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East Lansing, Mich. -- Youngstown State battled for its most competitive game against a BCS opponent in the last seven seasons, but No. 17 Michigan State was too much in a 28-6 victory over the Penguins in front of 75,910 fans at Spartan Stadium on Friday night.

The Penguins trailed just 7-6 midway through the second quarter against a Spartans team that pundits have predicted to win the Big Ten Conference title for the second straight season. Michigan State added a touchdown in the second and another late in the third, but the Spartans didn't put the game reasonably out of reach until midway through the fourth.

Fifth-year senior quarterback Kirk Cousins was 18-for-22 for 222 yards and a touchdown, and fellow fifth-year man B.J. Cunningham caught nine passes for a career-high 130 yards and a score. Cunningham moved into a tie for the most career catches ever by a Spartan with his nine grabs tonight.

YSU tailback Jamaine Cook rushed for 76 yards on 17 carries and caught one pass for 16 yards. Quarterback Kurt Hess completed 17 passes for 126 yards and one touchdown, and freshman Christian Bryan caught six of those passes for 45 yards. Junior newcomer Jeremy Edwards had 11 tackles to headline the defense.

The Penguins possessed the ball than the Spartans (31:09 to 28:51) and had just two fewer first downs (22-20). But the visitors committed too many mistakes to come away with a win against a quality opponent. YSU had a missed field goal and a missed extra point in the first half, and the Spartans' final touchdown came after a touchdown deep inside YSU territory.

Youngstown State controlled the scoreless first quarter, which showed the 75,000-plus that this was not going to be easy. The Penguins outgained the Spartans 87 to 28, including 44 to minus-7 on the ground, and held the ball for 11:13.

Michigan State, though, was the first to get on the board just under three minutes into the second quarter. The Spartans went 80 yards in nine plays and scored with 12:04 remaining when Larry Caper bounced a run to the outside on third-and-four from the six yardline. Cousins was 3-for-3 for 38 yards on the drive.

A short kickoff return and an illegal block pinned the Penguins at their own 8 on their ensuing possession, and the Spartan defense forced a three-and-out. YSU caught some good fortune, however, as Keshawn Martin fumbled the punt. Dom Rich fell on the loose ball, and the Penguins took over at their own 38.

The Penguins took advantage and put together a methodical, nine-play drive that resulted in a 10-yard touchdown pass from Hess to Jelani Berassa. The Penguins got 15 yards on a pass-interference penalty in the end zone, and they got a huge break when a Michigan State offsides penalty negated an incompletion on third-and-10 on the MSU 15. On the next play, Hess beat a blitz and connected with Berassa on a short slant for a score with 7:38 remaining. David Brown's extra-point attempt was blocked after a low snap, and YSU trailed 7-6.

Michigan State answered quickly and needed just four plays to go 74 yards for a touchdown. Cousins connected with Cunningham on a 55-yard pass, and Le'Veon Bell covered the next 19 yards on three straight carries. His touchdown rush came from three yards out with 5:47 on the clock.

After a 30-yard return by Andre Stubbs to the 37, YSU went 41 yards in nine plays before a missed field goal ended the drive. Hess connected with Bryan for 18 yards on third-and-eight, and Cook rushed for 20 yards down to the MSU 23. Hess missed Stubbs on a pass out of the pocket on third-and-9 from the 22, and Brown's 39-yard attempt was wide right.

Both teams punted on their first possessions of the second half, but Michigan State pushed its lead to 21-6 on its second drive. Cousins connected with Caper on a 14-yard pass in the flat on third-and-six early in the drive, and the quarterback threaded the needle between two defenders on an 18-yard touchdown pass to Cunningham on the 11th play of the possession.

Following an interception, Bell scored Michigan State's final touchdown with a three-yard run with 7:09 remaining.

Bell finished with 44 yards on nine carries and two scores while Edwin Baker rushed for a game-high 91 yards on 15 carries.

Youngstown State will host Valparaiso at Stambaugh Stadium on Sept. 10 at 4 p.m.