Michigan State University Athletics
Football Meets Michigan In Battle Of Unbeatens
10/4/1999 12:00:00 AM | Football
Oct. 4, 1999
No. 11/11 MICHIGAN STATE (5-0, 2-0) vs.
No. 3/3 MICHIGAN (5-0, 2-0)
GAME 6: QUICK FACTS
DATE: Oct. 9, 1999
SITE: Spartan Stadium (72,027), East Lansing, Mich.
KICKOFF: 12 p.m. EDT
ESTIMATED ATTENDANCE: 72,027 (sellout)
LAST SATURDAY: Michigan State defeated Iowa, 49-3, Michigan defeated Purdue, 38-12
BROADCAST COVERAGE: Radio ? The Spartan Radio Network, featuring veteran play-by-play announcer George Blaha, color analyst Larry Bielat, sideline reporter Harlon Barnett and broadcast host Scott Anderson, will broadcast the game to 31 affiliates throughout the state. Michigan State football broadcasts can be heard locally on flagship station WJIM (AM 1240, FM 97.5). Television ? ABC will broadcast the MSU-Michigan game live on a regional basis in the upper Midwest and parts of the Northeast. Tim Brandt will call the play-by-play with Mike Golic serving as color commentator. WLAJ-TV 53 (Lansing) is the ABC affiliate in East Lansing.
THE COACHES ?
Michigan State?s Nick Saban (Kent State ?73) is 30-22-1 (.575) in his fifth season with the Spartans and 39-24-1 (.617) in his sixth season as a college head coach. Saban came to Michigan State following four seasons as the Cleveland Browns? defensive coordinator from 1991-94. He previously served as head coach at the University of Toledo where he guided the Rockets to a 9-2 record overall in 1990, including a share of the Mid-American Conference title at 7-1.
Michigan head coach Lloyd Carr (Northern Michigan ?70) is 44-11 (.800) in four years as a college head coach, all with the Wolverines. Carr spent 16 years as a Michigan assistant coach prior to rising to the head coaching position, including five years (1990-94) as assistant head coach/defensive coordinator. He coached at Illinois and Eastern Michigan before joining the Michigan staff in 1980.
THE SERIES -
SERIES RECORD: Michigan leads, 60-26-5IN EAST LANSING: Michigan leads, 17-8-2LAST 10 MEETINGS: Michigan leads, 7-3-0LAST MEETING: Michigan 29, MSU 17 (Sept. 26, 1998 in Ann Arbor)LAST MSU WIN: MSU 28, Michigan 25 (Nov. 4, 1995 in East Lansing)FIRST MEETING: Michigan 39, MSU 0 (Oct. 12, 1898 in East Lansing)NICK SABAN vs. MICHIGAN: 1-3LLOYD CARR vs. MICHIGAN STATE: 3-1CURRENT SERIES STREAK: 3 by Michigan (1996-98)LONGEST MSU STREAK: 4 (1934-37, 1950-53, 1959-62)LONGEST MICHIGAN STREAK: 14 (1916-29)
TEAM COMPARISONS ?
Michigan State MichiganBasic Offense Pro Set MultipleBasic Defense 4-3 SituationalOffensive Starters Returning 8 7Defensive Starters Returning 7 8Specialists Returning 2 1
AVERAGE HEIGHTS & WEIGHTS (STARTERS) ?
Michigan State MichiganOffensive Line & Tight End 6-5, 286 6-5, 284Offensive Backs & Wide Receivers 6-2, 213 6-3, 215Defensive Line 6-3, 281 6-3, 285Linebackers 6-3, 234 6-2, 243Defensive Backs 5-11, 193 6-0, 194
CLASS BREAKDOWN (STARTERS) ?
Michigan State Offense: 5 seniors, 4 juniors, 1 sophomore, 1 freshmanMichigan State Defense: 5 seniors, 3 juniors, 3 sophomores, 0 freshmenMichigan Offense: 4 seniors, 4 juniors, 3 sophomores, 0 freshmenMichigan Defense: 7 seniors, 3 juniors, 1 sophomore, 0 freshmen
STAT LEADERS ?
Michigan State (1999 statistics):
Rushing ? Lloyd Clemons (73 carries for 454 yards, 6.2 avg., 0 TD)Passing ? Bill Burke (71 of 125 for 909 yards, 11 TDs, 5 INT)Receiving ? Plaxico Burress (20 catches for 324 yards, 14.7 avg., 3 TDs)Tackles ? Aric Morris (54 tackles, 29 solos, 25 assists, 8 for losses, 3 sacks, 5 PBUs)
Michigan (1999 statistics):
Rushing ? Anthony Thomas (124 carries for 484 yards, 3.9 avg., 6 TDs)Passing ? Tom Brady (64 of 101 for 805 yards, 4 TDs, 1 INT)Receiving ? David Terrell (28 catches for 419 yards, 15.0 avg., 2 TDs)Tackles ? Dhani Jones (36 tackles, 23 solos, 13 assists, 5 for losses, 2 sacks)
STAT COMPARISON (1999 statistics) ?
Michigan State MichiganScoring 35.4 28.0First Downs 21.2 20.2Total Offense 423.0 371.0Rushing Yards 185.4 128.4 Passing Yards 237.6 242.6Time of Possession 32:11 30:05Third Down Conversions .400 .422Points Allowed 10.6 13.2Total Offense Allowed 265.2 296.0Rushing Yards Allowed 42.8 96.0Passing Yards Allowed 222.4 200.0
THE LAST MEETING ? Sept. 26, 1996 in Ann Arbor: Tom Brady threw for 208 yards and one touchdown and ran for another score to lead Michigan to a 29-17 win over Michigan State before a then-NCAA-record crowd of 111,238 in Ann Arbor. Aric Morris intercepted Brady on the game?s third play from scrimmage, leading to a 43-yard field goal by Paul Edinger. The Wolverines tied the game on Jay Feely?s 51-yard field goal with 10:01 left in the first quarter. Michigan State answered with a nine-play, 74-yard drive to take a 10-3 lead on Bill Burke?s 12-yard TD strike to Plaxico Burress. Two plays after the Spartans missed a 39-yard field-goal attempt, Michigan drew even at 10 on a 69-yard TD gallop by Anthony Thomas. The Wolverines built a 20-10 lead on a 5-yard TD toss from Brady to Tai Streets and a 45-yard field goal by Feely. The Spartans capitalized on a Michigan mishandled a punt near midfield that Morris eventually recovered at the Michigan 34. Seven plays later, Burke scored from the 1 on a fourth-down sneak as Michigan State rallied to within 20-17 at halftime. The Wolverines shut out the Spartans in the second half, recording five sacks and allowing only 88 total yards. Feely?s third field goal, a 38-yarder, extended Michigan?s lead to 23-17 with 9:11 remaining in the third quarter. Brady capped a six-play, 80-yard drive with a 1-yard sneak with 10:55 remaining in the game, extending the lead to 29-17. The Spartans drove inside the Michigan 30 twice in the final eight minutes but failed to put any points on the scoreboard, with an interception by DeWayne Patmon at the 1-yard line ending one threat and a fourth-down stop at the 13 icing the game.
THE LAST TIME OUT: MICHIGAN STATE 49, IOWA 3 ? Michigan State scored on its first possession for the first time in 1999 and dominated from the outset, defeating Iowa, 49-3, in Spartan Stadium. Each of Michigan State?s first five possessions resulted in touchdowns, including three on passes to Plaxico Burress, as he tied the school record for TD catches in a game. QB Bill Burke tied the school record for TD passes in a game with four before he left the game in the second quarter with a 28-0 lead. QB Ryan Van Dyke built on the lead with two TD passes of his own, as the Spartans set a school record with six TD throws total. An 86-yard kickoff return to start the second half marked the only time Iowa penetrated the MSU 40-yard line, and it set up a 30-yard Tim Douglas field goal to spoil the shutout bid. The Spartan defense was brilliant the rest of the way, allowing only 107 total yards (100 passing, 7 rushing) and giving up only one first down in the first half (on Iowa?s first play from scrimmage). Cedric Henry finished the scoring with a 70-yard punt return for a TD on his first career punt return.
SPARTANS OF THE WEEK ?
Offense: Plaxico Burress (six catches for 95 yards and an MSU record-tying three TDs)
Defense: Mike Austin (team-leading six tackles, including five solos, three for losses and one sack)
Special Teams: Duron Bryan and Shawn Wright (one tackle each on special teams)
INJURY REPORT ? OUT: OL Brian Ottney (underwent surgery on right shoulder Sept. 3, out for the season), C Josh Smith (underwent surgery Sept. 21 to repair torn tendon on the ring finger of his left hand, out four-to-six weeks), DT Joe Tate (reinjured shoulder/neck in Sept. 21 practice, out indefinitely). PROBABLE: S Drew Young (bruised right shoulder vs. Notre Dame, DNP vs. Illinois and Iowa).
QUOTING NICK SABAN ?
On the Michigan game: ?These are two great football programs at two great institutions in the state of Michigan, and it?s a terrific situation where we are both going into this game undefeated. In addition to being a traditional rivalry, the game has added significance this year because we are both in the Big Ten race.
?Tom Brady has really played well for them and obviously played very well last week against Purdue. David Terrell and Marcus Knight are exceptionally good receivers who can make big plays. Anthony Thomas is an outstanding runner with a lot of experience. He?s a big powerful guy with some speed who gave us some problems last year. Probably the strength of their team is their defense. They have an exceptionally good front seven, and their secondary made a lot of plays against Purdue.
?Turnovers will play a big role in this game. Turnovers always have a big effect on the outcome of a football game, especially with two teams which are fairly evenly matched. Big plays will have an impact on the outcome of the game as well. We are going to have to be able to run the ball and mix our offense, because their defense is so good. Defensively, it will be important that we stop the run and prevent big plays.?
BATTLE FOR THE PAUL BUNYAN TROPHY ? Since 1953, the winner of the Michigan State-Michigan game has been presented the Paul Bunyan Trophy. The four-foot wooden statue was donated by then-Governor G. Mennen Williams to mark Michigan State?s acceptance into the Big Ten. Since ?53, Michigan leads the series 27-17-2. The trophy depicts Paul Bunyan astride an axe with feet planted on a map of the state with flags representing the schools.
SPARTAN-WOLVERINE SERIES NOTES ?
? The home team has won six of the last seven meetings between Michigan and Michigan State. Michigan State has won two of the last three at Spartan Stadium.
? Michigan has won three in a row entering this game, the Wolverines have not won four in a row vs. Michigan State since taking five straight from 1979-83.
? The Michigan State-Michigan series celebrated its 100th anniversary last year. The two teams have met each of the last 55 years (since 1945) after being interrupted by World War II. This marks the 92nd meeting between the two schools.
? This game marks the 52nd consecutive sellout in series history, dating back to 1948.
? Michigan State ranks second among opponents in all-time victories over Michigan. Only Ohio State (34) has posted more wins over the Wolverines than the Spartans (26).
SPARTAN-WOLVERINE CONNECTIONS ?
? Michigan State linebackers coach Bill Sheridan spent two years (1985-86) as a graduate assistant at Michigan. Wide receivers coach Reggie Mitchell was a graduate assistant coach at Michigan in 1985.
? Michigan State?s assistant athletics director and director of football operations Mike Vollmar worked for three years (1988-90) as assistant recruiting coordinator.
? Michigan special teams coach Bobby Morrison worked with MSU head coach Nick Saban on the Naval Academy coaching staff in 1982.
? Michigan defensive line coach Brady Hoke and Spartan wide receiver coach Reggie Mitchell were on the Western Michigan staff together in 1986. Hoke and MSU strength and conditioning coach Ken Mannie worked together at Toledo from 1987-89.
? Michigan wide receivers coach Erik Campbell was on the Syracuse coaching staff in 1994 which also included Michigan State tight ends/special teams coach Bob Casullo and assistant A.D./director of football operations Mike Vollmar.
AGAINST THE RUN ? Michigan State leads the NCAA in rushing defense, allowing just 42.8 yards per game on the ground. The best figure all-time at MSU in a full season is 45.6 yards per game in 1965.
Michigan State has not allowed a rushing touchdown through the first five gamesof the season. It marks the first time MSU has gone five games without giving up a rushing touchdown since joining the Big Ten in 1953.
A year ago the Spartans finished 10th in the Big Ten in rushing defense (171.8 yards allowed per game) and had allowed nine rushing TDs through five games.
QUICK START ? Michigan State has started the season 5-0 for just the 10th time in school history and the second time since 1966. MSU went 5-0 to open the 1997 season and won the first nine games of 1966 before tying Notre Dame in the season finale.
BATTLE OF UNBEATENS ? This marks the first time since 1961 that Michigan State and Michigan have met when both teams were unbeaten. That year, both teams entered the game at Michigan Stadium with 2-0 records and Michigan State won, 28-0.
This year marks the latest in the season that the two teams have ever met while both were undeafeted. It is the first time Michigan State has entered its game with Michigan unbeaten since 1968 (3-0).
CHANGE OF FORTUNE ? Ironically, just a year ago marked the first time in 31 years that Michigan State and Michigan faced each other when both had losing records.
UPSET SPECIALS ? Michigan State is 4-3 in its last seven games against teams ranked in the Associate Press Top 25, including this year?s win over 24th-ranked Notre Dame. All four of those wins have come while MSU was unranked and included the upset of No. 1 Ohio State last year in Columbus. The Spartans are 10-35 (.222) against Top 25 teams since 1988.
RANKED TEAMS FACE OFF ? This marks just the 12th time that Michigan State and Michigan have met when both were ranked by the Associated Press. The series is even (5-5-1) in the 11 previous games, although Michigan has won each of the last five meetings when both teams have been ranked. The higher ranked team has won nine of the 11 games (9-1-1), with the only upset coming in 1950. The previous meetings when both teams were ranked by the AP:
Year Winning Team Losing Team 1997 #5 Michigan 23 #15 Michigan State 7 1989 #5 Michigan 10 #21 Michigan State 7 1979 #11 Michigan 21 #16 Michigan State 7 1975 #8 Michigan 16 #15 Michigan State 6 1964 #7 Michigan 17 #9 Michigan State 10 1961 #5 Michigan State 28 #6 Michigan 0 1958 tie: #4 Michigan State 12, #16 Michigan 12 1957 #2 Michigan State 35 #6 Michigan 6 1956 #2 Michigan State 9 #5 Michigan 0 1951 #1 Michigan State 25 #17 Michigan 0 1950 #19 Michigan State 14 #3 Michigan 7
#1 vs. #3 ... IN ONE WAY - This week's Anderson & Hester/Seattle Times computer rankings list Michigan at No. 1 and Michigan State at No. 3. Only Nebraska at No. 2 keeps this game from being a matchup between No. 1 and No. 2.
The Anderson & Hester computer rankings are unique in that they compute strength of schedule with regard to each team's conference strength and they do not factor in margin of victory. Anderson & Hester's top five this week:
1. Michigan 2. Nebraska 3. MICHIGAN STATE 4. Florida State 5. Virginia Tech
POLL GAZING ? Michigan State has gone from unranked to 11th in the nation in both major polls in just three weeks. It is MSU?s highest AP ranking since holding the 11th spot Oct. 5, 1997, and its highest ranking in the coaches poll since holding the 11th position Oct. 12, 1997.
SPARTAN AIR RAID ? Michigan State set or tied three school records in its 49-3 victory over Iowa. MSU quarterbacks threw six TD passes (breaking the previous team record of five, set vs. Northwestern in 1981). QB Bill Burke threw four TD passes himself, tying the individual record he and three other Michigan State quarterbacks had set previously. WR Plaxico Burress caught three TD passes, tying the school single-game record for TD receptions previously shared by Andre Rison (vs. Georgia, 1989), Mark Ingram (vs. Iowa, 1986) and Gene Washington (vs. Indiana, 1965).
SPARTAN AIR RAID II ? Michigan State has scored more touchdowns passing than running each of the last three years. That trend is a complete reversal from the previous eight seasons. MSU?s rushing and passing TD ratio for the last 11 seasons:
1999 1998 1997 1996 1995 1994 1993 1992 1991 1990 1989Rush TDs/Pass TDs 4/14 14/21 18/21 27/15 21/11 20/11 25/9 24/4 10/7 35/4 37/9
KEEP THOSE CHAINS WHERE THEY ARE ? Iowa had just one first down in the first two and a half quarters of last Saturday?s game, and it came on the Hawkeyes? first play from scrimmage. Their next first down came with 7:13 left in the third quarter, when they crossed midfield for the first time.
BURRESS IS BACK ? Preseason first-team All-Big Ten WR Plaxico Burress had six catches for 95 yards ? both season highs ? and an MSU-record-tying three TD receptions in the Spartans? win over Iowa. Those marked his first TD catches of the season after tying the school?s season record with eight TD receptions last year.
Burress, who is ranked fifth among Biletnikoff award candidates this week by ESPN.com, leads MSU with 22 catches for 324 yards. He has had at least three receptions in each game this year. Seventeen of his 22 catches have been good for first downs.
BURKE APPROACHES TD RECORD ? Senior QB Bill Burke has at least one TD pass in each game this season, and one in each of the last nine games dating back to last year. Burke has 11 TD passes on the year, including a share of the school single-game record with four against Iowa last Saturday. He has 37 TD passes for his career and needs just seven more this season to set the school career record, currently shared by Dave Yarema (1982-86) and Ed Smith (1976-78) with 43 career TDs each.
Burke, who had a season-high 291 yards passing vs. Notre Dame, has thrown for at least 200 yards in six of his last nine games. MSU is 7-2 all-time when Burke throws for 200 yards.
TOSSING TO THE TIGHT ENDS ? Sophomore TE Chris Baker leads Michigan State in receptions with 17 for 192 yards and two touchdowns. Baker?s 4.00 catches per game stands 10th in the Big Ten, while he has 42.6 yards receiving per game. Prior to this season, Michigan State?s most prolific pass-catching tight end of the 1980s or ?90s was Al Kimichik (3.55 catches per game, 34.8 yards per game in 1981).
Baker stands third in the nation among tight ends in both receptions and receiving yards and has a TD catch in three of the last four games.
Junior TE Ivory McCoy has also proven his worth as a pass-catcher, with eight receptions for 121 yards and two TDs on the year.
TOSSING TO THE TIGHT ENDS II ? Five of QB Bill Burke?s 11 TD passes have gone to tight ends (three to Chris Baker and two to Ivory McCoy). He threw three TD passes to tight ends all of last season (MSU tight ends combined for five TDs in 1998, including two from QB Ryan Van Dyke).
PETERSON FOLLOWS IN SNOW?S FOOTSTEPS ? Senior LB Julian Peterson has been named one of 65 linebackers on the 1999 Butkus Award Watch List. The Butkus Award, given annually to the nation?s top linebacker, will trim that list to 10 semifinalists Oct. 21. Michigan State?s Percy Snow won the first Butkus Award in 1989.
Peterson stands second on the team in tackles with 38. He matched his career high with 11 tackles (five solos, six assists) against Oregon, including six tackles for loss (seven yards). Through five games he already has 14 tackles for losses, just four shy of the single-season school record for tackles for losses (18), which he shares with Larry Bethea. Peterson has forced three fumbles in the first four games, while he climbs the MSU career charts in tackles for losses (fourth with 32) and sacks (fifth with 16).
HURRICANE LLOYD CONTINUES TO INFLICT DAMAGE ? Senior TB Lloyd Clemons has enjoyed three 100-yard rushing games in the first five games of the season, and has built upon his single-game career-high in each of those games. The only games in which Clemons did not reach the 100-yard mark were MSU?s routs of Eastern Michigan and Iowa, in which Clemons played less than half of each game.
Clemons, who leads MSU and stands sixth in the Big Ten with 90.8 rushing yards per game, carried 20 times for 141 yards against Illinois, a 7.1 yards-per-carry average. In 73 carries this year, he has been stopped for a loss just twice (-1 yards on both).
HERE?S THE KICKER: PAUL?S PERFECT ? Senior PK Paul Edinger has been perfect thus far in 1999, converting on 10-of-10 field goals and 20-of-20 PATs, including a career-long 54-yard field goal at Illinois. Edinger made three field goals and a PAT (10 points) in the fourth quarter alone at Notre Dame.
Edinger, ranked second among candidates for the Lou Groza Award by ESPN.com this week, has made 13-of-15 field-goal attempts from 40-plus yards in his career, including four-of-four this year. Nine of Edinger?s 10 field goals in 1999 have come in the second half.
Edinger leads all Big Ten kickers and stands tied for 14th in the nation among all players in scoring with 10.0 points per game.
ARIC?S AWARD ? Senior SS Aric Morris has earned Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week honors twice this season through five weeks. He shared the award after the Notre Dame game after earning it to himself after the Oregon game. He made 11 tackles against the Irish (six solo, five assists), after setting a career-high with 19 tackles vs. Oregon.
Morris, who has 10 career double-figure tackle games, leads the Spartans in tackles with 54 (29 solos, 25 assisted), 16 more tackles than any other Spartan.
GREAT SCOTT THE RETURN MAN ? Senior WR Gari Scott broke the Michigan State record for career punt return yards in the opener against Oregon on his career-long 49-yard return in the third quarter. He established a new career long with a 51-yard return against Eastern Michigan and now has 851 career punt return yards, 231 more yards than Derrick Mason, who stands No. 2 on the MSU career list.
Scott leads MSU with five touchdown catches and has at least one TD catch in four of the five games.
RECEIVING VOTES ? Junior WR Plaxico Burress and senior WR Gari Scott combine to form one of the nation?s best receiving duos. They have combined for 36 catches for 606 yards in five games. They have accounted for 41 percent of Michigan State?s receptions and 51 percent of its receiving yards.
Burress and Scott are both among the 35 players listed on the 1999 Biletnikoff Award watch list, making Michigan State one of only three teams in the nation and the only team in the Big Ten with multiple honorees. Florida State (Ron Dugans and Peter Warrick) and Louisville (Ibn Green and Arnold Jackson) also have two candidates for the Biletnikoff, which is awarded annually to the top wide receiver in college football. Other Big Ten receivers included are Chafie Fields (Penn State), Luke Leverson (Minnesota) and Dee Miller (Ohio State).
MMM, MMM, GOOD ? Senior CB Amp Campbell, nicknamed ?Soup? by his teammates, completed a storybook return to the field against Oregon, returning a fumble 85 yards for the game-winning TD. Against Notre Dame, he made an interception in the end zone and broke up three passes. Campbell holds the MSU career record for passes broken up (40) and leads the 1999 team with 10.
Campbell suffered what was thought to be a career-ending injury last year against Oregon. He fractured his sixth and seventh vertebrae as he attempted to make a tackle on Oregon?s second touchdown. The injury required spinal-fusion surgery that night and five days later he said in an emotional press conference, ?I had a good career at Michigan State.?
His rehabilitation picked up speed around the midpoint of last season, however. This summer he was cleared to play and the NCAA granted a sixth-year waiver request. To fulfill Big Ten regulations he still needed to complete his undergraduate degree requirements, which he did this summer and earned a telecommunication degree.
MAGIC NUMBER 24 ? Since 1990, Michigan State is 49-10-1 (.825) when it scores at least 24 points and 8-41-1 (.170) when it scores fewer than 24 points. During that nine-year period, the Spartans have compiled an overall record of 56-51-2 (.523).
SPARTANS PREFER ARTIFICIAL TURF ? Michigan State?s 23-13 victory at Notre Dame Sept. 18, 1999, marked the Spartans? third win on natural grass since 1993 (the others coming at Notre Dame Stadium in 1996 and Ohio Stadium in 1998). The Spartans are just 3-12-1 in their last 16 games played on natural grass. By contrast, Michigan State is 31-19 (.620) in its last 50 games on artificial turf.
FULL HOUSE ? All six Michigan State home games for 1999 have already been sold out. Michigan State fans purchased a record 60,857 season tickets for 1999, breaking the previous record of 60,145 set in 1997.
BIG TEN STAT LEADERS ?
Category Stat Avg. Big Ten NCAA Total Offense 423.0 4th 26thRushing Offense 185.4 5th 25thPassing Offense 237.6 5th 37thScoring Offense 35.4 3rd t-17thTotal Defense 265.2 2nd 11thRushing Defense 42.8 1st 1stPassing Defense 222.4 7th ?Pass Efficiency Defense 105.4 3rd 29thScoring Defense 10.6 2nd 6thTurnover Margin +0 8th t-52ndNet Punting 38.4 3rd 27thPunt Returns 14.7 4th 11thKickoff Returns 18.8 8th t-77th
Category ? Individual Stat Avg. Big Ten NCAARushing Yards ? Clemons 90.8 6th 40thPassing Efficiency ? Burke 138.9 5th 25thPassing Yards ? Burke 181.8 4th ?Total Offense ? Burke 177.0 6th ?Receptions ? Burress 4.40 t-7th ?Receptions ? Baker 4.00 10th ?Receiving Yards ? Burress 64.8 9th ?All-Purpose Yards ? Scott 126.8 5th 39thScoring (Overall) ? Edinger 10.0 4th t-14thPunting ? Jarrett 43.7 2nd 13thPunt Returns ? Scott 14.8 5th 14thField Goal Pct. ? Edinger 100.0 t-1st ?Field Goals Per Game ? Edinger 2.00 2nd t-6thTackles ? Morris 10.6 2nd ?Tackles for loss ? Peterson 14 (total) 1st ?Sacks ? Peterson 5.5 (tot.) 6th ?
SPARTANS OF THE WEEK ?
Opponent Offense Defense Special TeamsOregon Lloyd Clemons Julian Peterson Gari ScottEastern Michigan Shaun Mason Josh Shaw Paul EdingerNotre Dame Bill Burke Renaldo Hill Shawn WrightIllinois Chris Baker Robaire Smith Duron BryanIowa Plaxico Burress Mike Austin Duron Bryan/Shawn Wright
1999 OPPONENTS UPDATE ?
Date vs.MSU Opponent This Week Last Week Sept. 2 Oregon (3-2) at UCLA L at Washington, 34-20Sept. 11 Eastern Michigan (1-3) vs. Western Michigan L at Louisville, 45-10Sept. 18 at Notre Dame (2-3) vs. Arizona State W vs. Oklahoma, 34-30Sept. 25 at Illinois (3-2) ? L at Indiana, 34-31 OTOct. 2 Iowa (1-3) vs. Penn State L at Michigan State, 49-3Oct. 9 Michigan (5-0) at Michigan State W vs. Purdue, 38-12Oct. 16 at Purdue (4-1) at Ohio State L at Michigan, 38-12Oct. 23 at Wisconsin (3-2) at Minnesota W at Ohio State, 42-17Nov. 6 Ohio State (3-2) vs. Purdue L vs. Wisconsin, 42-17Nov. 13 at Northwestern (2-3) at Indiana L vs. Minnesota, 33-14Nov. 20 Penn State (5-0) vs. Iowa ?*MSU opponents have a cumulative record of 32-16 (.667), not including games vs. the Spartans
SABAN?S RECORD BREAKDOWN (MSU and TOLEDO)?
All Games: 39-24-1 (.617)Home Games: 25-9 (.735)Road Games: 14-15-1 (.483)August Games: 1-1 (.500)September Games: 15-5-1 (.738)October Games: 14-7 (.667)November Games: 9-8 (.529)December Games: 0-3 (.000)Games decided by a TD or less: 10-10-1 (.500)Games decided by a FG or less: 2-6-1 (.278)
SPARTAN TRENDS ?
Here?s how Michigan State has fared this year and during Nick Saban?s tenure (1995-99):
1999 Under SabanGames played in Spartan Stadium: 3-0 20-8Games played on the road/neutral site: 2-0 10-14-1
August games 0-0 1-1September games 3-0 10-5-1October games 1-0 11-6November games 0-0 7-7December games 0-0 0-3
Games decided by a TD or less 1-0 7-8Games decided by a FG or less 0-0 2-5
When scoring first: 4-0 24-10-1When opponent scores first: 1-0 6-12
When leading after first quarter: 2-0 21-5-1When trailing after first quarter: 0-0 4-10When tied after first quarter: 3-0 5-7When leading at halftime: 3-0 26-8When trailing at halftime: 1-0 3-13-1When tied at halftime 1-0 1-1When leading after three quarters: 3-0 25-3-1When trailing after three quarters: 0-0 3-16When tied after three quarters: 2-0 2-3
When gaining more first downs than opponent: 3-0 24-6When gaining fewer first downs than opponent: 2-0 6-12-1When gaining same number of first downs as opponent: 0-0 0-4
When gaining 200+ yards rushing: 2-0 19-3-1When opponent gains 200+ yards rushing: 0-0 3-11-1When an MSU player rushes for 100+ yards: 3-0 20-6-1When an opponent rushes for 100+ yards: 0-0 9-12-1When outrushing opponent: 5-0 26-5-1When being outrushed by opponent: 0-0 4-17
When gaining 200+ yards passing: 4-0 19-12-1When opponent gains 200+ yards passing: 3-0 11-12-1
When gaining more total yards than opponent: 3-0 26-6When gaining fewer total yards than opponent: 2-0 4-16-1When leading in time of possession: 4-0 21-12-1When trailing in time of possession: 1-0 9-10
OFFENSIVE QUICK BIOS
2 ? HERB HAYGOOD ? FL
? has four catches for 75 yards on the year with a TD (vs. Iowa)
? ran for 29 yards on an end around vs. EMU
? Green team?s offensive MVP in the spring game (eight catches, 83 yards, 1 TD)
4 ? PLAXICO BURRESS ? SE
? leads the team with 22 catches and 324 yards through five games
? 17 of his 22 catches have been for first downs
? tied MSU single-game record with three TD catches vs. Iowa
? second-team All-Big Ten selection in ?98 (media, honorable mention by the coaches)
? consensus preseason first-team All-Big Ten pick
? ranked among the nation?s top five WRs by The Sporting News (No. 4) and Lindy?s (No. 5)
7 ? LAVAILE RICHARDSON ? SE
? has three catches for 67 yards this year
? caught at least one pass in nine games in ?98
8 ? T.J. DUCKETT ? TB/LB
? MSU?s leading rusher vs. EMU (eight carries, 83 yards, one TD) and second-leading rusher overall (40 carries, 204 yards, three TDs)
? leads MSU with three rushing TDs
? older brother, Tico, ranks as MSU?s second-leading all-time rusher (4,212 yards, 1989-92)
? wears #8 as the sum of the digits in Tico?s #35
16 ? BILL BURKE ? QB
? has a TD pass in each of his last nine games, including an MSU-record-tying four vs. Iowa
? one of six MSU QBs with over 4,000 yards passing, now has 4,158
? already among MSU career passing leaders in attempts (sixth at 579), completions (fifth at 314), completion percentage (seventh at .542), yards (fifth at 4,158) and TD passes (third at 37)
? needs seven TD passes to set MSU career record, held by Dave Yarema and Ed Smith (43)
? has thrown for 200 yards in six of his last nine games, including 291 vs. Notre Dame
? MSU is 7-2 when he throws for 200-plus yards
? has started 17 straight games
22 ? SHAWN FOSTER ? TB
? led MSU vs. Iowa with 67 rushing yards
23 ? LITTLE JOHN FLOWERS ? TB
? fourth on team in rushing with 19 carries for 83 yards
36 ? LLOYD CLEMONS ? TB
? owns three 100-yard rushing games this year, including a career-best 141 yards at Illinois
? in 73 carries has only been stopped for a loss twice (both -1 yards)
? has 454 yards on 73 carries (6.2 avg.) in 1999
? was granted a sixth-year waiver by the NCAA and earned his undergraduate degree this summer
? was MSU?s second-leading rusher last year behind Sedrick Irvin with 364 yards on 73 carries
49 ? DAWAN MOSS ? FB
? made first start of career at Illinois
? scored on his first career carry vs. EMU with a 42-yard TD run
? first MSU FB to score a rushing TD since 1996 (Travis Reece vs. Michigan)
64 ? CASEY JENSEN ? C
? C this year after playing both RG and LG in 1998
? had a career-high grade (87 percent) vs. ND
70 ? DAVE SUCURA ? LG
? moves to left guard this year after starting every game at left tackle in 1998
? best performance of 1999 at Notre Dame, grading out at 80 percent with 20 production points
71 ? SHAUN MASON ? RG
? offensive Spartan of the Week vs. EMU (graded out at 82 percent)
? graded out with a career-best 89 percent vs. Oregon (83 percent run-blocking, 94 pass-blocking) and 84 percent at Notre Dame (14 production points)
? started the first two games of ?98 before suffering a season-ending injury (ACL/MCL right knee) in the second quarter vs. Oregon
74 ? TUPE PEKO ? LT
? a JUCO All-American at Cerritos College, he has won the starting job at left tackle
76 ? GREG ROBINSON-RANDALL ? RT
? has started 15 straight games at right tackle
83 ? CHRIS BAKER ? TE
? second on team with 20 receptions and third in receiving yards with 213
? third in nation among TEs in both catches and yards
? best catches and yards per game of any MSU TE in the 1980s or ?90s
? had career-best eight catches vs. Notre Dame
? caught 20 passes (289 yards) over the last seven games of ?98 after making only two catches (16) in the first five contests
85 ? IVORY McCOY ? TE
? has eight catches and 121 receiving yards
? seven of eight catches have been for first down
? caught third career TD pass vs. Illinois
86 ? GARI SCOTT ? FL
? five of his 14 catches this year have gone for TDs and seven of 14 have come on third down
? second on team with 282 receiving yards and has at least one TD catch in four of five games
? owns the MSU record for career punt return yardage (851 yards)
? has at least one catch in each of last 29 games
? leads all MSU players with 31 career starts
? rated among the nation?s top kick returners (No. 4) and wide receivers (No. 14) by Lindy?s
? preseason all-conference pick by Street & Smith?s (first team) and Lindy?s (second team)
? co-captain along with Aric Morris
DEFENSIVE QUICK BIOS
3 ? AMP CAMPBELL ? CB
? has made a courageous comeback from a cervic-spinal injury suffered last year at Oregon and capped it off with the game-winning TD vs. the Ducks this year on an 85-yard fumble return
? owns MSU career record for pass breakups (40), including team-leading 10 this year
? granted a sixth-year waiver by the NCAA and earned his undergraduate degree this summer
? presented the Biggie Munn Award last year as the team?s most inspirational player
? has 31 games (and 30 starts) under his belt
? has six career INTs (five as a junior in 1997 when he was a second-team All-Big Ten selection)
5 ? LORENZO GUESS ? S
? returned first career INT for TD vs. EMU
? had career-high four tackles vs. Oregon after making five stops last year in all 12 games
? plays guard for MSU?s Final Four basketball team
8 ? T.J. DUCKETT ? LB/TB
? has made nine tackles (six solo, three assists) at LB and on special teams
? one of the nation?s most highly touted freshmen
9 ? ARIC MORRIS ? SS
? two-time Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week
? made career-best 19 tackles (12 solo) vs. Oregon, including four for losses
? MSU?s leading tackler (29-25-54)
? in his third year as MSU?s starting SS
? has 10 career double-figure tackle games
? hon. mention All-Big Ten pick (media) in ?98
? had three INTs last year, has four for his career
? MSU?s co-captain, along with Gari Scott
15 ? RENALDO HILL ? CB
? tied for lead among active Spartans with six career INTs, including one which clinched the win vs. Oregon
? WR Plaxico Burress calls him the best CB in the Big Ten
? brother, Ray, is a former Spartan and current Miami Dolphin
25 ? MIKE AUSTIN ? LB
? an experienced senior with 23 career starts
? started the first five games of 1998 and returned for the season finale
32 ? RICHARD NEWSOME ? FS
? tied for third on team in tackles with 18-13-31
? made second career start vs. Oregon and had career-high 10 tackles (six solos, four assists)
35 ? T.J. TURNER ? LB
? made 10 stops (4-6-10) at Illinois
? in his second year as starter at MIKE LB
? had double-figures in tackles in four of the last five games of 1998
37 ? CEDRIC HENRY ? CB
? missed the first three games but returned against Illinois with 2-2-4 tackles and one pass breakup
? ran his first career punt return back 70 yards for a TD vs. Iowa
? second on the team in ?98 with 13 PBUs
50 ? JOSH THORNHILL ? LB
? career-best 18 tackles (eight solo, 10 assists) at Illinois
? tied for third on team with 13-18-31 tackles
? second-team freshman All-America pick by The Sporting News in 1998
66 ? DESMOND THOMAS ? DT
? has already surpassed last year?s sack total with three through five games
75 ? NICK MYERS ? DE
? called by defensive coordinator Bill Miller the biggest pleasant surprise of preseason camp, he has produced 16 tackles and a sack
80 ? JACE SAYLER ? DT
? playing DT after starting 12 games at DE in ?98
? missed start of preseason camp with mono
89 ? HUBERT THOMPSON ? DE
? made his debut vs. Oregon after red-shirting last year and sitting out freshman season due to academics
? has 7-12-19 tackles, two sacks and two pass breakups through five games
91 ? ROBAIRE SMITH ? DE
? second on team in TFLs (8) and sacks (4)
? had his second career INT, a fumble recovery and two sacks vs. Illinois
? equaled his career-high with 10 tackles vs. Oregon (five solo), including two TFLs and one sack
? already among MSU career leaders in sacks (fourth at 18) and TFLs (fifth at 32)
? a Playboy All-America pick
? preseason first-team All-Big Ten pick by Street & Smith?s, Lindy?s and Athlon
95 ? JOSH SHAW ? DT
? fifth on team with 10-20-30 tackles
? starting LT led MSU in tackles vs. EMU with 4-5-9, including one for loss and one pass breakup
? played all 12 games in ?98 as a true freshman
98 ? JULIAN PETERSON ? LB
? second on the team with 21-17-38 tackles
? 14 of his tackles have been for losses, already close to the MSU single-season record he set last year (18)
? has forced three fumbles this year
? owns the top two TFL games in MSU history (seven vs. Ohio State, 1998, six vs. Oregon, 1999)
? posted career-best 5-6-11 tackles vs. Oregon and forced the fumble which Amp Campbell returned for the game-winning TD
SPECIALIST QUICK BIOS
1 ? PAUL EDINGER ? PK
? perfect 10-for-10 in FGs and 20-for-20 in PATs this year
? ranked No. 2 among nation?s PKs this week by ESPN.com
? ranked among nation?s top 10 kickers by Lindy?s (No. 5) and The Sporting News (No. 7)
? second-team All-Big Ten selection in 1998, when he set an MSU record for field goal percentage (.846, 22 of 26)
? has hit 13-of-15 attempts from 40-plus yards in his career (4-of-4 in 1999)
? nine of 34 KOs have been touchbacks in ?99
12 ? CRAIG JARRETT ? P
? ranks second in the Big Ten and 13th nationally with 43.7 punting average
? has hit six punts 50-plus yards and had five downed inside the 20-yard line in 1999
? second-team All-Big Ten (media) in ?98
