Three turnovers and a non-existent defense does not a victory make.

Michigan State racked up more than 530 yards of total offense and picked off sophomore quarterback Denard Robinson three times on its way to a dominant 34-17 win in front of a packed Michigan Stadium.

It was the most hyped matchup between the in-state rivals in recent memory, with both teams unbeaten and ranked in the top 20. Masses of Michigan State fans made the hour-long drive to Ann Arbor to make their presence felt with chants of "Go Green, Go White," which echoed throughout Friday night and into Saturday.

But for all the hype, the game was largely one-sided. Michigan's first drive of the game lasted nine plays with Wolverine running backs picking up big yardage on the ground, only to end with Robinson throwing an interception in the end zone.

It was a sign of things to come. Michigan routinely put together good drives only to give the ball up in the red zone.

The Wolverines scored first on their second drive on a rare field goal by redshirt freshman Seth Broekhuizen. It was Michigan's first field goal attempt since its win over Massachusetts, when Broekhuizen missed his only kick.

Michigan ended the first quarter with a 12-yard sack by redshirt junior defensive end Ryan Van Bergen and a 3-0 lead.

It didn't last long.

After the two teams exchanged three-and-outs to start the second quarter, Michigan State turned it on offensively with a 61-yard touchdown run by sophomore running back Edwin Baker. Baker had a great game, with 149 yards and a touchdown.

The Wolverines answered with a long drive culminating in a touchdown pass from Robinson to senior tight end Martell Webb. The catch was Webb's first of the season, and it gave Michigan a 10-7 lead.

But Michigan State wasn't done. The Spartans broke another big play for a score, this time a 41-yard run by freshman running back Le'Veon Bell. After forcing a Michigan punt, Michigan State sophomore kicker Dan Conroy kicked a 38-yard field goal before the half. And just like that, Michigan State had a 17-10 lead going into halftime.

The Michigan defense's inability to stop the big play was evident throughout the game. The unit allowed three plays of more than 40 yards with two going for scores.

"Until I watch the film, I can't really tell you where the breakdown was on the two long runs," Michigan coach Rich Rodriguez said after the game. "We didn't tackle well and sometimes it looked like we were going after the ball, maybe pressing a little bit and trying to strip the ball."

In the second half, the Spartans could do anything they wanted on offense. Michigan's defense continued to struggle the way it has all year, only getting stops when it brought the blitz and put pressure on junior quarterback Kirk Cousins.

Michigan State scored on its first drive of the second half. Michigan followed that by turning it over once again, when Robinson looked for redshirt junior wideout Junior Hemingway coming across the middle but threw another interception in the red zone .

Robinson had by far his worst outing of the season. The first-year starter threw three interceptions and just one touchdown.

"I kind of hesitated a lot," Robinson said. "Made some bad reads ... I got too excited."

Rodriguez urged media after the game to remember that Robinson was starting only his sixth game of his career Saturday afternoon.

"He wasn't as sharp as he usually is," Rodriguez said. "You've got to remember he's still a young player and this is his sixth game. As soon as we watch some film with him and find out what he was thinking on some of those plays, we'll have a better answer."

After the interception, the Spartans scored on the ensuing drive on an eight-yard run by sophomore running back Larry Caper, putting Michigan State up 31-10.

At the end of the third quarter, Robinson led an impressive drive that included a 17-yard fourth-down pass to redshirt junior wide receiver Kelvin Grady and resulted in a four-yard touchdown run by Robinson.

The Wolverines appeared to have one last chance in the fourth quarter, but a deep throw by Robinson was intercepted. Michigan State got the ball and kicked a field goal to seal the game.

The loss is Michigan's first of the season, but it is a heartbreaking one for Michigan fans. Michigan State was viewed by many as the Wolverines' first true test of the season. But it wasn't just the fans who were heartbroken.