Another Saturday, Another Heartbreak: Spartans Fall to Iowa 20–17 on Last-Second Field Goal
IOWA CITY, Iowa – The Spartans fall to Iowa 20–17 on a last-second field goal, extending their losing streak as MSU lets a fourth-quarter lead slip away in a painful defeat at Kinnick Stadium. Honestly, can it get any worse for the Spartans, who have found dramatic ways to lose in 2 of the three past games (remember Minnesota)?
For three quarters, Michigan State looked like a team ready to rewrite the script. There was energy. There was execution. There was belief. But when the fourth quarter hit, the same haunting storyline returned — stalled drives, special teams breakdowns, and ultimately, another late-game collapse. Iowa’s 44-yard field goal as time expired sealed the Spartans’ eighth straight loss, a gut-punching 20–17 defeat in a game MSU once led by double digits.
📊 STAT CAPSULE — Iowa 20, Michigan State 17
🏈 Michigan State (3–8, 0–8 Big Ten)
Passing: Milivojevic — 25/42, 255 yds, 2 TD, 1 INT
Rushing: Team — 78 yds
Receiving: Velling — 8 rec, 88 yds
Chrishon McCray — 6 rec, 75 yds, 2 TD
3rd Down: 4/14
🏈 Iowa Hawkeyes
Key Player: Kaden Wetjen — 147 punt return yds, 1 TD
Game-Winner: Drew Stevens — 44-yd FG as time expired
Turnovers Forced: 1 INT
📌 Notes
• MSU led 17–7 entering the 4th quarter
• Iowa’s two big punt returns directly led to 10 points
• Spartans now on an 8-game losing streak (9 straight in Big Ten)
A Tale of Promise… Until the Fourth Quarter
Trailing 7–0 early after a 62-yard punt return touchdown by Iowa’s Kaden Wetjen, the Spartans regrouped and delivered some of their best stretches of football all season. Freshman quarterback Alessio Milivojevic found his rhythm, and Michigan State took full control in the third quarter.
Milivojevic connected with Chrishon McCray on a gorgeous 45-yard strike to give MSU its first lead, then hit him again later in the quarter on a 5-yard corner fade. Add in a second-quarter field goal, and suddenly the Spartans were in command, up 17–7 and quieting a notoriously hostile Kinnick crowd.
Milivojevic finished 25-of-42 for 255 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception — impressive poise for a freshman in his third career start. McCray delivered his best game as a Spartan (6 catches, 75 yards, 2 TD), and tight end Jack Velling was a chain-moving force with a career-high 8 receptions for 88 yards.
But then came the fourth quarter.
MSU managed just one first down across four drives — including three empty, fast three-and-outs. The offense that had moved with confidence suddenly vanished, giving Iowa life and giving Kinnick Stadium the oxygen it needed.
A field goal cut the lead to 17–10. And when Wetjen ripped off a 40-yard punt return — his second game-changing return of the day — Iowa tied it on a short touchdown with 1:29 remaining.
MSU’s final possession fizzled. Iowa’s didn’t. The Hawkeyes marched 53 yards in 41 seconds, setting up the walk-off kick that sank the Spartans.
Smith Calls It “Painful,” Players Still Buy In
Head Coach Jonathan Smith didn’t hide the sting afterward.
“Painful, really, for our guys,” Smith said. “They fight. They compete. We just didn’t finish.”
He pointed to the inability to drain clock with the lead, the struggles sustaining drives late, and the special teams lapses that swung momentum.
On the other side of the locker room, leaders like Jordan Hall continued to publicly support Smith despite the frustrations of a spiraling season. Hall — who recorded eight tackles and recovered a fumble — defended his coach, saying he’s “a great coach, a great man, and he leads well.”
The unity is still there. The execution, especially late in games, remains the issue.
Key Players of the Game
- Alessio Milivojevic (MSU QB): 25/42, 255 YDS, 2 TD, 1 INT
- Chrishon McCray (MSU WR): 6 REC, 75 YDS, 2 TD
- Jack Velling (MSU TE): 8 REC, 88 YDS
- Kaden Wetjen (Iowa PR): 147 PR yards, 1 TD — the true difference-maker
One Last Chance to Stop the Slide
Michigan State has one final shot at avoiding an 0–9 Big Ten season when they face Maryland (4–7) next weekend at Ford Field in Detroit. It’s the last opportunity to salvage a single conference win, gain a sliver of momentum, and head into a crucial offseason without carrying the full weight of a winless Big Ten campaign.
I do believe that the Spartans will secure their first Big Ten win of the season next weekend. Call me a sucker, but to me, it looks like the fight is still there. Unfortunately, the heartbreak is too. One more Saturday to see which side comes out on top.
To put a bow on this one, did you believe they would hold on to beat Iowa in Iowa City? Were you texting friends and family, telling them that this was finally the game to end the losing streak? Drop a comment below or join the conversation in the Spartans Sound Off — where fans break down every game, every angle.
Info gathered from team reports, pressers & trusted media outlets — the way we always do it at Mitten Sports Talk.
