Spartans Edge Iowa, 31-28
10/13/2001 12:00:00 AM | Football
Oct 13, 2001
Final Stats?|? Quotes?|? Notes
By MIKE HOUSEHOLDER
Associated Press Writer
EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) - Herb Haygood caught nine passes for 119 yards and a touchdown and returned a kickoff 100 yards for a score for the second consecutive game as Michigan State defeated Iowa 31-28 Saturday.
Haygood's return put the Spartans (3-1, 1-1 Big Ten) ahead 28-14 midway through the second quarter.
It was the first time since 1976 that Iowa (3-2, 1-2) allowed a kickoff return for a touchdown. It also was the first time a Michigan State player returned a kickoff for a touchdown in consecutive games.
Haygood also had a touchdown return late in Michigan State's 27-26 loss to Northwestern two weeks ago.
After a scoreless third quarter, Michigan State went ahead 31-21 on Dave Rayner's 22-yard field goal with 10:39 remaining.
Michigan State's Broderick Nelson sealed the win when he intercepted Kyle McCann's pass in the end zone with six minutes remaining. It was Nelson's second interception of the game.
McCann, who entered as one of the Big Ten's most accurate passers, was facing a secondary without both of its starting cornerbacks, who are hurt. The defensive backfield was so banged up that third-team tailback Tyrell Dortch saw significant time at cornerback.
Despite the secondary losses, Michigan State was able to limit McCann to 22 completions in 41 attempts for 220 yards, one touchdown and four interceptions.
McCann added a 1-yard touchdown run with six seconds remaining.
At the end of the first half, Iowa's Tim Dodge blocked Craig Jarrett's punt deep in Spartan territory.
Two plays later, Ladell Betts ran in from the 1 to make it 28-21. Betts finished with 79 yards on 18 carries.
Dodge's block was nothing new for the Spartans, who allowed four blocked punts in a season-opening win against Central Michigan.
A 15-yard pass from Jeff Smoker to Haygood in the back of the end zone put Michigan State ahead 21-7 at 9:42 of the second quarter.
Smoker completed 14 of 20 passes for 179 yards and two touchdowns.
Iowa cut Michigan State's lead to 14-7 three plays into the second quarter when McCann kept the ball on the option and ran in from the 1.
Michigan State scored touchdowns on its first two possessions of the first quarter.
After Michigan State defensive lineman Josh Shaw intercepted his first pass of the year and returned it 15 yards, Smoker passed to Haygood for 47 yards to put the Spartans at the Iowa 1.
Following a false start penalty, T.J. Duckett ran in from 6 yards to put Michigan State ahead 7-0. Duckett finished with 71 yards on 25 carries.
On Michigan State's second drive, Smoker's 13-yard pass to Charles Rogers in the corner of the end zone made it 14-0 with 5:27 remaining in the quarter.
The score capped an eight-play, 68-yard drive kept alive by a 25-yard pass from Smoker to tight end Chris Baker on third-and-9.
