Vincent Genatone scored two touchdowns and Nebraska opened Big Ten play with a 31-13 win at Michigan State on Saturday, Sept. 26. The Huskers moved to 4-0 and 1-0 in the conference, their first road win of the season. Michigan State fell to 2-2.
How it unfolded
Michigan State struck first with a 48-yard field goal with 5:10 left in the first quarter. Nebraska answered on a drive kept alive by a Spartan holding penalty, as Anthony Colandrea found Kwazi Gilmer for a 44-yard touchdown and a 7-3 lead.
Mekhi Nelson set up the next score with a 19-yard run and finished it from 4 yards out for 14-3. An Owen Chambliss interception led to a 32-yard Kyle Cunanan field goal and a 17-3 lead. Michigan State cut it to 17-10 on a 10-play, 79-yard drive, but Genatone’s 13-yard touchdown catch, his first career reception, sent Nebraska to halftime up 24-10.
A Michigan State field goal made it 24-13 with 10:02 left in the third quarter. Genatone’s touchdown run later put the game away at 31-13.
By the numbers
- Colandrea completed 15 of 27 passes for 212 yards and two touchdowns and ran for 66 yards.
- Gilmer caught four passes for 101 yards, the first 100-yard game of his career. Nelson ran for 61 yards and a touchdown.
- Nebraska outgained Michigan State 369-257 and outrushed the Spartans 157-39.
- The defense forced three turnovers: interceptions by Chambliss and Andrew Marshall and a lost fumble. Williams Nwaneri had two sacks.
- Dwayne McDougle III and Victor Evans III led the defense with six and five tackles.
