KALAMAZOO, Mich. (AP) — Jaden Nixon rushed for 135 yards, including a 92-yard touchdown, Jalen Buckley added two rushing scores, and Western Michigan gained 358 yards on the ground in a 52-21 victory over winless Kent State on Saturday.
Michigan State’s 38 first-half points were its most since scoring 43 against Georgia State in 2019.
Nixon went untouched up the middle and cut it to the outside as he ran past two defenders down the right sideline for the second-longest rushing touchdown in program history.
Buckley carried 11 times for 80 yards and secured his fifth career multi-touchdown game.
Broc Lowry scored on one of his three carries that totaled 57 yards, and Zahir Abdus-Salaam added six rushes for 83 yards for Western Michigan (5-3, 4-0 Mid-American Conference). Hayden Wolff passed for 208 yards and two touchdowns.
Abdus-Salaam’s 70-yard run up the middle set up Wolff’s 10-yard scoring pass to Blake Bosma for a 45-7 lead.
The Western Michigan defense forced four turnovers and held Kent State to just 250 total yards. Safety Tate Hallock had two interceptions in a game for the second time in his career.
Tommy Ulatowski threw for three touchdowns for Kent State (0-8, 0-4).
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