Freshman Alessio Milivojevic threw a career-high four touchdown passes and Michigan State snapped its eight-game losing streak with a 38-28 victory over Maryland on Saturday at Ford Field in Detroit.
Alante Brown added a 92-yard kickoff return touchdown as the Spartans (4-8, 1-8 Big Ten) avoided becoming the first Michigan State team to lose all of its league games since joining the Big Ten in 1953.
Milivojevic did most of his damage in the first half and finished the game 27 of 39 for 292 yards and one interception.
Maryland (4-8, 1-8) rallied in the second half but suffered its eighth straight loss, matching the longest losing streak of coach Mike Locksley’s seven-year tenure and the second longest skid in program history.
Freshman Malik Washington completed 38 of 61 passes for 459 yards with three touchdowns and one interception for the Terrapins. His competitions, attempts and yardage were all career highs.
Michigan rolled up 453 yards while Maryland finished with 534 yards, its most in a game since last season’s opener.
Milivojevic repeatedly attacked the middle of the Maryland defense, finding receivers open between the hash marks.
Nick Marsh had seven receptions for 85 yards and a touchdown while Jack Velling made five catches for 68 yards and another score.
Milivojevic’s biggest completion came when the Spartans, holding a 31-28 lead, made a bold call, going for it on fourth-and-7 from the Terrapins’ 10 with two minutes left in the game.
Milivojevic found Omari Kelly open in the back of the end zone for the clinching touchdown.
Michigan State scored on the game’s opening possession as Milivojevic capped a 70-yard drive with a 1-yard touchdown pass to Kai Rios.
After Martin Covington increased the Spartans’ lead to 10-0 with a 25-yard field goal, Milivojevic fired a 15-yard touchdown pass to Marsh less than four minutes into the second quarter.
Washington countered with his first touchdown pass of the game, a 7-yard toss to the back of the end zone to Jalil Farooq to cut the deficit to 17-7 two-and-a-half minutes after the Marsh score.
Milivojevic was clutch again as he threw a 9-yard touchdown pass to Velling with just four seconds left in the half, making it 24-7.
In the third quarter, Maryland scored touchdowns on its first three possessions. Washington fired two touchdown passes in the period, but in between came Brown’s kickoff return score, keeping the Spartans in front 31-28.
Elijah Tau-Tolliver carried 13 times for 95 yards for Michigan State.
Farooq had 10 receptions for 110 yards and two touchdowns while Shaleak Knotts caught eight passes for 139 yards and a touchdown for Maryland.
