Michigan State-Minnesota Post-Game Notes
10/20/2001 12:00:00 AM | Football
Recap?|? Final Stats
MICHIGAN STATE vs. MINNESOTA
Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome
October 20, 2001
SERIES - Today's game marked the 36th meeting between Michigan State and Minnesota. The Spartans lead the all-time series, 23-13. However, the Golden Gophers have won two straight games after MSU captured 17 straight wins.
OPENING DRIVES - Michigan State scored on its opening possession for the fourth straight game. MSU drove nine plays in 63 yards in 3:08, capped off by a five-yard touchdown pass from Jeff Smoker to Chris Baker to open the scoring.
Against Iowa (Oct. 13), junior tailback T.J. Duckett capped a five play, 43-yard drive with a six-yard touchdown run. At Northwestern (Sept. 29), Duckett also scored on a one-yard run as MSU took an early 7-0. The Spartans marched 44 yards in five plays and used 1:31 off the clock.
At Notre Dame (Sept. 22), MSU scored on its opening possession - a 29-yard David Schaefer field goal. MSU's opening scoring drive was a 14-play, 68-yard drive, which consumed 5:19.
MOVING ON UP - With the first quarter touchdown catch, senior tight end Chris Baker extended his streak with consecutive catches to 17. Baker started his streak with two catches in the 2000 Citrus Bowl against Florida.
With an 11-yard pass from Ryan Van Dyke in the second quarter, Baker tied Mark Bramer (1976-79) as MSU's all-time pass-catching tight end with 107 career catches. Baker's fourth quarter catch made him MSU's all-time leading pass-catching tight end with 108 career catches. He finished the game with six catches for 76 yards. Baker ranks 11th all-time in Spartan history with 109 career catches. Scott Greene (1992-95) is 10th with 110 career grabs while Kirk Gibson (1975-78) is ninth with 112 catches.
Baker's first quarter touchdown catch was the 12th of his career, tying him for 10th place on MSU's career touchdown receptions chart. Baker is tied with Otis Grant (1980-82) and Courtney Hawkins (1988-91). Daryl Turner (1980-83) is ninth with 13 career touchdown receptions.
The Saline, Mich., native also started his 40th consecutive game. It is the longest such streak on the team.
HAY, HE'S GOOD - Senior flanker Herb Haygood posted back-to-back 100-yard receiving games. Haygood finished with eight catches for 117 yards.
The Sarasota, Fla., native had his first career 100-yard receiving game last week vs. Iowa. He finished the day with nine catches for a career-best 119 yards.
THE KICKING GAME - Freshman place kicker Dave Rayner kicked a career-long 37-yard field goal in the first quarter. He also missed a 37 yarder in the second quarter. In addition, Rayner was 2-of-2 on PATs.
THREW THE AIR - MSU entered today's game with seven touchdown receptions and now has a total of nine touchdown receptions through the first five games this season. In comparison, MSU had a total of 10 touchdown receptions for all of 2000.
THREW THE AIR II - Quarterbacks Jeff Smoker and Ryan Van Dyke threw for a combined 351 yards today. Smoker was 21-of-33 for 258 yards and two touchdowns. The 248 yards are a career high while the two TDs tied his career best.
Van Dyke was 6-of-13 for 93 yards before leaving the game in the third quarter with a concussion and a broken jaw.
MOVING ON UP - T.J. Duckett continues his march up MSU's all-time rushing list. With his 81 yards, Duckett moves into eighth place on MSU's all-time rushing list with 2,406 yards. He surpassed Marc Renaud (1994-97), who previously held down the eighth position with 2,331 yards.
SPARTAN QUICK HITS - Senior Ivory McCoy saw action on both sides of the ball at Minnesota. McCoy saw action at linebacker and at tight end.
Sophomore wide receiver Ziehl Kavanaght had a career-long 28-yard catch in the second quarter.
Redshirt freshman quarterback Damon Dowdell made his second appearance of the season in the third quarter.
MSU's 47 pass attempts ranks tied for fourth all-time on MSU's single-game team passing attempts. MSU also attempted 47 passes against Ohio State in 1998. The school record for pass attempts in a game is 56 vs. Purdue in 1980.
With his 10 tackles today, senior linebacker Josh Thornhill moved into the top 10 on MSU's career tackles list.
