Milovojevic tosses 4 touchdowns in Michigan State’s 38-28 win over Maryland

DETROIT (AP) — Alessio Milivojevic tossed a career-high four touchdown passes and Alante Brown had a 92-yard kickoff return for a touchdown Saturday night to help Michigan State to a 38-28 victory over Maryland and snap the Spartans’ eight-game losing streak.

Milivojevic completed 27 of 39 passes for 292 yards for the Spartans (4-8 overall, 1-8 Big Ten). Embattled Jonathan Smith avoided becoming the first Michigan State coach to go winless in conference play for the first time since Duffy Daugherty’s 1958 team which went 0-5-1.

The Terrapins (4-8, 1-8) closed the season with its first eight-game losing since the 2015 season. Maryland freshman Malik Washington completed 38 of 61 passes for a career-high 459 yards, Jalil Farooq had 10 catches for 110 yards and Shaleak Knotts added 8 receptions for 139 yards.

After Michigan State built a 24-7 halftime lead, Maryland pulled within 24-21 on DeJuan Williams’ 5-yard touchdown run and Washington’s 25-yard scoring pass to Knotts. Following Brown’s 92-yard kickoff return, Washington again cut the margin to three with his 24-yard touchdown pass to Farooq.

Sean O’Haire missed a 27-yard field goal with 7:38 left in the game that would have tied it at 31-all.

The Spartans sealed the win with Milivojevic’s 10-yard scoring pass to Omai Kelly on fourth down with 1:56 remaining.

Michigan State scored the first 17 points of the game. Milivojevic threw two touchdown passes – a 1-yarder to Kai Rios and 13-yard toss to Nick Marsh – and Martin Connington nailed a 25-yard field goal.

After Washington connected with Farooq on a 7-yard scoring pass, Milivojevic hit Jack Velling for a 9-yard touchdown just seconds before halftime.

The takeaway

Maryland: The Terrapins have a bright future with Washington as quarterback. He broke the freshman record for passing yards in a season with 2,963 yards. His 459 passing yards against Michigan State were the second-most by a Maryland quarterback in a game, behind only Scott Milanovich’s 498 against Virginia Tech in 1993.

Michigan State: The Spartans finally closed out a game after blowing second-half leads against Iowa, Nebraska and Minnesota.

Up next

Maryland: Winter workouts and spring practice.

Michigan State: Winter workouts and spring practice.

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