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Michigan State vs. Florida Atlantic Live Game Thread

Get all the latest action with our Michigan State Spartans vs. Florida Atlantic Owls live game updates thread.

Michael France

Michigan State's head coach Jonathan Smith touches the foot of the Sparty statue before the game against Florida Atlantic on Friday, Aug. 30, 2024, outside Spartan Stadium in East Lansing.
Michigan State's head coach Jonathan Smith touches the foot of the Sparty statue before the game against Florida Atlantic on Friday, Aug. 30, 2024, outside Spartan Stadium in East Lansing. / Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK
In this story:

EAST LANSING, Mich. -- The 2024 season is underway for the Michigan State Spartans as they face the Florida Atlantic Owls in the friendly confines of Spartan Stadium.

Remember the rule of five. The game is over if the Spartans win that key statistical battle. For those who don't remember it, it has to do with sacks and turnovers. If the Spartans have three sacks and give up two, they are plus one. They are plus three if they get four turnovers and give up only one. That would give them a plus-four for the day. They want to get to a plus-five ratio every game.

The Jonathan Smith era has begun in East Lansing. Tom Herman's Owls should be a formidable opponent for the first game of this new regime. All eyes will be on true sophomore transfer quarterback Aidan Chiles, the biggest story of this offseason.

How Chiles performs in his first collegiate start will be key to the Spartans' chances of victory. Running back Nate Carter will be crucial to the offense as well as new faces in tight end Jack Velling and freshman wide receiver Nick Marsh. Keep an eye on how Marsh is utilized.

The Spartans need to establish physicality on the ground to open up the field for Chiles, who will need to find a rhythm early on. How the offensive line, a group with plenty of potential but lacking experience playing with each other, handles itself in the trenches will be a tell-tale sign of this offense's identity.

Defensively, the implementation of Joe Rossi's defense will have big implications on the game and the season as a whole. Rossi's hybrid 4-3/3-4 defense will have a lot of moving parts up front at the line of scrimmage.

Keep an eye on how Rossi uses his deep linebackers room and secondary, both of which combine talent, experience, and versatility. After the first series, the Spartans might begin moving pieces around in the defensive backfield and at the second level.

Staff Picks:

Aidan Champion: Michigan State over Florida Atlantic, 31-13

Michael France: Michigan State over Florida Atlantic, 34-17

Ezekiel Trezevant: Michigan State over Florida Atlantic, 28-14

Carter Landis: Michgian State over Florida Atlantic, 28-20

Jack Lintner: Michigan State over Florida Atlantic, 27-17

Jack Beulke: Michigan State over Florida Atlantic, 35-24

Here's how to watch Friday's game:

TV: Big Ten Network

Venue: Spartan Stadium, East Lansing, Mich.

Kickoff: 7:01 p.m. EST

Listen: Spartan Media Network

-Lansing: WMMQ (94.9 FM)/WJIM (1240 AM)

-Detroit: WJR (760 AM)

-Grand Rapids: WBFX (101.3 FM)

We'll be keeping you posted with live updates throughout the contest.

START OF THE FIRST QUARTER:

TURNOVER: Owls' Kahzir Brown intercepts Spartans' Aidan Chiles.

SACK: Spartans' Khris Bogle sacks Owls' Cam Fancher.

PENALTY: Pass interference against the Owls.

FUMBLE: Spartans' quarterback Aidan Chiles fumbles, recovers.

SCORING UPDATE NO. 1: Spartans' D'Quan Douse sacks Owls' Cam Fancher for a safety. Spartans lead, 2-0.

PENALTY: Illegal motion against the Spartans.

CHALLENGE: The Owls challenge the Spartans' 4th down conversion, a 1-yard rush by Nate Carter. The play stands.

TURNOVER: Spartans' Montorie Foster Jr. fumbles, Owls' Jayden Williams recovers.

PENALTY: Late hit against Spartans linebacker Jordan Hall.

END OF FIRST QUARTER: Spartans lead, 2-0.

START OF SECOND QUARTER:

PENALTY: Targeting against Spartans' Malik Spencer. Spencer has been ejected from the game.

TURNOVER: Spartans' Angelo Grose intercepts Owls' Cam Fancher.

PENALTY: Special teams holding against the Owls.

INTERCEPTION: Spartans' Nikai Martinez intercepts Owl's Cam Fancher.

SCORING UPDATE NO. 2: Spartans' quarterback Aidan Chiles rushes for an 11-yard touchdown. Jonathan Kim's extra point attempt is GOOD. Spartans lead, 9-0.

SCORING UPDATE NO. 3: Spartans' Kay'Ron Lynch-Adams rushes for a 63-yard touchdown. Jonathan Kim's extra-point attempt is GOOD. Spartans lead, 16-0.

PENALTY: Hands to the face against the Spartans.

SCORING UPDATE NO. 4: Owls' Morgan Saurez's 43-yard field goal attempt is GOOD. Spartans lead, 16-3.

TWO-MINUTE WARNING: Spartans lead, 16-3.

PENALTY: Offsides against the Spartans.

TIMEOUT: The Spartans use their first timeout of the half.

END OF THE FIRST HALF: Spartans lead, 16-3.

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The Spartans started out rusty on offense with Aidan Chiles showing his youth as a signal-caller. Rossi’s defense looked great early on, getting a key safety from transfer D’Quan Douse. The Spartans took an early 2-0 lead.


Despite a key loss in defensive back Malik Spencer, ejected for targeting, the defense showed some trademark Rossi looks and managed to intercept Owls’ quarterback Cam Fancher twice.

That was when the Spartans capitalized. Chiles scored his first touchdown as a Spartan, an 11-yard keeper after a Kay’Ron Lynch-Adams score was ruled null by loss of progress.

Lynch-Adams got his revenge with a big 63-yard touchdown run to put the Spartans up 16-0. Lynch-Adams has looked better than starting running back Nate Carter so far.

The Spartans shutout lasted until there was five left in the first half. An Owls’ field goal put Florida Atlantic on the board. The Spartans will also need to adjust their coverage of the middle. They have struggled defending Fancher whenever he carries the ball. Regardless, Rossi should be happy with his defense thus far.

Chiles has struggled on deep throws, which will be a key factor in the game heading into the second half. Notably, Spartans receivers have done well creating separation.  

--

START OF THIRD QUARTER:

PENALTY: Horse-collar tackle against the Spartans.

PENALTY: Defensive pass interference against the Spartans.

TIMEOUT: The Spartans use their first timeout of the half.

SACK: Spartans' Khris Bogle sacks Owls' Cam Fancher.

NO GOOD: Carter Davis' field goal attempt is NO GOOD. Spartans lead, 16-3.

PENALTY: Snap infraction against the Spartans.

PENALTY: Illegal block on punt return against the Owls.

INTERCEPTION: Spartans' Aidan Chiles is intercepted by Owls' Phillip Dunnam.

PENALTY: Facemask against the Spartans.

SCORING UPDATE NO. 5: Owls' Cam Fancher connects with Jayshon Platt for a 10-yard touchdown. Morgan Suarez's extra point attempt is GOOD. Spartans lead, 16-10.

END OF THE THIRD QUARTER: Spartans lead, 16-10.

START OF THE FOURTH QUARTER:

PENALTY: Two fouls against FAU. Pass interference against the Owls. Offsides against the Owls, declined.

TURNOVER: Spartans' Kay'Ron Lynch-Adams is stopped on fourth-and-1. Owls take over at their own 11.

PENALTY: Sideline warning against the Spartans.

TURNOVER: Cam Fancher is sacked by Spartans' Anthony Jones on fourth-and-2. Spartans take over on their own 41.

PENALTY: Late hit and unsportsman-like conduct against Spartans linebacker Jordan Turner. Turnover on downs for Owls, Spartans take over on their own 28.

TIMEOUT: Owls use their first timeout of the half.

SACK: Spartans' Alex VanSumeren sacks Owls' Cam Fancher.

TWO-MINUTE WARNING: Spartans lead, 16-10.

SACK: Spartans' Jordan Turner sacks Owls' Cam Fancher.

TIMEOUT: Owls use their second timeout of the half.

TIMEOUT: Owls use their third and final timeout of the half.

TURNOVER: Cam Fancher's pass on fourth-and-14 is incomplete. Spartans take over on the FAU 41.

FINAL: Michigan State wins, 16-10.

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Michael France

MICHAEL FRANCE

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