Air Force 21
Michigan State 35
Saturday, September 19, 2015 12:00 PM
(ET)
No. 4 Michigan State 35, Air Force 21
The Sports Xchange
Sep 19, 2015
EAST LANSING, Mich. -- Conner Cook matched his career high with four touchdown passes, three to receiver Aaron Burbridge, as No. 4 Michigan State topped Air Force 35-21 on Saturday afternoon at Spartan Stadium.
The senior quarterback, who also tossed four touchdowns against Youngstown State as a sophomore, completed 15 of 23 passes for 247 yards.
Burbridge had four career touchdown receptions prior to matching the school record for most touchdown catches in a game. The senior wide receiver collected his third straight 100-yard game by catching eight passes for a career-high 156 yards.
Junior tailback Jacobi Owens led Air Force (2-1) with 72 yards on 14 carries. Falcons senior quarterback Karson Roberts completed 6 of 9 passes for 149 yards with a touchdown and an interception in his first start of the season. Junior quarterback Nate Romine suffered a season-ending right knee injury in the Falcons' 37-16 win over San Jose State last Saturday.
Cook tossed three first-half touchdown passes as the Spartans (3-0) jumped to a 28-7 lead. He connected with junior tight end Josiah Price on a 15-yard score to complete Michigan State's opening drive.
The Falcons handed the Spartans their next touchdown, as senior safety RJ Williamson returned junior fullback D.J. Johnson's fumble 64 yards to make it 14-0.
Air Force responded with a 75-yard drive, capped by sophomore running back Benton Washington's 1-yard scoring run.
Burbridge then grabbed the spotlight in the second quarter. He made a leaping, 28-yard grab with 10:40 left in the half to extend Michigan State's advantage to 21-7. He scored his second touchdown on a 32-yard catch over the middle with 28 seconds left in the half.
Burbridge got behind senior cornerback Kalon Baker on his 21-yard touchdown to finish off Michigan State's opening drive of the second half.
Roberts hooked up with junior wide receiver Jalen Robinette on a 38-yard scoring pass in the third to make it 35-14.
Johnson scored on a 2-yard run with 2:11 left.
NOTES: Air Force senior QB Karson Roberts has a 0-4 record as a starter. His previous starts were in the 2013 season. ... The Falcons had won their last seven nonconference games. ... The Falcons have lost their last three games against Big Ten opponents. Their last victory against a Big Ten school was Sept. 6, 2003, when they defeated Northwestern, 22-21. ... Michigan State never previously faced a service academy team in East Lansing. Its last game against a service academy opponent was at the 1984 Cherry Bowl, when it lost to Army, 10-6. ... The Spartans extended their streak of scoring 30 or more points to a school-record 11 consecutive games.
Sep 19, 2015
EAST LANSING, Mich. -- Conner Cook matched his career high with four touchdown passes, three to receiver Aaron Burbridge, as No. 4 Michigan State topped Air Force 35-21 on Saturday afternoon at Spartan Stadium.
The senior quarterback, who also tossed four touchdowns against Youngstown State as a sophomore, completed 15 of 23 passes for 247 yards.
Burbridge had four career touchdown receptions prior to matching the school record for most touchdown catches in a game. The senior wide receiver collected his third straight 100-yard game by catching eight passes for a career-high 156 yards.
Junior tailback Jacobi Owens led Air Force (2-1) with 72 yards on 14 carries. Falcons senior quarterback Karson Roberts completed 6 of 9 passes for 149 yards with a touchdown and an interception in his first start of the season. Junior quarterback Nate Romine suffered a season-ending right knee injury in the Falcons' 37-16 win over San Jose State last Saturday.
Cook tossed three first-half touchdown passes as the Spartans (3-0) jumped to a 28-7 lead. He connected with junior tight end Josiah Price on a 15-yard score to complete Michigan State's opening drive.
The Falcons handed the Spartans their next touchdown, as senior safety RJ Williamson returned junior fullback D.J. Johnson's fumble 64 yards to make it 14-0.
Air Force responded with a 75-yard drive, capped by sophomore running back Benton Washington's 1-yard scoring run.
Burbridge then grabbed the spotlight in the second quarter. He made a leaping, 28-yard grab with 10:40 left in the half to extend Michigan State's advantage to 21-7. He scored his second touchdown on a 32-yard catch over the middle with 28 seconds left in the half.
Burbridge got behind senior cornerback Kalon Baker on his 21-yard touchdown to finish off Michigan State's opening drive of the second half.
Roberts hooked up with junior wide receiver Jalen Robinette on a 38-yard scoring pass in the third to make it 35-14.
Johnson scored on a 2-yard run with 2:11 left.
NOTES: Air Force senior QB Karson Roberts has a 0-4 record as a starter. His previous starts were in the 2013 season. ... The Falcons had won their last seven nonconference games. ... The Falcons have lost their last three games against Big Ten opponents. Their last victory against a Big Ten school was Sept. 6, 2003, when they defeated Northwestern, 22-21. ... Michigan State never previously faced a service academy team in East Lansing. Its last game against a service academy opponent was at the 1984 Cherry Bowl, when it lost to Army, 10-6. ... The Spartans extended their streak of scoring 30 or more points to a school-record 11 consecutive games.
