Michigan State football doomed by late miscues in 26-16 loss at Iowa

IOWA CITY, Iowa — Michigan State football’s defense provided the big plays. Jonathan Kim delivered the big kicks.

After another agonizing week of drama off the field, the Spartans showed toughness — mentally and physically — in their first road test of the season.

And then … Cooper DeJean happened.

Iowa’s star defensive back got an opening on a Ryan Eckley punt, took it up the left sideline, weaved through and then ran away from MSU for a 70-yard touchdown with 3:45 to play as the offensively challenged Hawkeyes rallied for a 26-16 victory Saturday night at Kinnick Stadium.

"Nothing went right. I don't know," said linebacker Cal Haladay, whose pursuit of DeJean came up short near the goal line. "He's just a good athlete and made a play on the ball. That's just how it goes."

GRAHAM COUCH: 3 quick takes on Michigan State's 26-16 loss at Iowa

MSU (2-3, 0-2 Big Ten) goes into its bye week trying to decompress and recalibrate after Wednesday’s firing of Mel Tucker. The Spartans travel to Rutgers for a noon kickoff Oct. 14.

"This is the first game since I've been in this position that we were leading in a game. And it felt good. We were playing playing well. Just couldn't finish it at the end," interim coach Harlon Barnett said. "And we have to be able to do that to win football games here in the Big Ten. We know that.

"Applaud the effort, outstanding. Just have to play smarter, more disciplined football."

Haladay returned a fumble 42 yards for MSU’s only touchdown, and Kim kicked three field goals. Quarterback Noah Kim was intercepted three times, and the Spartans also lost a fumble.

But Iowa (4-1, 1-1) made critical plays late, aided by costly Spartan penalties, one of which resulted in a 50-yard missed Kim field goal off the right upright in the third quarter. MSU finished with 10 flags for 94 yards.

"We killed ourselves a couple times during the second half. Penalties, getting behind the sticks," left guard J.D. Duplain said. "I think in the first half, we had some success and some some plays. You just gotta put the the ball in the end zone, though. There was too many times where we settled for three (points) when we had some good drives."

The Spartans got the ball back after DeJean’s TD, but Tre Mosley got drilled by Iowa’s Nick Jackson and fumbled, with the Hawkeyes’ Ethan Hurkett recovering in MSU territory. Mosley also was hurt on the play, and his status is unclear.

Defense rises

It wasn’t artful football by any stretch, by either team. Mistakes were as bountiful as a Great Plains harvest, offense as barren as a Midwest summer drought. Turnovers, penalties and missed tackles in abundance.

But the Spartans’ defense kept them in the game all night.

Iowa won the coin toss and decided to take the ball, one week after losing 31-0 at Penn State in coach Kirk Ferentz’s first shutout defeat in 23 years. The decision paid off, with former Michigan quarterback Cade McNamara moving the Hawkeyes quickly down the field before the drive stalled. They settled for a Drew Stevens 40-yard field goal.

The Spartans opening possession fizzled, but Ryan Eckley delivered the first of a number of big punts — a 61-yard boot — to pin Iowa at its own 3. Two plays later, McNamara exited the game with a lower left leg injury. He did not return.

Neither did Iowa’s offense for much of the night.

Some of that came due to the inefficiency of backup quarterback Deacon Hill, some of it came from the immense pressure MSU’s defense began to produce.

MSU forced three first-half three-and-outs after McNamara went out of the game. They added two more in the third quarter. The Spartans' stifling play and the Hawkeyes' offensive inertia caused plenty of booing from the Kinnick Stadium crowd.

"Offensively, we didn't have a lot of rhythm...," Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz said. "I mean, a three-and-out isn't any fun for anybody. I get that."

Iowa finished with 224 yards of total offense, 161 through the air and just 63 rushing. Hill went just 11 of 27 for 115 yards, including a 13-yard touchdown to tight end Erick All — another U-M transfer — in which the Spartans missed five tackles.

Offense sputters

But just as bad as the Hawkeyes were, Noah Kim and the Spartans struggled with their own mistakes. Particularly after tight end Maliq Carr left the game late in the first quarter after being featured throughout early. He did not return.

Barnett said he anticipates Carr "will be fine, he'll be back."

Kim threw three interceptions — one of them by DeJean in the end zone intended for Jaron Glover, who appeared to break off his corner route — and was wildly erratic again, missing targets high and wide. The junior stayed in the entire game for the first time this season and finished 25 of 44 for 193 yards.

Nathan Carter continued to propel MSU’s run game, eclipsing the 100-yard mark for the third time this season and finishing with 108 yards on 20 carries.

MSU finished with 349 yards, including 156 on the ground.

Special moments

Jonathan Kim hit field goals from 31 and 32 yards in the first half as MSU’s drives failed.

The North Carolina transfer delivered a spectacular bomb after Noah Kim’s late-half, 14-play, 61-yard drive. Jonathan Kim’s 58-yard field goal at the end of the first half was the fourth-longest in MSU history and the longest by a Spartan kicker since Ralf Mojsiejenko's 59-yarder in 1983. Also a Kinnick Stadium record.

But the MSU kicker's clang — which came after a false start and then a drop by tight end Jaylan Franklin — proved problematic.

A critical play came in the third quarter after a delay of game backed MSU up to third-and-15 deep in its own end. Carter appeared to have a first down, but the play was reviewed and he was ruled short for a 14-yard game. Noah Kim got stuffed on a QB sneak attempt, and the Spartans turned it over at their own 30.

MSU's defense held, but Stevens delivered a 53-yard field goal that pulled Iowa within 16-13.

Eckley had a strong day punting until the fourth quarter, when he booted a 15-yarder that set up Stevens for a 36-yard field goal — one of four in the game — to tie the game with 5:19 to play.

Noah Kim and the offense stalled again, including a pair of false start penalties on Evan Morris and Spencer Brown. Then DeJean got plenty of cushion from Eckley’s low line drive that outkicked his coverage and gave Iowa’s blackout crowd a massive roar after an evening of booing their offense.

Contact Chris Solari: csolari@freepress.com. Follow him @chrissolari.

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This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan State football doomed by late miscues in 26-16 loss at Iowa