Jamaal Williams ran for 163 yards and two touchdowns, and Brigham Young beat Michigan State 31-14 on Saturday, sending the Spartans to their third straight loss.
Taysom Hill ran for a touchdown and threw for another in the second half, and the Cougars (3-3) largely shut down the Spartans (2-3) after Michigan State scored a touchdown on its first drive. BYU trailed 7-3 at halftime but scored touchdowns on all four of its second-half possessions - not including its final drive, which consisted only of kneel-downs.
Hill's 4-yard touchdown pass to Colby Pearson put the Cougars ahead, and he then added a 12-yard scoring run early in the fourth quarter.
Hill threw for 138 yards and a touchdown.
"The guy does everything you ask him to," BYU coach Kalani Sitake said. "He's ideal as a player, a great leader, humble and he's all about the team. I love having him here."
Michigan State has lost three in a row for the first time since early in the 2009 season. The Spartans pulled starting quarterback Tyler O'Connor in the fourth quarter and replaced him with Damion Terry. Michigan State began to move the ball on Terry's first drive, but an interception by Michael Davis ended that possession.
Spartans coach Mark Dantonio said he didn't blame O'Connor for the loss, but he did not commit to any quarterback as the starter going forward.
"We evaluate things," he said.
Williams, who rushed for 286 yards in a win over Toledo the previous week, added an 8-yard touchdown run to make it 24-7. After Terry scored on a 1-yard sneak, Williams broke free for a 62-yard run on BYU's ensuing drive. His 1-yard TD run made it 31-14.
BYU had 78 offensive plays to Michigan State's 53.
THE TAKEAWAY
BYU: For the first time all season, the Cougars played in a blowout - and they were on the right side of it. They also have two-point wins over Arizona and Toledo, as well as three-point losses to UCLA and West Virginia and a one-point loss to Utah. Hill showed good poise in the third quarter, and Williams took over in the fourth.
MICHIGAN STATE: Things have gone from bad to worse for the Spartans, who were already in trouble after losing to Wisconsin and Indiana. With games against Michigan and Ohio State still to come, Michigan State needs to snap out of this slump or it can't even be assured of going to a bowl.
UP NEXT
BYU: The Cougars return home to face Mississippi State on Friday night.
Michigan State: The reeling Spartans resume Big Ten play with their Homecoming game against Northwestern.
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