Jackson Kleather’s 34-yard field goal with two seconds remaining lifted No. 25 Northwestern to a 24-21 comeback win over Michigan State on Saturday in East Lansing, Mich.
The Wildcats (5-1, 2-1 Big Ten) prevented an upset by the Spartans (2-5, 0-4) and former Northwestern coach Pat Fitzgerald when Matthew Smith blocked a go-ahead field goal attempt from 33 yards by Liam Boyd with one minute left in the fourth quarter.
Northwestern then drove eight plays and 64 yards to set up Kleather’s game-winning kick.
It was Northwestern’s first win against Michigan State since 2019, when Fitzgerald was still its coach. The victory snapped a three-game losing streak against the Spartans.
Michigan State took a 21-13 lead with 11:48 remaining in the fourth quarter when Alessio Milivojevic found Chrishon McCray open down the middle for a 53-yard touchdown pass.
Milivojevic completed 19 of 30 passes for 216 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions.
Northwestern answered with a touchdown drive capped by Aidan Chiles’ 1-yard scoring run. Chiles then found Alex Honig in the back of the end zone for a game-tying 2-point conversion with 7:24 remaining to make it 21-all.
Chiles completed 18 of 27 passes for 226 yards and Caleb Komolafe ran for 67 yards and a touchdown on 15 carries for Northwestern, which is ranked for the first time since 2022.
The teams traded scores in the first half with Michigan State leading 14-10 at halftime.
The Wildcats could have taken a touchdown lead quickly after Michael Kilbane had a strip sack of Milivojevic and recovered the ball at the Spartans’ 10. But Northwestern settled for a 39-yard field goal from Kleather for the game’s first points.
The Spartans answered when Milivojevic scored on a 3-yard touchdown run to cap a 12-play, 49-yard drive set up by a 44-yard kickoff return by Kenneth Williams late in the first quarter.
Northwestern took a 10-7 lead on a 10-yard scoring run by Komolafe with 11:04 left in the second quarter.
Milivojevic connected with Bryson Williams for a 32-yard touchdown pass with 47 seconds left in the first half to put Michigan State ahead 14-10.