving the ball, the offense was able to convert seven of 13 third downs and special teams hit all four of its field goal attempts.

““I think we’re getting better and better, and to close out the regular season, the way we did as a team, not just offensively, as a team, was awesome,” said Kaliakmanis, who completed 13 of 22 passes for 137 yards. “And I think it’s only going to keep improving.”

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Michigan State: The Spartans continued to struggle on defense. They failed to put pressure on the quarterback and could not get off the field. Michigan State totaled only one sack and Rutgers ran 70 plays.

Up next

Rutgers: Rutgers awaits its bowl destination.

Michigan State: Michigan State waits to learn whether there are any bowl spots remaining for 5-7 teams.

——

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AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football. Sign up for the AP’s college football newsletter: https://apnews.com/cfbtop25



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Michigan Football S Jordan Young enters transfer portal

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Michigan Football S Jordan Young enters transfer portal


Announced on Tuesday evening, Michigan true freshman safety Jordan Young has entered the transfer portal.

A former four-star prospect from Monroe, North Carolina, Young flipped his commitment at the last moment from Clemson to Michigan in the 2025 class. He played in nine games this season for the Wolverines and had 15 tackles and three pass breakups, with all three pass breakups coming in the final four games of the season.

We wish Young the very best at his next college football program.



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Tom Izzo angry at former Michigan State star for courtside ejection

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Tom Izzo angry at former Michigan State star for courtside ejection


EAST LANSING – Michigan State was rolling to a win against USC when there was a stoppage in play with six minutes remaining in the second half on Monday night.

It had nothing to do with what was happening on the court at the Breslin Center.

Referee Jeffrey Anderson blew his whistle to eject a fan sitting a few rows off the floor. The individual booted happened to be Paul Davis, who starred at center for the Spartans from 2002-06.

“He kind of got after the official and he was 150 percent wrong,” Izzo said of Davis after the No. 12 Spartans (13-2, 3-1 Big Ten) won 80-51 against the Trojans on Monday, “and for a guy like me to 150 percent agree with the official, it’s almost illegal.”

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Michigan State fans were upset about a foul call on the other end of the floor when Davis stood up and said something Anderson immediately objected to. That led to a hook.

Despite being tossed, Davis attempted to stay in his seat while taking a drink from an alcoholic beverage container. Anderson didn’t let it slide and provided an explanation to Izzo, who was less than thrilled and yelled across the court questioning what his former player was doing.

Davis finally stood up after being told to leave by associate athletic director Seth Kesler but took his time and brushed two hands against his chest. That prompted Izzo to scream, appearing to tell his former center to “get outta here.” Davis was walked up the stairs and watched the rest of the game from a concourse box.

“I love Paul Davis, I really do, he’s one of my favorite guys … but what he said he should never say anywhere in the world and that ticked me off,” Izzo said. “Just because it’s 25, 20 years later, I’m going to have to call him tomorrow and tell him what I thought of it. You know what he’ll say, ‘I screwed up, coach, I’m sorry.’”

Former Los Angeles Clippers center Paul Davis (40).AP

Izzo claimed he was told what Davis said was nothing racial or sexual in nature but it was obviously enough to get the boot.

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“It was just the wrong thing to say,” Izzo said, “and I’ll leave it at that.”

Davis ranks 10th on Michigan State’s career scoring list with 1,718 points, was a second-round NBA pick by the Clippers and spent four years in the league. Izzo praised the work Davis does with current players but the Hall of Fame coach in his 31st season leading the Spartans has never been ejected from a game.

“He made a mistake but he’s been really good with our players too,” Izzo said of Davis. “In the summer he comes up and helps work a guy out or he’s just around. Jud Heathcote used to always tell me sooner or later the game makes fools of us all. Once in a while, the game makes fools of our fans and definitely it’s made a fool of me more than a couple times.”



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Former Michigan star RB promoted to Eastern Michigan assistant head coach

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Former Michigan star RB promoted to Eastern Michigan assistant head coach


Former Michigan running back and assistant coach Mike Hart is getting a promotion on Chris Creighton’s staff at Eastern Michigan.

The school announced Monday that Hart is being elevated to assistant head coach and will oversee the receivers in 2026. Michigan’s all-time leading rusher spent last season as an offensive analyst for the Eagles.

“Coach Hart is a winner,” Creighton said in a news release. “He has the ‘It’ factor. He selflessly helped us this year as an offensive analyst and made a positive impact. We know that he will be a major addition as assistant head coach and wide receivers coach.”

Hart has 14 years of college coaching experience, including a three-year stint as Michigan’s running backs coach from 2021-23. He served as interim head coach for one game during the Wolverines’ 2023 national championship season when Jim Harbaugh was suspended.

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Under Hart, Michigan’s running backs thrived. Blake Corum rushed for 1,000 yards in consecutive seasons and was a third-round pick by the Rams in 2024. The Wolverines won the Big Ten all three years Hart was on staff, but they did not renew his contract after the 2023 campaign.

The 39-year-old began his coaching career at EMU in 2011 and also has had stints at Western Michigan (2014-15), Syracuse (2016) and Indiana (2017-2020).

As a player at Michigan, Hart was a two-time Doak Walker Award finalist and finished fifth in the 2006 Heisman Trophy voting. Last season, EMU finished 4-8 but was No. 2 in the Mid-American Conference in passing yards per game.

“I am excited to be a part of Eastern Michigan football,” Hart said in a release. “Coach Creighton is one of the best leaders of men I have ever been around, and I look forward to learning and being a part of his program. EMU football and the Ypsilanti community have always held a special place in my heart, and I am excited to help the team reach our goals for the 2026 season.”



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