Michigan vs. Michigan State final score, results: Kenneth Walker III leads Spartans to rivalry win over Wolverines

Dani Mohr

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Michigan vs. Michigan State final score, results: Kenneth Walker III leads Spartans to rivalry win over Wolverines image

Michigan State running back Kenneth Walker III was simply unstoppable in a 37-33 victory over Michigan on Saturday.

Walker totaled 23 carries for 197 yards and five touchdowns to help the Spartans defeat the Wolverines, pushing them to a perfect 8-0 this season. Michigan State coach Mel Tucker became the first coach in school history to win his first two matchups against the Big Ten rival.

KENNETH WALKER: Meet Michigan State's star running back

Quarterback Cade McNamara and the Michigan offense built an early lead, but turnovers at key points hurt the Wolverines. McNamara alternated with J.J. McCarthy under center, and the quarterbacks combined to throw three interceptions. McCarthy also lost a fumble in the fourth quarter.

The Spartans are scheduled to face Purdue and Maryland before they travel to Columbus on Nov. 20 to face Ohio State in a huge Big Ten battle. The Wolverines will look to bounce back against Indiana next week.

Sporting News tracked updates and highlights from Michigan vs. Michigan State on Saturday. Check out the complete results from the 2021 Big Ten rivalry game.

MORE: Watch Michigan vs. Michigan State live with fuboTV (7-day free trial)

Michigan vs. Michigan State score

  Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 F
Michigan 10 13 7 3 33
Michigan State 0 14 8 15 37

Michigan vs. Michigan State live updates, highlights from 2021 rivalry game

(All times Eastern)

Final: Michigan State 37, Michigan 33

3:53: McNamara throws an interception with a minute remaining to seal the victory for Michigan State.

3:52: Spartans are forced to punt after Thorne is sacked on third down for a loss of six.

3:45: McNamara throws an incomplete pass. Michigan State takes over from the 31.

3:40: McNamara finds Sainristil for a gain of seven to give the Wolverines a first down at the 39.

3:35: TOUCHDOWN MICHIGAN STATE. Walker III walks into the end zone for his fifth touchdown of the game. The extra point gives Michigan State a 37-33 lead with 5:08 remaining.

3:29: McCarthy fumbles, and Michigan State recovers.

3:25: Hutchinson earns his second sack of the day and brings down Thorne for a loss of seven yards on second down.

3:20: FIELD GOAL MICHIGAN. Moody makes a 36-yard field goal to give the Wolverines the lead. Michigan leads 33-30 with 9:20 remaining.

3:18: McCarthy steps in for McNamara and loses the ball, but it bounces out of bounds.

3:14: McNamara finds Sainristil for 30 yards to give the Wolverines a first down at the Michigan State 30.

3:08: TOUCHDOWN MICHIGAN STATE. Walker III runs for 58 yards into the end zone for his fourth touchdown of the game. The two-point conversion on a pass to Reed ties it up at 30-30 with 12:29 remaining.

3:05: Thorne completes to Heyward for four yards and gives Michigan State a first down at the 35.

3:00: Thorne connects with Reed for 11 yards and gets brought down by multiple defenders at the 25 for a first down.

Third Quarter: Michigan 30, Michigan State 22

2:48: Haskins makes an eight-yard run to give the Wolverines a first down at the 47.

2:42: TOUCHDOWN MICHIGAN STATE. Walker III crosses the goal line for his third touchdown of the game. After the two-point conversion, the Spartans cut Michigan's lead to 30-22.

2:38: Thorne finds Reed for a 28-yard pass to give the Spartans a first down at the goal line.

2:34: Payton Thorne completes a pass to Reed at the 45 to give the Spartans a first down.

2:29: TOUCHDOWN MICHIGAN. McNamara completes to Mike Sainristil for a 19-yard touchdown. After Moody makes the extra point, Michigan leads 30-14 with 6:47 remaining in the third quarter.

2:25: McNamara makes a 20-yard run to give the Wolverines a first down from the Michigan State 22.

2:20: The Spartans are forced to punt after they fail their third attempt to convert on third down.

2:15: Michigan kicker Brad Robbins fakes a punt on fourth down and runs out of bounds just before the first down marker. The Spartans take over on downs from the 30.

2:13: A false start penalty on Luke Schoonmaker pushes Michigan back on third down.

2:11: Wolverines start from their own 25 to kick off the second half in East Lansing.

Halftime: Michigan 23, Michigan State 14

1:44: FIELD GOAL MICHIGAN. Jake Moody makes a 35-yard field goal to end the first half. The field goal helps extend the Wolverines lead 23-14.

1:43: Michigan State calls back-to-back timeouts with six seconds remaining in the half. Michigan will line up for a field goal attempt from the 17 after failing to complete on third down.

1:31: Ojabo brings down Thorne and forces the ball loose. After official review, Thorne was ruled down with control. The Spartans will start from the three on third down.

1:25: Hutchinson brings down Thorne for a loss of two yards. A holding call pushes the Wolverines back another 10 yards on second down.

1:23: TOUCHDOWN MICHIGAN. Andrel Anthony makes a 17-yard catch in the end zone for his second touchdown of the game. Michigan takes a 20-14 lead with 2:56 remaining in the half.

1:18: Hassan Haskins runs for 24 yards to put the Wolverines inside the Spartans' 18.

1:08: TOUCHDOWN MICHIGAN STATE. Kenneth Walker III makes a eight-yard run into the end zone for his second touchdown of the half. The Spartans take a 14-13 lead with 7:16 remaining in the half.

1:07: Thorne completes a pass to Jalen Nailor for a 40-yard gain. The Spartans get a fresh set of downs inside the 10.

1:00: FIELD GOAL MICHIGAN. Jake Moody kicks a 38-yard field goal to extend the Wolverines' lead after they failed to convert on third down from the 20. Michigan leads 13-7 with 9:18 remaining in the half.

12:50: TOUCHDOWN MICHIGAN STATE. Kenneth Walker III makes a 27-yard run into the end zone for the score. The Spartans cut the Wolverines' lead down to 10-7.

First Quarter: Michigan 10, Michigan State 0

12:44: The Spartans pick up a first down as Thorne completes a pass to Connor Heyward for a six-yard gain to end the first quarter.

12:41: FIELD GOAL MICHIGAN. Jake Moody makes a 26-yard attempt for the Wolverines after the Spartans hold them on third down. Michigan extends its lead with 1:18 remaining in the first quarter.

12:32: Daxton Hill tips a pass from Thorne, and Mike Morris grabs the Wolverines' second interception of the day. After an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty against the Spartans, Michigan takes over at the 30.

12:25: Thorne keeps it and rushes for 22 yards to put the Spartans at the 45.

12:15: Thorne throws high on a pass intended to Reed. The Spartans are forced to punt. The Wolverines take over at the 20.

12:08: TOUCHDOWN MICHIGAN. Andrel Anthony makes a catch from McNamara and breaks free for a 93-yard score. Wolverines lead 7-0 with 11:03 remaining in the first quarter.

12:03: Thorne struggles in the pocket, and R.J. Moten picks off the pass at the three-yard line.

12:00: Michigan wins the coin toss and defers. Michigan State starts with the ball.

Michigan vs. Michigan State start time

  • Kickoff: Noon ET
  • TV channel (national): Fox
  • Live stream: Fox Sports App, fuboTV

Michigan vs. Michigan State will kick off at noon ET from Spartan Stadium in East Lansing, Mich.

The rivalry game will be broadcast nationally on Fox with Gus Johnson handling play-by-play duties and Joel Klatt joining him in the booth as the main analyst. Jenny Taft will also appear on the broadcast as the sideline reporter.

College football schedule Week 9

Game Time (ET) TV channel
No. 2 Cincinnati at Tulane Noon ESPN2, fuboTV
No. 6 Michigan at No. 8 Michigan State Noon Fox, fuboTV
No. 9 Iowa at Wisconsin Noon ESPN, fuboTV
Texas at No. 16 Baylor Noon ABC, fuboTV
Miami at No. 17 Pitt Noon ACC Network, fuboTV
No. 22 Iowa State at West Virginia 2 p.m. Big 12/ESPN+
No. 1 Georgia at Florida 3:30 p.m. CBS, fuboTV
Texas Tech at No. 4 Oklahoma 3:30 p.m. ABC, fuboTV
Colorado at No. 7 Oregon 3:30 p.m. Fox, fuboTV
Duke at No. 13 Wake Forest 4 p.m. ACCN, fuboTV
No. 10 Ole Miss at No. 18 Auburn 7 p.m. ESPN, fuboTV
No. 12 Kentucky at Mississippi State 7 p.m. SEC Network, fuboTV
Kansas at No. 15 Oklahoma State 7 p.m. Fox Sports 1, fuboTV
No. 19 SMU at Houston 7 p.m. ESPN2, fuboTV
No. 20 Penn State at No. 5 Ohio State 7:30 p.m. ABC, fuboTV
North Carolina at No. 11 Notre Dame 7:30 p.m. NBC, Peacock fuboTV
Virginia at No. 25 BYU 10:15 p.m. ESPN2, fuboTV
Fresno State at No. 21 San Diego State 10:30 p.m. CBS Sports Network, fuboTV

Dani Mohr