Oct. 17, 2009

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EAST LANSING, Mich. - Senior Zeke Markshausen grabbed a career-best 16 catches, giving him the most receptions in a single game by a Wildcat in 27 years, but Michigan State scored 24-straight points after halftime to defeat Northwestern, 24-14, Saturday at Spartan Stadium.

Markshausen's total of 16 catches rank second in the NU single-game record book to only Jon Harvey. Harvey made 17 receptions against Michigan in 1982. Markshausen also had a career-best 111 receiving yards.

Northwestern opened the game with an impressive goal-line stand on defense, stuffing Michigan State twice from inside the 1-yard line. Each team then traded three punts apiece before Northwestern found the scoreboard midway through the second quarter on a 9-play, 80-yard drive capped by a 15-yard strike from Mike Kafka to Andrew Brewer.

Late in the half, Michigan State drove into the Northwestern red zone before fumbling a hand off that Quentin Davie recovered to put the Wildcats into the locker room with a 7-0 halftime advantage. The turnover also marked Northwestern's fourth-straight stop of an opponent inside its red zone with no points, dating back to Purdue's final drive on Oct. 3.

Michigan State forced a turnover on Northwestern's opening drive of the second half, then scored 17-straight points in the third quarter to take a 17-7 lead. MSU first knotted the game, 7-7, on the ensuing 7-play, 64-yard drive, after the Wildcats' fumble. The Spartans took their first lead of the game with 5:13 remaining in the period on a 47-yard pass play, then extended that advantage to 10 on a 28-yard field goal as time expired.

A fumbled kickoff led to a 22-yard touchdown for the Spartans on the first play from scrimmage in the fourth quarter, making it 24-7 in favor of the home team.

Northwestern ended the Michigan State run with a 67-yard scoring drive, capped by Markshausen's first-career touchdown on a 1-yard reception to cut the Wildcats deficit to 10, 24-14, with 10:28 remaining.

Kafka reached 30 completions for the third time this year, throwing for 291 yards on 34-of-47 passing. Brian Peters and Nate Williams led the Northwestern defense with 11 tackles apiece.

The Wildcats return to action at 11 a.m. (Big Ten Network) next Saturday when they host Indiana in a homecoming matchup at Ryan Field.

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