MSU beats Wildcats, 31-17 as warm-up for Big 10 title game

The Michigan State Spartans' victory over the Northwestern Wildcats, 31-17, became a competitive tuneup for the Big Ten Championship game next weekend against the Wisconsin Badgers.

Michigan State (10-2, 7-1 Big Ten) already clinched the Legends Division by virtue of a tiebreaker over Michigan.

Keshawn Martin returned a punt 57 yards for a TD just before half, Kirk Cousins became the school’s career TD pass leader with two more and Michigan State’s league-best defense came up with six sacks.

In a rematch from a few weeks ago, Michigan State will play Wisconsin for the Big Ten championship next Saturday at the Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, IN for the right to go to the Rose Bowl. The Spartans won their first meeting this season on a last-second Hail Mary pass. Wisconsin defeated Penn State, 45-7 to earn the other spot in the conference championship.