Michigan State football and Aidan Chiles defeat Iowa 32-20

EAST LANSING – Jonathan Kim made a program-record six field goals, Aidan Chiles was dynamic both in the air and on the ground and the Michigan State football defense got enough stops to beat Iowa 32-20 at Spartan Stadium on Saturday night.

The Spartans ran 39 times for 214 yards, Kay'Ron Lynch-Adams led with 86, and Chiles ran 51 yards and passed for 256 and a score. Nick Marsh had eight catches for 113 yards and Montorie Foster Jr. had five for 100 with a touchdown.

Next Saturday night in Week 9, the Spartans will visit struggling rival Michigan (4-3, 2-2 Big Ten) at Michigan Stadium (7:30 p.m., Big Ten Network).

MSU (4-3, 2-2 Big Ten) entered the game as a 6½-point underdog with a three-game losing streak, but was the better team from kickoff against Michigan transfer quarterback Cade McNamara and the Hawkeyes (4- 3, 2-2). 2 Big Ten). The Spartans never punted and scored on eight of nine possessions, the only mistake being a Chilean interception in the first half.

Kim made field goals of 42 and 43 yards in the first quarter, 36 and 29 yards in the second quarter and 55 and 46 yards in the fourth quarter. At the end of the first half, he missed a 55-yarder wide left, keeping MSU's lead at 12-0.

Required reading: Michigan State has the momentum it needs before facing Michigan

Chiles found Foster on an 18-yard corner route for MSU's first touchdown, and the Spartans held off a furious Iowa rally that saw the Hawkeyes score three touchdowns in the second half after a first-half shutout.

Nate Carter completed a 1-yard run with 2:03 left to give MSU a two-score lead.

Touchdowns galore in the second half

The Hawkeyes came out of halftime with a statement drive, marching 58 yards in eight plays after a 42-yard kickoff return by Kaden Wetjen to open the third quarter. McNamara threw an 18-yard touchdown pass to tight end Reece Vander Zee after the two connected on a 17-yard pass to keep the drive alive on third-and-4.

Chiles quickly got MSU back down the field for his first touchdown, which included his 26-yard run where he dodged pressure to balance himself and power through for a crucial first down to maintain possession. His perfect spiral to a wide-open Foster on a play-action fake gave MSU a 19-7 lead with 4:34 left in the third.

Iowa scored another touchdown, but Kim tied the school record with a 55-yard boom for a 22-14 lead. Then two plays later, safety Nikai Martinez fended off McNamara and Kim tied the record with a 46-yarder after MSU's Jaron Glover incurred an offensive pass interference penalty that negated a 17-yard touchdown catch by Aziah Johnson made.

After Kaleb Johnson pulled Iowa back to within 25-20, MSU launched a nine-play, 75-yard drive that included three throws to Marsh for a total of 42 yards and an 8-yard throw to Carter on third-and-3 before its own included a 1-yard plunge with 2:03 left.

From there, the defense held firm, and a final attempt to close the ball down again resulted in an illegal contact penalty by Iowa near the goal line on fourth down.

Contact Chris Solari: [email protected]. Follow him @chrissolari.

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Touchdowns galore in the second half

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