ANN ARBOR, Mich. — What a difference a week makes. And what a way for Mel Tucker to get his first win with the Michigan State Spartans.
On the road. At Michigan Stadium. As a heavy underdog.
Tucker did what only his mentor, Nick Saban, accomplished 25 years ago. The first-year MSU coach beat Michigan on Saturday in his first try behind a career-high 323 passing yards from Rocky Lombardi and a record-setting performance from freshman receiver Ricky White — shocking the 13th-ranked Wolverines, 27-24.
Tucker did something not even Saban did in winning on the road at Michigan Stadium in his first game in the rivalry. Saban's debut MSU team upset the Wolverines, 28-25, as a 13-point home underdog on Nov. 4, 1995 in East Lansing.
A career-high 51-yard field goal from Matt Coghlin in the third quarter and Lombardi's 13-yard screen pass touchdown to Connor Heyward with 5:11 remaining gave MSU the lead for good.
Michigan scored on a 2-yard Hassan Haskins touchdown run with 37 seconds remaining. But Heyward smothered the ensuing onside kick, and Lombardi's sneak on fourth-and-1 with 23 seconds left sealed the shocking win.
MSU (1-1) shook off a 38-27 loss to Rutgers to open Tucker's tenure. After committing seven turnovers in that game, they did not have one against the Wolverines (1-1).
It is the Spartans' fifth win at Michigan Stadium since 2008. Michigan's Jim Harbaugh falls to 3-3 all-time against MSU.
Here is how the Spartans were able to defy the 21 1/2-point odds and pull off the upset.
