---
title: "Blocked Kick Dooms Michigan State in 24-21 Loss in East Lansing"
url: https://www.herelansing.com/2026/10/18/michigan-state-falls-northwestern-24-21-east-lansing/
date: 2026-10-18T05:25:48-04:00
modified: 2026-10-18T05:25:48-04:00
author: "Ian E. Mendoza"
categories: ["Sports"]
site: "HERE Lansing"
attribution: "HERE Lansing"
---

# Blocked Kick Dooms Michigan State in 24-21 Loss in East Lansing

> EAST LANSING, Mich. — Michigan State let a fourth-quarter lead slip away Saturday in East Lansing, falling 24-21 to No. 25 Northwestern when Jackson Kleather hit a 34-yard field goal with 2 seconds left. The Spartans were up 21-13 early in the final period after Alessio Milivojevic found Chrishon McCray on a 53-yard scoring throw.

*Source: [HERE Lansing](https://www.herelansing.com/2026/10/18/michigan-state-falls-northwestern-24-21-east-lansing/) — October 18, 2026 by Ian E. Mendoza*

EAST LANSING, Mich. — Michigan State let a fourth-quarter lead slip away Saturday in East Lansing, falling 24-21 to No. 25 Northwestern when Jackson Kleather hit a 34-yard field goal with 2 seconds left.

The Spartans were up 21-13 early in the final period after Alessio Milivojevic found Chrishon McCray on a 53-yard scoring throw. Milivojevic threw for 216 yards and two touchdowns on 19-of-30 passing.

Aidan Chiles, the Spartans’ starting quarterback in 20 games before he transferred, pulled the Wildcats even at 21 with 7:24 remaining on a 1-yard run and a 2-point pass to Alex Honig. He completed 18 of 27 throws for 226 yards.

Michigan State had a chance to win it after a failed Northwestern fake punt gave the Spartans the ball at the Wildcats 28-yard line. They ran the clock down, but Matthew Smith blocked a 33-yard try by Liam Boyd, and Chiles answered with an eight-play, 64-yard march that put Kleather in range for the winner.

It was the fifth loss in a row for Michigan State, now 2-5 and 0-4 in the Big Ten, and the second straight home game decided in the final seconds after a 38-37 overtime loss to Illinois a week earlier. Northwestern improved to 5-1 and 2-1 in league play.

Coach Pat Fitzgerald was facing Northwestern for the first time since the school fired him four years ago. The Spartans play UCLA next.