Michigan State Spartans vs Northwestern Wildcats Box Score on Nov 23, 2013

SportsDirect Inc. staff
Nov 23, 2013

No. 13 Michigan State 30, Northwestern 6: Jeremy Langford rushed for 150 yards and two touchdowns as the visiting Spartans locked up a berth in the Big Ten championship game for the second time in three years.

Connor Cook threw for 293 yards and two scores for Michigan State (10-1, 7-0). Bennie Fowler caught two passes for 99 yards, highlighted by a spectacular 87-yard touchdown catch for the Spartans, who will play either No. 3 Ohio State or No. 17 Wisconsin in the championship game Dec. 7 in Indianapolis.

Trevor Siemian threw for 227 yards for Northwestern (4-7, 0-7), which started the season 4-0 but has lost all seven in Big Ten play. Tony Jones caught seven passes for 59 yards and Treyvon Green added 25 of the Wildcats’ 80 rushing yards.

Northwestern scored the only points of the opening quarter on a 22-yard field goal by Jeff Budzien. The Spartans capitalized on their third drive of the game, marching 80 yards on 11 plays and taking the lead on Langford’s 20-yard touchdown run.

Fowler then pulled down his long touchdown grab, a juggling catch that bounced off the back of the defender, extending the lead to 14-3. Budzien added another field goal before halftime, but Michigan State shut out the Wildcats in the third quarter while putting up another nine points on a 37-yard field goal by Michael Geiger and Cook’s 15-yard touchdown pass to Josiah Price that failed at conversion.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Michigan State came into the game ranked No. 1 in the FBS in total defense (228.4 yards) and rush defense (57.3). The Spartans gave up 319 total yards to Northwestern. … Michigan State S Isaiah Lewis was ejected early in the first quarter for targeting after a hit on Northwestern running back Kain Colter, which knocked Colter from the game with a shoulder injury. … Budzien became Northwestern's all-time leading scorer and improved to 20-for-22 on field goals this season.