In an overtime thriller, MSU football beats Boston College 42-40

Overtime. It’s a beautiful thing in the sport of football. Two teams that have battled each other for four quarters get the opportunity to clash once more in a high-stakes matchup that determines the outcome of all the blood, sweat and exhaustion poured in throughout the week and the game. On Saturday, Michigan State football got a taste of overtime against Boston College, winning 42–40 on a game-winning two-point conversion.

“I was really proud of the guys for continuing to fight and find a way,” MSU head coach Jonathan Smith said. “I think this is a step forward. Confidence can come from displayed performance, and these guys did it tonight, so hopefully their confidence continues to grow from it.”

The action – the raw, heart stopping action – began with 1:20 left in the game. The Spartans had the ball, poised to break the 27-27 tie against the Boston College Eagles. Down the field they drove, deep into Eagle territory, before the pass protection – which had held up all night – finally gave way, and two sacks later, MSU fell out of field goal range, lining up sophomore punter Ryan Eckley to punt the ball. 

Eckley’s punt was great. So great that it pinned Boston College at its own one yard line with 21 seconds left, effectively sending the game into overtime, where – like two heavyweight boxers in round 12 – exhausting haymakers were thrown. 

When quarter five began, the Spartans swung first. Led by junior quarterback Aidan Chiles, MSU’s offense drove the necessary 25 yards in five plays, scoring on a five yard pass to sophomore fullback Jay Coyne, putting the Spartans ahead 34-27. 

“It was awesome,” Coyne said. “I’m so grateful to help the team win. This is a tight-knit [group]. This is the best team I’ve ever been a part of.”

Then the Eagles swung back — twice. Led by sophomore quarterback Dylan Lonergan, they quickly took full advantage of their back-to-back possessions, scoring first in four plays, then in just two. Up 40–34, with the life sucked out of Spartan Stadium, a two-point conversion awaited — one that would decide the outcome of the game. From the three-yard line, Lonergan took the snap, dropped back, and threw a pass intended for senior wide receiver Lewis Bond — only for it to be broken up by senior defensive back Armorion Smith.

Down by six and with life rejuvenated, the MSU offense possessed the power to end the long, hard fought football game. It first needed a touchdown, and in three plays, the Spartans got it with a three yard rush by Chiles, diving into the endzone to tie the game at 40 a piece. 

Days of preparation, film, practice, and hours of hard, tough, deadlocked football all came down to one play: an overtime two-point conversion. Relying on Chiles — who had been impressive throughout the game — the Spartans put the ball in his hands. He dropped back, rolled to his right, and threw to his left, finding a wide-open senior wide receiver, Omari Kelly, who corralled the ball in his palms and sealed a 42–40 victory — ending the game, sending Boston College packing, and igniting a deafening roar from Spartan Stadium.

It was a game of adversity, not just for MSU, but for Boston College too. Both teams fought vigorously, pursuing a needed 2-0 start on the season, and fortunately for those who bear the colors of green and white, MSU came out victorious. 

“We wanted that game, we needed that game,” Chiles said. “That was a great football team we played against, but they didn’t have any adversity last week. We came out to see who was the tougher team, and today we were.”

All game long, Lonergan torched the Spartan secondary. The Alabama transfer was composed, showed the heart and toughness to take a hit in order to push the ball downfield, and featured a strong, accurate arm that MSU couldn’t stop — until the very end. He finished the game 34-for-45 with 390 yards and four touchdowns.

But Lonergan wasn’t the only quarterback who shined. Opposite of his performance last year against the Eagles where he committed four turnovers, Chiles lit up the sky – and the ground – with an aerial assault and agile rushing attack that Boston College couldn’t handle. With composure and leadership, Chiles danced around defenders, making good decisions and delivering in high pressure situations. He finished the game going 19-for-29 with 231 yards passing and four touchdowns. On the ground, he had 12 carries for 68 yards and one touchdown. 

Chiles’ leading receiver was sophomore wide receiver Nick Marsh, who was a force that the Eagle secondary had a hard time stopping. On the day, Marsh finished with five receptions for 68 yards and two touchdowns – one in the first quarter where he carried three defenders into the endzone for the game’s first score, and the other early in the third quarter where he hauled in a 41 yard pass to tie the game at 21.

“My whole thought process going into the game is that they didn’t have a taste of Nick Marsh,” Marsh said, referring to last year’s matchup against Boston College. “So I was ready. They ended our three game win streak [last year], so it felt personal, because it felt like that was the downfall of our season.”

In total, the Spartan offense accumulated 380 total yards.

Defensively, the Spartans have seen better days. They allowed 457 total yards and five touchdowns, bending — and breaking — to the strong arm of Lonergan. But when the game was on the line, they delivered. Two players who shined brighter than the rest were senior defensive back Armorion Smith and junior linebacker Jordan Hall. Smith, who broke up the crucial two-point conversion pass, also recorded eight tackles and one fumble recovery. Hall led the defense with 15 tackles and one forced fumble.

In a game this close where every play and inch matters, the Spartan special team unit cannot go unmentioned. After a rough start that featured a muffed punt, exquisite kick returns, field goal kicking and punts changed a large aspect of the game. Two kick returns by senior Alante Brown resulted in 100 combined yards, setting the Spartans up in prime territory to score. Then there was Mr. Old Reliable – sophomore punter Ryan Eckley – who pinned the Eagles at their own one yard twice in the fourth quarter. 

Freshman kicker Martin Connington was the surprise who came up big, nailing two field goals – a 50 yarder to tie the game in the third quarter, and a 39 yarder to give MSU the lead late in the fourth – that kept the Spartans in the game. 

In a game where redemption was needed, desired and ultimately earned, the Spartans delivered. Now 2–0 after their victory over Boston College, the Spartans will face Youngstown State at Spartan Stadium next Saturday at 3:30 p.m.