For nearly three quarters on Saturday, it looked like Michigan State’s 2012 season was falling apart at Memorial Stadium.
The Spartans had given up 268 yards of total offense and managed only 178 against the worst defense in the Big Ten.
But sparked by a defense that finally solved the hurry-up offense of the Hoosiers, the offense followed suit, outscoring the Hoosiers by 17 points in the second half and rallying for a 31-27 victory.
Michigan State (4-2, 1-1 Big Ten) got a 1-yard touchdown run from Le’Veon Bell and a 36-yard strike from Andrew Maxwell to Bennie Fowler with 3:53 to play in the fourth quarter to complete the comeback.
True freshman Aaron Burbridge had a huge game for the Spartans, grabbing eight catches for 134 yards in his first start. He is the first Michigan State freshman to go over 100 yards since Terry Love gained 103 against Iowa in 2004.
Bell finished with 121 yards on 37 carries and scored two touchdowns. Larry Caper also scored on a 15-yard touchdown pass from Maxwell and Dan Conroy kicked a 46-yard field goal. Maxwell finished 24-for-40 for 290 yards and no interceptions.
Indiana (2-3, 0-2) scored the first 17 points of the game behind a potent, no-huddle offense.
Quarterback Cameron Coffman finished with 282 yards passing and three touchdowns, though most of that came in the first half. Shane Wynn caught 12 passes for 70 yards and caught a 17-yard touchdown pass.
The Hoosiers also got touchdowns from Stephen Houston on a 19-yard pass and Ted Bolser on a 21-yard pass.
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