J.J. McCarthy passed for 287 yards and a career-high four touchdowns and No. 2 Michigan crushed in-state rival Michigan State 49-0 at East Lansing on Saturday night.
McCarthy completed 21 of 27 passes as the Wolverines defeated the Spartans for the second straight season.
AJ Barner caught eight passes for 99 yards for Michigan (8-0 overall, 5-0 Big Ten). Colston Loveland caught four passes for 79 yards and two touchdowns, while Blake Corum rushed for 59 yards on 15 carries and a touchdown.
Katin Houser completed 12 of 22 passes for 101 yards and was picked off once for Michigan State (2-5, 0-4), which has dropped five straight. Nate Carter was held to 36 yards on 17 carries. The Spartans were blanked by the Wolverines for the first time since 2000.
McCarthy passed for 276 yards and three touchdowns as the Wolverines rolled to a 28-0 halftime lead.
Michigan’s first possession was an 84-yard drive, capped by Corum’s 1-yard run. The big play was a 25-yard pass from McCarthy to Roman Wilson.
The Spartans failed to convert on fourth down from midfield, and Michigan drove 51 yards for its next touchdown. McCarthy capped it with a 25-yard scoring strike to Wilson.
Michigan’s third possession lasted 11 plays and 66 yards. McCarthy finished it when he found Loveland on a 22-yard pass play.
That was repeated later in the second quarter as the same combination hooked up from 22 yards out. Loveland and Barner, the team’s tight ends, combined for 11 receptions and 167 yards in the opening half.
It was 42-0 after three quarters.
The Wolverines’ defense produced the next score during the third quarter. Mike Sainristil picked off a Houser pass near Michigan’s sideline and raced 72 yards for a touchdown to make it 35-0.
A trio of Spartans penalties helped the Wolverines during their next scoring drive. McCarthy finished it with an 11-yard pass to Barner.
Alex Orji’s 6-yard run in the closing seconds completed the scoring.
–Field Level Media