Michigan State football was defeated at Iowa, 49-7, Saturday afternoon at Iowa’s Kinnick Stadium. MSU is now 1-2 on the young season with the loss, while Iowa improves to 1-2. Saturday was the Spartans’ first trip to Iowa since 2013, and the loss snapped MSU’s three-game win streak in the series with Iowa.
Junior quarterback Rocky Lombardi, an Iowa native who was playing in his home state for the first time as a Spartan, was 17-of-37 passing for 227 yards, but was intercepted three times by the Iowa defense. Lombardi connected with redshirt-sophomore wide receiver Jalen Nailor for four receptions for 119 yards, for Nailor’s first career 100-yard reception outing. Nailor was one of a season-high 11 different Spartan receivers with a least one catch on the day.
Freshman running back Jordan Simmons led MSU’s rushing attack for the third-straight game to open the season, with nine carries for 34 yards. Sophomore wide receiver Tyler Hunt scored MSU’s lone TD of the day with a 1-yard rushing score in the third quarter.
Sophomore safety Michael Dowell led the Spartan defense with a career-high seven tackles, while junior safety Xavier Henderson added six stops. Junior linebacker Noah Harvey and redshirt-freshman defensive end Michael Fletcher registered 1.5 tackles for loss apiece, with Fletcher adding a pass break-up as well, while junior cornerback Shakur Brown logged two pass break-ups.
The Hawkeyes went up 49-7 early in the fourth quarter at the 11:57 mark on a 11-yard rush by Jones, and Michigan State was unable to cut into the final gap.
Michigan State returns to action Saturday, Nov. 14 to host Indiana at Spartan Stadium. The game will begin at noon.
This article is largely a repost of a Michigan State University press release. For more sports, news and entertainment, follow the Midwest Sports Network on Twitter @MWSNsports or like the MWSN page on Facebook.
