Jalen Berger gained 107 yards on 17 carries and scored three touchdowns and No. 14 Michigan State took advantage of four Akron fumbles in a 52-0 romp on Saturday.
Jarek Broussard rushed for 81 yards on 15 carries and scored twice for the Spartans (2-0). Payton Thorne completed 18-of-29 passes for 212 yards and was picked off twice.
Akron quarterback DJ Irons, who completed 9-of-13 passes for 123 yards, was carted off during the first half. The Zips dropped to 1-1.
Michigan State led 24-0 at halftime.
The Spartans scored a pair of first-quarter touchdowns. Broussard plunged up the middle on a 1-yard run to cap their first scoring drive, which was set up by a Zips fumble. Cal Haladay returned the giveaway 21 yards.
Berger’s 18-yard run, plus an Akron facemask penalty, put Michigan State inside the Akron 20.
Another Zips fumble, which was forced by Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week Jacoby Windmon, allowed the Spartans to start their next scoring drive on Akron’s 45. Berger powered up the middle for the final yard.
Windmon recovered a fumble in the second quarter, which led to the Spartans’ third scoring drive. This one lasted eight plays and 56 yards and included a 20-yard pass from Thorne to Jayden Reed. It was completed by another 1-yard Berger run.
Windmon finished with three forced fumbles.
Reed had an 86-punt return for a touchdown in the final minute of the half wiped out by a holding call. Jack Stone connected on a 43-yard field goal in the final second.
Haladay sacked Jeff Undercluffer and forced a fumble early in the third, giving Michigan State the ball on Akron’s 20. Two plays later, Noah Kim connected with Tre Mosley on a 16-yard scoring pass for a 31-0 advantage.
Broussard scored his second touchdown on a 2-yard plunge midway through the third. Berger also scored from two yards out later in the quarter to make it 45-0.
Elijah Collins scored on a 1-yard run before the quarter expired.
— Field Level Media