By the time there was a minute left in the game between No. 6 Michigan and No. 8 Michigan State on Saturday, Spartans freshman cornerback Charles Brantley was his team’s hero, picking off Wolverines quarterback Cade McNamara to seal the 37-33 victory.
But throughout the game in East Lansing, Michigan State junior running back Kenneth Walker III was, undeniably, the superstar of the day. Quite literally, he carried the Spartans to their rivalry win, accounted for every single one of their touchdowns and helped ensure their undefeated record remained perfect.
Walker, a Wake Forest transfer, entered the game as one of the nation’s top running backs, and against the Wolverines, he reminded college football fans everywhere why.
The Heisman Trophy candidate played like an absolute rockstar, and he finished with 23 carries for 197 yards and five touchdowns, including a huge 58-yard touchdown run early in the fourth quarter.
While Michigan State coach Mel Tucker became the program’s first to beat Michigan twice in his first two contests, Walker’s five trips to the end zone set the record for most rushing touchdowns in the rivalry series’ history and the all-time most by any player against the Wolverines, per FOX Sports’ broadcast.
Breaking tackles everywhere and running through Michigan defenders with his explosive speed, Walker led the Spartans to score 16 unanswered points to come back from what was a 30-14 hole midway through the fourth quarter. He extended plays and created some out of nothing while beating the Wolverines with an average of 8.6 yards per carry. It was also his 10th career 100-yard game.
After his jaw-dropping performance Saturday, Walker’s Heisman odds deserve a big boost, even if it’s usually a quarterbacks’ race. He should be considered a serious contender.
"It's not about me, it's about the Spartans. Spartan nation, the players, the coaches, the university, all our fans and all our alumni"@JennyTaft catches up with @MSU_Football Head Coach Mel Tucker after a historic win over Michigan ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/oBrSLsRNcP
— FOX Sports (@FOXSports) October 30, 2021
“He’s a special player, he’s a team player and we all know that he’s a Heisman-type guy,” Tucker told FOX Sports about Walker after the game.
Walker also posted his fifth 100-yard game of the season — though he’s had two games with at least 200 rushing yards this year.
After a stunning performance to help keep the Spartans undefeated this season, here’s a look at all five of Walker’s touchdown against Michigan.
The Paul Bunyan Trophy trophy belongs to @MSU_Football 👏👏🏆 pic.twitter.com/tbPH0cn39w
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) October 30, 2021
