Michigan State University Athletics
Spartans Seek Big Ten Road Win At Minnesota
10/19/2001 12:00:00 AM | Football
Oct. 19, 2001
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DATE: Oct. 20, 2001
SITE: Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome (64,172), Minneapolis, Minn.
KICKOFF: 12:10 p.m. EDT
ESTIMATED ATTENDANCE: 42,000-plus
LAST WEEK: Michigan State defeated Iowa, 31-28, Minnesota lost at Northwestern, 23-17.
BROADCAST COVERAGE: Radio - The Spartan Radio Network, featuring veteran play-by-play announcer George Blaha, color analyst Larry Bielat, sideline reporter Will Tieman and broadcast host Dan Gutowsky, will broadcast the game to 33 affiliates throughout the state. Michigan State football broadcasts can be heard locally on flagship station WJIM (AM 1240, FM 97.5).
MSU/MINNESOTA SERIES NOTES -
Saturday's game marks the 36th meeting between Michigan State and Minnesota. The Spartans lead the all-time series 23-12, including a 10-8 record in games played in Minneapolis. Michigan State is 6-1 in games played in the Metrodome, including a 19-18 loss in its last trip on Oct. 24, 1998. The Spartans have won 17 of the last 18 meetings. MSU's last win in the series came on Oct. 4, 1997, 31-10, in East Lansing, Mich. The Spartans' last win in Minneapolis came on Oct. 19, 1996, 27-9. (Note: For a complete list of all-time series scores, please refer to page 100 in the 2001 MSU Football Media Guide.)
THE COACHES -
Michigan State's Bobby Williams (Purdue 1982) is 9-7 (.563) in his second year as a college head coach. Williams, who served as the Spartans' running backs coach for 10 years (1990-99), made his head coaching debut on Jan. 1, 2000, as he led Michigan State to a 37-34 victory over No. 10 Florida in the Florida Citrus Bowl. The Spartans finished the 1999 season with a 10-2 overall record and ranked No. 7 in the final polls. During his tenure as running backs coach, he tutored seven 1,000-yard rushers including Sedrick Irvin, who in 1998 became the first Spartan in school history to reach the rushing milestone in each of his first three seasons.
Minnesota's Glen Mason (Ohio State 1972) is 23-29 (.442) in his fifth year with the Golden Gophers and 82-93-1 (.469) in 15 seasons as a college head coach. Mason has guided Minnesota to back-to-back postseason appearances, including the 2000 Micronpc.com and 1999 Sun Bowls. He compiled a 47-54-1 record (.466) in nine seasons at Kansas (1988-96), including two trips to the Aloha Bowl (1992 and '95). Mason produced a 12-10 worksheet (.545) in two years at Kent State (1986-87).
THE LAST MEETING -
Oct. 24, 1998, in Minneapolis: Adam Bailey's 37-yard field goal with 13 seconds left gave Minnesota a 19-18 victory over Michigan State as the Golden Gophers snapped a 17-game losing streak in the series. Michigan State scored first when Paul Edinger hit a 32-yard field goal with 6:14 left in the first quarter. Minnesota tied the game at 3 on Bailey's 33-yard field goal after Gari Scott fumbled a punt inside the Spartan 20. Michigan State went three-and-out on its next series and Craig Jarrett's 53-yard punt was returned 68 yards for a touchdown by Luke Leverson to put Minnesota on top 10-3 late in the first quarter. Ryan Van Dyke, who came off the bench late in the first quarter after starter Bill Burke suffered a mild concussion, went four-for-four on a five-play, 60-yard scoring drive in the second quarter, including his first career TD toss - a 20-yarder to Chris Baker - to tie the game at 10. Scott's 28-yard punt return set up Edinger's 32-yard field goal that gave the Spartans a 13-10 halftime lead. Lemar Marshall's 23-yard interception return led to Edinger's third field goal, a 48-yarder with 4:36 left in the third quarter, as the Spartans moved out to a 16-10 lead. Michigan State's defense put two more points on the scoreboard as Julian Peterson sacked Andy Persby in the end zone for a safety with 9:54 remaining in the fourth quarter. Following Minnesota's free kick, Sedrick Irvin carried the ball six straight plays for 38 yards but Edinger's 32-yard field-goal attempt sailed wide left. With Minnesota trailing 18-10, Glen Mason changed quarterbacks and Billy Cockerham responded by engineering two late scoring drives. Cockerham capped a five-play, 70-yard drive with a 24-yard TD strike to Leverson with 1:47 on the clock. The ensuing on-side kick was recovered by Minnesota's Craig Scruggs at the Gopher 47. Cockerham kept the game-winning drive alive by scrambling for 25 yards on a third-and-15 to the Spartan 23.
MSU/MINNESOTA COACHING CONNECTIONS -
- Michigan State assistant head coach/running backs coach Reggie Mitchell previously spent 12 years as an assistant coach under Minnesota head coach Glen Mason. Mitchell joined the Spartan coaching staff in 1999 following two seasons as running backs coach at Minnesota (1997-98). He followed Mason to Minnesota after a nine-year stint at Kansas (1988-96), where he coached running backs for two years, defensive ends for four seasons and defensive line for three years. Mitchell first joined Coach Mason as wide receivers coach at Kent State in 1987.
- Michigan State defensive coordinator Bill Miller coached the defensive backs under John Gutekunst at Minnesota from 1986-88.
THE LAST TIME OUT -
MSU 31, Iowa 28: Herb Haygood accounted for 240 all-purpose yards and two touchdowns to lead Michigan State to a 31-28 Homecoming victory over Iowa in East Lansing, Mich. Michigan State scored on each of its first three possessions en route to its first Big Ten win of the season. Josh Shaw's interception ended Iowa's game-opening drive and his 15-yard return to the Hawkeye 43 set up MSU's first score. Five plays later, T.J. Duckett scored on a 6-yard run around right end as the Spartans jumped out to a 7-0 lead with 9:06 left in the first quarter. Jeff Smoker finished off an eight-play, 68-yard drive with a 13-yard TD toss to Charles Rogers in the left corner of the end zone as the Spartans moved out to a 14-0 lead with 5:27 remaining in the first quarter. Iowa responded with a 13-play, 61-yard drive to cut its deficit to 14-7 as Kyle McCann scored on a 1-yard keeper off the option with 13:36 left in the first half. Michigan State answered on its next series as Smoker capped a nine-play, 80-yard drive with a 15-yard TD strike to Haygood in the back of the end zone to give the Spartans a 21-7 lead with 9:42 left in the second quarter. Iowa's defense forced a turnover on MSU's next series as Smoker fumbled while being sacked by Derrick Pickens. Aaron Kampman recovered the fumble on the Spartan 3-yard line and two plays later, McCann hit a wide-open Chris Oliver in the left flat from 3 yards out as the Hawkeyes pulled to within 21-14 with 5:51 remaining in the first half. Haygood returned the ensuing kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown as Michigan State doubled its lead to 28-14. Iowa got back into the game thanks to a blocked punt inside the Spartan 5 late in the first half. Ladell Betts bulled his way into the end zone from 1 yard out with 1:30 left in the second quarter as the Hawkeyes pulled to within a touchdown at halftime, 28-21. After a scoreless third quarter, Shaw came up with his second interception on the first play of the fourth quarter as the Spartans took over near midfield. Michigan State extended its lead to 31-21 as a 10-play, 48-yard drive resulted in Dave Rayner's first career field goal, a 22-yarder with 10:39 left in the game. McCann directed a six-play, 58-yard drive in the final minute and his 1-yard sneak with six seconds on the clock brought Iowa back to within three at 31-28 but the rally fell short as Tyrell Dortch fair caught the ensuing kickoff. Smoker completed 14-of-20 throws for 179 yards and two scores while Haygood set career highs with nine catches for 119 yards. Iowa outgained Michigan State in total yards, 364-269. The Hawkeye defense limited the Spartans to five first downs and 71 total yards in the second half.
