Michigan State @ CSU Bakersfield

CSU Bakersfield edged Michigan State 21-14 in Bakersfield, Calif., on December 15, 2024, as the Roadrunners' bonus scoring proved decisive in the dual. The final margin came down to a run of major decisions in the upper weights that produced the extra team points Bakersfield needed to separate from the Spartans.

Michigan State's biggest result came at 174 pounds, where Ceasar Garza dominated Chris Neal 19-4 by technical fall, a five-team-point swing that kept the Spartans within reach through the middle of the lineup. Garza’s technical fall stood out for its offensive burst and prevented the match from getting away early for Michigan State.

CSU Bakersfield answered with four-point victories at 184, 197 and 285. Gerrit Nijenhuis shut out Lucas Daly 8-0 for a major decision, AJ Ferrari followed with a 13-4 major over Remy Cotton, and Jake Andrews closed the gap with an 11-2 major of Max Vanadia. Those three majors combined for 12 team points and comprised the turning stretch that ultimately decided the dual.

The 21-14 final reflected how bonus points swung this matchup: Michigan State picked up a big technical fall, but Bakersfield’s trio of majors in the mid-to-heavy classes supplied the extra margin. The Roadrunners leave Bakersfield with a signature home result, while Michigan State showed fight through Garza’s performance but came up short on bonus production.