No. 9 Michigan State 45, Rutgers 3: Jeremy Langford ran for 126 yards and two touchdowns, and Connor Cook threw for 254 and two scores as the host Spartans cruised past the Scarlet Knights.

Tony Lippett caught five passes for 72 yards and a touchdown and Cook calmly led five first-half scoring drives as Michigan State (9-2, 6-1 Big Ten) demoralized Rutgers en route to its eighth win in the last nine games. The opportunistic Spartans were 2-of-2 on fourth down and finished with 26 first downs as Nick Hill wore down the clock in the second half, posting 59 yards and two scores on 12 carries.

A week after a resounding sendoff in his home finale, a 45-23 win over Indiana, Rutgers quarterback Gary Nova once again struggled on the road. He was intercepted twice and completed just 11-of-26 passes for 108 yards before giving way to backup Chris Laviano as the Scarlet Knights (6-5, 2-5) fell to 0-3 in league play away from Piscataway, N.J.

On a cold, overcast day where the kicking game seemed iffy, Spartans coach Mark Dantonio elected to go for it on 4th-and-5 from the Rutgers 30-yard line in the first quarter. Cook connected with Lippett, who took it into the end zone with 9:27 left in the quarter, capping a nine-play, 66-yard drive that set the tone for the rest of the day.

Cook closed the half with another touchdown pass, from seven yards away to R.J. Shelton with 28 seconds left in the second quarter, giving the hosts a 35-0 lead at the break. Langford, who topped 100 yards for the eighth straight time, had 16 attempts, and Hill 12, as Michigan State finished with 242 rushing yards and closed its home schedule at 6-1.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Cook connected with six different receivers, including Macgarrett Kings Jr., who had the long reception of the day, 44 yards in the second quarter. ... Kurtis Drummond and Riley Bullough intercepted Nova in the first half. ... Laviano was 3-of-5 for 31 yards and an interception.