Michigan State Football: Video analysis of MSU’s 27-24 win at Maryland
Lansing State Journal columnist Graham Couch and Detroit Free Press writer Chris Solari analyze the Spartans’ 27-24 win at Maryland on Saturday.
COLLEGE PARK, Maryland – The era of Michigan State football from Aidan Chiles to Nick Marsh can begin.
Exciting and thrilling.
The Spartans’ two young players delivered one highlight after another throughout the day, but none was as spectacular as Chiles’ 77-yard touchdown pass to the first-year wide receiver that tied the game at Maryland with 4:11 left on Saturday.
They scored again on the final drive, as Chiles drove the Spartans 65 yards on 13 plays in the final 2:12 minutes, setting up Jonathan Kim’s 37-yard field goal with 1 second left to give new coach Jonathan Smith his first Big Ten and road win at MSU, 27-24.
MSU GRADES: Coaches are to thank for keeping the Spartans in the game
“I’m really happy with the group for finding a way to win the game,” Smith said. “I thought it was a good college football game, back and forth. … (Maryland) is a good team. It’s our first time playing on the road in a Big Ten game. I’m really happy that we did so well.”
Chiles completed 24 of 38 passes for 363 yards, three touchdowns and three interceptions, a standout performance in his second collegiate start. Marsh caught eight passes for 194 yards, while Jaron Glover and Montorie Foster Jr. combined to catch 12 passes for 137 yards and add two scores.
MSU outgained Maryland 493-339, the most yards of offense since losing to Indiana on Nov. 19, 2022, when it had 540 yards, and converted eight of 14 third down attempts.
Marsh had the second-most receiving yards ever by a Spartan freshman, surpassed only by Ricky White’s 196 yards against Michigan in 2020; his total is the ninth-best single-game total in school history. Chiles’ 363 yards are the seventh-most in a game by an MSU quarterback and the most since Brian Lewerke’s back-to-back games of 445 and 400 yards in 2017.
“We’re building something special here,” Chiles said. “To all of you who didn’t believe in us, keep going, keep doing what you’re doing. I mean, if you don’t want to jump on this boat now, then it is what it is – you’re out now. Get on board or get out.”
The Spartans (2-0, 1-0 Big Ten) host Prairie View A&M next Saturday at 3:30 p.m. in East Lansing (Big Ten Network).
Maryland (1-1, 0-1) made 11 of 17 third down attempts in the game, but a missed field goal that could have given the Terrapins a two-point lead allowed Chiles and Marsh to make their game-winning long shot.
Learning curve
In the first half, Chiles showed strong development compared to Week 1, but continued to show signs of a young and developing quarterback.
On the opening drive, the Terrapins covered 75 yards in 14 plays behind new quarterback Billy Edwards Jr. His perfectly thrown corner kick to receiver Tai Felton put the game up 7-0 and capped a 6 minute, 30 second drive that put MSU behind early.
Chiles, however, responded just as quickly. A throw on third-and-3 to Nick Marsh gained 13 yards and a first down, and a late drive out of bounds put the Spartans in Maryland territory. After a 30-yard run by Nate Carter, Chiles made another crucial throw on third down that found Foster for a 9-yard touchdown, tying the game just 3:07 after the Terps’ TD.
WHO IS INJURED: Michigan State availability report vs. Maryland gets a bit more extensive
Chiles’ next pass on third down wasn’t as good. It sailed over Marsh’s head and was intercepted by Maryland’s Glendon Miller deep in MSU territory. Two plays later, Edwards ran past linebacker Cal Haladay and over nickelback Angelo Grose for a 7-yard touchdown, making the score 14-7 at the end of the quarter.
Chiles shook off the interception and promptly marched the Spartans 75 yards on the ensuing drive. He gained the first 20 yards on a pass to Glover, who dropped the ball, but Foster recovered it. On second-and-23 at the Terrapins’ 34-yard line, Chiles again connected with Glover, who ran a crisp post route on the move and passed Maryland’s Jalen Huskey to catch a perfect pass with 10:07 left in the second quarter to tie the game again.
MSU got the ball back at its own 12-yard line with 2:20 left. Chiles got the Spartans into the scoring zone by completing 5 of 7 passes for 52 yards and advancing to the Terps’ 28-yard line. But the young quarterback had tunnel vision and was sacked, forcing MSU to take a timeout with 5 seconds left before halftime.
Jonathan Kim fired his 55-yard field goal attempt wide left, but was given a second chance as Maryland was offside. Kim scored from 50 yards out as the clock expired, sending the Spartans into halftime with a 17-14 lead.
Chiles completed 13 of 23 passes for 154 yards, two touchdowns and an interception in the first half. The Spartans had a 214-142 total yard lead, with the defense beginning to limit Edwards and the Terrapins’ passing game after the first drive.
The clumps survive
When MSU got the kick to start the third quarter, Chiles kept his rhythm going. Another crucial third down went to Glover for 13 yards, then Chiles threw a key block to Glover for another 14 yards to Maryland’s 21.
But after a holding penalty against Ashton Lepo, Chiles threw a deep pass to Michael Masaunas in the back right corner of the end zone. The tight end was turned over and Maryland’s Huskey easily intercepted the ball, abruptly ending the Spartans’ first possession. The Terps scored on the ensuing drive after the turnover with a 45-yard field goal by Jack Howes that tied the game at 17-17.
MSU took the ball almost to the halfway line on the next drive, Chiles ran and gained 8 yards on a third-and-9 run. The Spartans decided to punt.
On the Terrapins’ next play, Edwards threw the ball behind the line of scrimmage to Octavian Smith Jr. The receiver unpacked and threw a long pass to Felton down the right sideline. The throw sailed at least 5 yards over Felton’s head and MSU safety Nikai Martinez intercepted it on the sideline. However, cornerback Charles Brantley was called for pass interference for hitting Felton as the ball flew past them.
Edwards and the Terps converted three more third down attempts, then he found Dylan Wade on a botched coverage by MSU linebackers Darius Snow and Jordan Turner for a 28-yard touchdown. Maryland led 24-17 just 6 seconds into the final quarter.
Chiles reacted immediately and threw a long ball to Marsh, who ran over three defenders and took a hard hit from linebacker Ruben Hyppolite II. The 56-yard pass on the first play of the drive brought the Spartans to the Terps’ 18-yard line.
Everything fell apart immediately. A false start by left tackle Stanton Ramil cost MSU 5 yards, then Carter was thrown to the ground for a 4-yard loss and Chiles dropped back to escape the pressure but came up short. The Spartans’ magic on third down ran out, Chiles was again pressured and lost the ball as he went to throw. Maryland’s Miller leapt up in the scrum at the line to intercept the ball. It was the fifth interception of the season for MSU’s sophomore transfer after he failed to throw a single one in 35 attempts last season at Oregon State as a true freshman rotation backup.
The Terps continued to score on their third attempt, pushing the ball far before finally stalling with just under five minutes left. Howes attempted a 41-yard field goal but missed.
With 4:22 left, Chiles provided a jolt, another lightning throw across the field as Marsh ran away from defenders. The rookie took off, dodging two would-be tacklers to the front right pylon, and Kim’s kick tied the game with 4:22 left.
The Spartans defense made a big stop, with Turner applying pressure first and Malik Spencer and Khris Bogle fending off a third-and-1 attempt by running back Nolan Ray. The Terps punted, giving MSU 84 yards and 2:12 to play.
For Chiles, that was more than enough to mark his first memorable moment in what MSU fans hope will be a long career.
Subscribe to the Spartan Speak podcast for new episodes weekly on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. And check out all of our podcasts and the daily Voice Briefing at freep.com/podcasts.
