NCAA Football: Walker runs all over the Wolverines as Michigan State remains undefeated

East Lansing, Michigan - The Michigan State Spartans and the University of Michigan Wolverines squared off in their annual Saturday rivalry as two unbeaten teams went face-to-face for bragging rights.

Michigan State's offense seemed to rely solely on running back Kenneth Walker III.
Michigan State's offense seemed to rely solely on running back Kenneth Walker III.  © IMAGO/ZUMA Wire

The eighth-ranked Spartans outlasted the sixth-ranked Wolverines 37-33 for their eighth straight win, improving their record to 8-0 while snapping Michigan’s seven-game winning streak by handing them their first loss of the regular season.

These two schools mark this matchup every single year on their respective calendars and this game showed exactly why.

The Wolverines took control early, dominating the first quarter with a 10-0 lead, but things changed after that, with the Spartans finally scoring a couple of touchdowns and even going in front for a few minutes.

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More good offensive work took Michigan into the half up nine and the lead ballooned up to 16 points before Michigan State started their comeback, eventually tying the game early in the fourth quarter.

The Wolverines kicked a field goal to go up three but were eventually bested by a late Spartans touchdown that ended a great game.

The player spotlight

Michigan State running back Kenneth Walker III rushed for all five of his team's touchdowns in their Saturday afternoon win.
Michigan State running back Kenneth Walker III rushed for all five of his team's touchdowns in their Saturday afternoon win.  © IMAGO/ZUMA Wire

While Michigan State’s passing attack couldn’t gain much success, their running game, led by junior running back Kenneth Walker III (21), took care of business.

Walker literally ran all over the Wolverines’ defense, accounting for all of Michigan State’s touchdowns scored.

He was almost like a cheat code when he had the football, and Michigan simply found no way to contain such an amazing performance from the Spartans rusher.

With his efforts on Saturday, he became the fastest Spartan to rush for 1,000 yards in the school's history.

Walker finished the game with 23 carries for 197 yards and five touchdowns.

The big picture

The Michigan State sideline celebrates a touchdown during Michigan State s 37-33 win over Michigan.
The Michigan State sideline celebrates a touchdown during Michigan State s 37-33 win over Michigan.  © IMAGO/ZUMA Wire

The Michigan Wolverines came into Saturday’s game ranked higher than Michigan State.

But by the time the game was over, the Spartans had definitely made a strong case to move up past their interstate rivals in this year’s FBS rankings –especially after just one player dominated the field in a way that you don't really see often in such a tough team sport.

The inability to do something about Walker also doesn’t bode well for the Wolverines going forward.

Next Saturday, the Spartans are on the road to take on the Purdue Boilermakers, while the Wolverines are back at home against the Indiana Hoosiers.

Cover photo: IMAGO/ZUMA Wire

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