Justin Jackson rushed for a career-high 188 yards and two touchdowns and Clayton Thorson threw three touchdown passes as Northwestern topped struggling Michigan State 54-40 on Saturday at Spartan Stadium at East Lansing, Mich.

Thorson completed 27 of 35 passes for 281 yards for the Wildcats (3-3, 2-1 Big Ten). Austin Carr caught 11 passes for 130 yards and two touchdowns while sophomore Flynn Nagel caught five passes for 81 yards, including his first career touchdown reception.

Tyler O'Connor came off the bench to throw for 281 yards and three touchdowns for Michigan State (2-4, 0-3), which has lost four straight for the first time since 2006. Redshirt freshman Brian Lewerke completed 12 of 19 passes for 99 yards and a touchdown in his first start before Connor replaced him in the third quarter.

Spartans receiver R.J. Shelton caught seven passes for 190 yards and two touchdowns.

Thorson found Nagel open along the left sideline for a 57-yard catch-and-run, giving Northwestern a 26-17 lead early in the third. Thorson's 9-yard scoring run midway through the quarter pushed the lead to 16.

Shelton's 59-yard touchdown reception moments after O'Connor entered the game cut Northwestern's advantage to 33-24. When O'Connor heaved an 86-yard touchdown pass to Shelton with 2:08 left in the quarter, Michigan State was down just two points.

Solomon Vault returned the ensuing kickoff 95 yards for a score to give Northwestern some breathing room.

Jackson's 26-yard run with 8:25 left made it 47-31. O'Connor answered with a 9-yard scoring strike to Donnie Corley.

Thorson's 29-yard touchdown pass to Carr clinched the Wildcats' victory.

The Wildcats erased an early 14-point deficit and led 19-17 at halftime.

Michigan State scored two first-quarter touchdowns on Lewerke's 15-yard pass to tight end Josiah Price and Justin Layne's 43-yard interception return.

Jackson scored on a 29-yard run to make it 14-7. Matt Geiger's 41-yard field goal extended the Spartans' lead to 10.

Thorson hit Carr with a 9-yard scoring pass and Joe Gaziano sacked Lewerke in the end zone, pulling Northwestern within one. Jack Mitchell's 33-yard field goal completed the Wildcats' first-half comeback.