Associated Press Photo
MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. (Sports Network) - Andrew Maxwell threw for 278 yards and two touchdowns on 20-of-31 passing as No. 11 Michigan State thumped Central Michigan, 41-7, on Saturday.
Le'Veon Bell carried the ball 17 times for 62 yards and two scores for the Spartans (2-0), who topped Boise State in Week 1.
Bennie Fowler caught eight passes for 100 yards and a touchdown and Dion Sims caught a touchdown pass in the victory.
Ryan Radcliff completed 17-of-38 through the air for 173 yards and two interceptions, while Zurlon Tipton led the Central Michigan (1-1) rushing attack with 53 yards on 13 carries.
Jason Wilson accounted for the lone score with a 55-yard interception return for the Chippewas.
Michigan State struck first on its second drive of the game, beginning the trek with excellent field position at the Central Michigan 32-yard line.
Bell carried the ball five times, including a huge 4th-and-1 conversion during the nine-play drive, and capped it with a 1-yard touchdown push to give the Spartans the lead.
Michigan State extended its margin to 14-0 early in the second quarter, with Bell again a focal point of the offense. He ran it six times on the 10-play, 87-yard march and finished it off with a 7-yard TD plunge for his second score of the game.
Late in the second quarter, Michigan State made it a 21-0 game. Maxwell led the offense down the field, completing 6-of-8 during the 9-play, 68-yard march and capped it with a 20-yard touchdown strike to Sims.
Following an interception by Johnny Adams at the Chippewas' 32-yard line, the Spartans capped a dominant first half with a 29-yard field goal by Dan Conroy to lead 24-0.
The Spartans kept the offense rolling on their first possession of the second half as Maxwell hit DeAnthony Arnett over the middle for 48 yards on 2nd-and-5 before finding Fowler for a 7-yard TD pass, extending the lead to 31-0.
With less than a minute to go in the third quarter, Conroy connected on a 29- yard field goal to widen the margin to 34-0 for Michigan State.
Hill capped a 7-play, 18-yard drive with a 1-yard touchdown push early in the fourth quarter, and Wilson broke up the shutout for Central Michigan when he jumped in front of a Connor Cook pass and hustled 55 yards to the end zone to cap the scoring.