Star running back Justin Jackson decided to pull up and throw the ball as Northwestern unleashed a bit of trickery on the Spartans, hitting Ben Skowronek for a 12-yard touchdown pass that puts the Wildcats on top, 17-10, with 10:49 remaining.
After the MSU offense went three-and-out, Clayton Thorson hit Cameron Green for a 25-yard gain down to the MSU 33. Two plays later, on third-and-7, Thorson was flushed from the pocket but was able to pick up eight yards for a big first down. The next play, the trickery caught the Spartans in a bad way.
Defense gets a stop, MSU special teams avoid disaster
A defensive holding call on MSU, followed by an 11-yard Clayton Thorson completion to Riley Lees, got Northwestern out to their own 45.