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Published Oct 19, 2024
Michigan State downs Iowa 32-20 in record performance by Jonathan Kim
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Kevin Knight  •  Spartans Illustrated
Asst. Managing Editor
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@KAjaxKnight

Michigan State got the win in its homecoming matchup against Iowa Saturday night, downing the Hawkeyes 32-20. The Spartans were powered in large part by kicker Jonathan Kim's six field goals, a program record for most in a game.

The victory improves MSU to 4-3 overall and 2-2 in conference action. Iowa drops to 2-2 in Big Ten play and sits at 4-3 overall following the loss.

MSU's offense finished Saturday night with 468 yards of offense, including 5.3 yards per rush on 40 attempts. MSU also finished 5-for-5 in the red zone while holding a 39:05-18:52 advantage in time of possession.

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Kim led MSU in points with 20 total, 18 in field goals and two on PATs. The Spartans also became the first opponent to not punt against Iowa since Ohio State in 2013.

Aidan Chiles finished the night 22-for-30 for 256 yards and a touchdown along with one interception. The receiving corps boasted two 100-yard+ receivers with Montorie Foster Jr. and Nick Marsh both eclipsing the century mark. Marsh the the team in yards (113) and catches (8), while Foster finished a close second (100 yards, five catches) and notched a touchdown as well.

As for the ground game, Michigan State finished the night with 212 yards on the ground. Kay'ron Lynch-Adams had the team high of 86 yards on 15 carries while Chiles added 51 yards of his own. Nate Carter racked up 49 yards on nine carries and scored a touchdown as well.

As for the defense, Nikai Martinez, Jordan Turner, and Cal Haladay led the team with six total tackles each, and Martinez added an interception while Ed Woods notched an impressive pass breakup in the second quarter against a much larger Iowa tight end, Luke Lachey.

Iowa finished Saturday night with just 283 yards of offense. Cade McNamara finished the game 11-for-23 with 150 yards total passing, one touchdown, and one interception.

First Half

Both teams failed to find the end zone in the first half, but MSU got on the board with its opening drive. The Spartans quickly marched it 52 yards on their opening drive and sent Kim out for his first field goal of the night from 42 yards to take an early 3-0 lead.

Iowa was held to a three-and-out and forced to punt on its opening drive. MSU started at its own 11-yard line after fair catching the punt, but advanced to the Iowa 25-yard line helped along by a 37-yard pass to Foster from Chiles on the opening play. Kim was called on again for another field goal when the offense stalled out and made it 6-0 from 43 yards.

After Kim's second field goal with 5:58 left in the first quarter, no team would get on the scoreboard for the rest of the quarter. The Hawkeyes were forced to punt and missed a field goal while Chiles was picked off on the remaining drives for each team, respectively, that quarter.

The Spartans had the ball to continue a drive begun at its own 40 thanks to a turnover on downs when the Hawkeyes missed a 58 yard field goal attempt. A false start stalled the momentum of a March 23-yard catch two plays prior and Kim made his third field goal of the night from 36-yards out this time. MSU took a 9-0 lead with 11:48 remaining on the clock in the first half.

MSU's defense forced Iowa to punt it away on its next series from the MSU 43, but once again the MSU offense stalled out. Despite advancing to the red zone, the Spartans were stopped short at the Iowa six-yard line. The coaching staff chose to go for it on fourth-and-2, but a false start penalty against the offensive line resulted in calling out the field goal unit. Kim was good from 29 yards out to make it 12-0 MSU with 2:28 left.

Neither team would score again, though the Spartans made one more attempt as time expired in the half from 55 yards. However, Kim was unable to connect.

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Second Half

Coming out of the locker room at the half, Iowa got off to a hot start as Kaden Wetjen returned the kick 39 yards to set up the offense with good field position. The Hawkeyes were able to capitalize on the shorter field by marching it 58 yards for a touchdown, capped off by an 18-yard touchdown catch by Reece Vander Zee. After the PAT, Iowa trailed Michigan State 12-7.

The Spartans responded with a touchdown drive of their own, including a 26-yard run by Chiles in the middle of the drive to advance MSU from its own 44 to Iowa's 30-yard line. An 18-yard catch by Foster in the end zone capped off the drive and Kim's PAT extended MSU's lead back into double digits with a 19-7 advantage and 4:34 left in the third.

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The Hawkeyes responded right back with another touchdown drive. This one was an eight-play, 69-yard drive highlighted by a 28-yard catch by Luke Lachey to advance to the MSU 25-yard line on the second play of the drive. The PAT brought Iowa cut the score to 19-14, MSU.

Michigan State responded with a program-record tying field goal by Kim from 55 yards out. The field goal unit was called upon after yet another false start penalty by the Spartans' offensive line stalled a drive around midfield. MSU took a 22-14 advantage with 11:52 remaining in the matchup.

The defense came up big for MSU two plays into Iowa's attempt to respond as Martinez picked off McNamara and returned it 21 yards to the Iowa 30 yard-line.

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The Spartans offense couldn't capitalize on the shortened field position after a pass interference penalty resulted in third-and-22 at the Iowa 32 instead of first-and-goal from the one-yard line. Kim was able to break the program record with a sixth made field goal on the night from 46 yards out, giving MSU a 25-12 advantage with 7:34 remaining in the game.

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Not to go quietly, Iowa answered right back with a one-play, 75-yard touchdown run by Kaleb Johnson to make it a one-score game. The Hawkeyes attempted to go for two, but failed to convert and trailed just 25-20 with 7:22 remaining in the game.

The MSU offense answered back with a touchdown drive of its own. This one was a nine-play, 75-yard drive that ate up 5:19 off the clock and included a 24-yard catch by Marsh and a 15-yard run by Lynch-Adams as highlights. The Spartans capped it off with an 11-yard catch by Marsh to set up Carter punching it in from the one-yard line on the next play. The score would result in the final points of the game as Kim's PAT gave the Spartans a 32-20 advantage and resulted in Kim accounting for 20 total points on the night, tying Iowa's total on the night.

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Michigan State will hit the road next week, taking on Michigan in a prime-time matchup in Ann Arbor. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. with the game being broadcast on the Big Ten Network.

The Wolverines will enter the matchup on a two game losing streak after falling 21-7 at No. 22 Illinois earlier Saturday. Prior to that the Wolverines lost at Washington on Oct. 5 before enjoying a bye in Week Seven.

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MSU Football Schedule
DateOpponentLocationTime (EST)Score

Aug. 30 (Fri.)

Florida Atlantic

East Lansing, MI

7 p.m.
BTN

16-10, MSU 1-0

Sept. 7

at Maryland

College Park, MD

3:30 p.m.
BTN

27-24, MSU 2-0 (1-0)

Sept. 14

Prairie View A&M

East Lansing, MI

3:30 p.m.
BTN

40-0, MSU 3-0 (1-0)

Sept. 21

at Boston College

Chestnut Hill, MA

8:00 p.m.
ACCN

23-19, BC

3-1 (1-0)

Sept. 28

No. 3 Ohio State

East Lansing, MI

7:30 p.m.

Peacock

38-7, OSU
3-2 (1-1)

Oct. 4 (Fri.)

at No. 6 Oregon

Eugene, OR

9 p.m.
FOX

31-10, UO
3-3 (1-2)

Oct. 19

Iowa

East Lansing, MI

7:30 p.m.
NBC

32-20, MSU
4-3 (2-2)

Oct. 26

Michigan

Ann Arbor, MI

7:30 p.m.
BTN

Nov. 2

Indiana

East Lansing, MI

TBA

Nov. 16

at Illinois

Champaign, IL

TBA

Nov. 22 (Fri.)

Purdue

East Lansing, MI

8 p.m.
FOX

Nov. 30

Rutgers

East Lansing, MI

TBA

MichiganState
FOOTBALL
Scores / Schedule
footballfootball
8 - 2
Overall Record
2 - 0
Conference Record
Finished
Michigan St.
89
Arrow
Michigan St.
Nebraska
52
Nebraska
Minnesota
72
Minnesota
Michigan St.
90
Arrow
Michigan St.
N. Carolina
91
N. Carolina
Michigan St.
94
Arrow
Michigan St.
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