Michigan State vs. Illinois Postgame Notes
10/28/2000 12:00:00 AM | Football
Oct. 28, 2000
East Lansing, Mich. -
MICHIGAN STATE vs. ILLINOIS
SPARTAN STADIUM
October 28, 2000
ATTENDANCE - 73,826 (sellout). Today's sellout marks the 19th capacity crowd in the last 24 contests at Spartan Stadium, including the last 10 in a row.
SERIES - Michigan holds a 20-16-2 advantage in the all-time series, including an 11-7-1 record in games played in East Lansing. The Spartans have won six in a row and seven of the last eight meetings.
BIG TEN VICTORY - Michigan State picked up their first Big Ten victory of the season this afternoon against Illinois. It was MSU's first Big Ten victory since a 35-28 win over Penn State on Nov. 20, 1999. MSU started the Big Ten season at 0-4 for just the third time in school history.
The win over Illinois was MSU's first win since a 27-21 victory over Notre Dame on Sept. 23
SUCCESS IN RELIEF ROLE - Freshman quarterback Jeff Smoker made his sixth appearance of the season against Illinois. Smoker came off the bench in the third quarter and directed MSU on the game-winning touchdown - a one-yard run by Dawan Moss. Smoker finished the game 7-of-13 for 82 yards.
IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME - The Spartans first quarter touchdown by Dawan Moss was the Spartans first touchdown in seven quarters, a span of 114:30. MSU's last touchdown prior to the Moss run was with 11 seconds left in the first quarter of the Wisconsin game (Oct. 14) on a 43-yard touchdown pass from Van Dyke to Haygood.
IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME II - The rushing touchdown by Dawan Moss was MSU's first rushing touchdown since Iowa (Oct. 7) when T.J. Duckett had a 31-yard rushing touchdown in the third quarter. It was MSU's seventh rushing touchdown of the season and the second of the season for Moss.
MSU's fourth-quarter rushing touchdown by Dawan Moss marked just the second time this season that the Spartans have had two rushing touchdowns in a game. The season opener vs. Marshall was the other with rushing TD's by Moss and T.J. Duckett.
INTERCEPTION LEADER - Junior left corner Cedric Henry picked off his team-leading fourth interception in the first quarter. It was MSU's first interception since Renaldo Hill picked one off in the Northwestern game (Sept. 30).
CAREER DAY - Sophomore fullback Dawan Moss had a career day vs. Illinois. Moss rushed for a career-best two touchdowns, and finished with a career-best 54 yards on 15 carries. Moss' previous career best was 46 rushing yards vs. Eastern Michigan in 1999.
CAREER DAY II - Junior tailback LJ Flowers had a career day against Illinois. Flowers rushed for a career-best 85 yards on 14 carries. His previous best was eight carries for 54 yards against Oregon in 1999.
HALFTIME LEAD - MSU went into the locker room at halftime with a 7-0 lead. It marked the third time (Notre Dame and Iowa) this season and the first time since the Iowa contest that the Spartans have entered the locker room with a halftime lead.
GETTING DEFENSIVE - After allowing 113 yards in the first quarter, the Illinois defense held the Spartans to only 26 yards in the 2nd quarter and 25 in the third. The defense also forced three turnovers for the first time since the Illini blanked Iowa 31-0 and forced four turnovers.
FIRST CAREER POINTS - Illinois placekicker JJ Tubbs hit a 23-yard field goal and made one extra point for his first career points as an Illini.
Junior safety Bobby Jackson scored his first career touchdown on a 39-yard interception return in the 3rd quarter.
1,000 YARD RUSHER - Illinois sophomore tailback Antoineo Harris rushed for over 100 yards for the third this season and in his career. Harris finished with 123 yards on 31 carries.
