Bowl Bid On The Line In Football Regular-Season Finale
11/30/2001 12:00:00 AM | Football
Nov. 30, 2001
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Date: Dec. 1, 2001
Site: Spartan Stadium (72,027), East Lansing, Mich.
Kickoff: 11:06 a.m. EST
Estimated Attendance: 72,027 (sold out)
Last Week: Michigan State lost to Penn State, 42-37, Missouri lost at Kansas State, 24-3.
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). Television - ESPN2 will televise the Michigan State-Missouri game live, with Mark Malone handling the play-by-play, David Norrie providing color commentary and Alex Flanagan serving as the sideline reporter.
MSU/Missouri Series Notes -
Saturday's game marks only the eighth meeting between Michigan State and Missouri. The Spartans lead the all-time series 4-3, including a 2-1 record in games played in East Lansing, Mich. Michigan State has won the last two meetings, including last year's 13-10 victory in Columbia, Mo. Saturday's game marks Mizzou's first appearance in Spartan Stadium since Nov. 3, 1945. Missouri's last win in the series came in Columbia on Nov. 4, 1944, 13-7. (Note: For a complete list of all-time series scores please refer to page 96 in the 2001 MSU Football Media Guide.)
The Last Meeting -
Sept. 16, 2000, in Columbia, Mo.: T.J. Duckett rushed for 101 of his 131 yards in the second half and scored a touchdown to lead No. 22 Michigan State to a 13-10 come-from-behind victory at Missouri last season. The Tigers jumped out to a 10-0 first-quarter lead on Brad Hammerich's 25-yard field goal and Zack Abron's 7-yard TD run. Missouri picked up 192 total yards in the first quarter while holding the Spartans to one first down and 9 total yards. Michigan State's offense came to life late in the first half as an eight-play, 60-yard drive produced a 22-yard field goal by David Schaefer. The Spartans' only touchdown came off a Mizzou turnover as Dimitry Bernard punched the ball out of Abron's hand and Nick Myers recovered the fumble at the Tiger 16. Three plays later, Duckett took a pitch 7 yards around left end to tie the game at 10 with 5:21 left in the third quarter. Michigan State opened the fourth quarter with a 14-play, 58-yard march and took a 13-10 lead on Schaefer's 27-yard field goal. Missouri responded with a nine-play, 49-yard drive but failed to put points on the scoreboard as Hammerich's 50-yard field-goal attempt went wide left. Duckett carried the ball four-straight times for 23 yards on MSU's final series and his 7-yard run on third-and-6 from the Spartan 37 with just over a minute to play iced the game. After a shaky start, the Spartan defense held Missouri to only four first downs and 97 total yards in the second half.
Turn Back The Clock -
Here's a brief recap of Missouri's last trip to East Lansing, Mich.
Nov. 3, 1945 (Michigan State 14, Missouri 7)
Russ Reader's 26-yard touchdown run early in the fourth quarter gave Michigan State a 14-7 victory over Missouri at Macklin Field. After a scoreless first half, a blocked punt midway through the third quarter set up Michigan State's first touchdown as Donald Hendricks scored on a 1-yard run on second-and-goal. Missouri responded with a 64-yard scoring drive of its own as Robert Hopkins hooked up with Roland Oakes for a 17-yard TD pass. Jack Breslin paced Michigan State's rushing attack, gaining 103 yards on 27 carries. The Spartans held the Tigers to seven first downs and 106 total yards.
MSU/Missouri Coaching Connections -
- Missouri head coach Gary Pinkel previously coached receivers at Bowling Green from 1977-78 where he served under former Michigan State head coach Denny Stolz.
- Former Missouri head coach Dan Devine (1958-70) spent five seasons as an assistant coach at Michigan State where he worked under Biggie Munn and Duffy Daugherty. Devine coached the freshman and junior varsity teams during his tenure at Michigan State (1950-54). He compiled a 93-37-7 record (.704) in 13 years at Missouri with six of his teams earning postseason bowl invitations. Nine of his 13 teams finished ranked among the nation's Top 20.
- Former Michigan Agricultural College head coach Chester Brewer (1903-10, 1917, 1919) also served as head coach at Missouri from 1911-13. Brewer, who worked three stints as football coach at MAC, produced a record of 58-23-7 (.699) in 10 seasons with the Aggies. He also became MAC's first full-time athletics director and it was during his tenure that Green and White were adopted as the school's official uniform colors. Brewer left East Lansing, Mich., following the 1910 season to become head football coach and athletics director at Missouri. He went 14-8-2 (.625) in three seasons with the Tigers.
- Former Michigan State athletics director Doug Weaver, who held the position for 10 years from 1980-89, was Dan Devine's line coach at Missouri from 1958-59. Weaver previously served as an assistant coach at Michigan State under Duffy Daugherty from 1956-57.
MSU/Missouri Connection, Part II -
- Missouri assistant athletic director for administration Ed Stewart spent two years as an academic counselor at Michigan State (1997-99).
- Missouri director of ticket operations Marty Finn served as assistant ticket manager at Michigan State from 1995-98.
Spartans From The Show-Me State -
Michigan State first-year head coach Bobby Williams was born in St. Louis and became an all-state running back at Sumner High School in 1976. The Spartans' 2001 roster also features two players from St. Louis, including red-shirt freshman linebacker James Cooper (Hazelwood East) and freshman tight end Ryan Woods (Christian Brothers College).
Seniors Bid Farewell -
Seventeen seniors will make their final appearance in Spartan Stadium Saturday vs. Missouri. This senior class has helped Michigan State to a combined record of 26-19 (.578) since 1998, including an appearance in the 2000 Florida Citrus Bowl. The Spartans need a victory in the 2001 regular-season finale to become bowl eligible.
The Class of 2001 includes tight end Chris Baker (Saline, Mich.), cornerback Duron Bryan (Lexington Park, Md.), linebacker Matt Dawes (Battle Creek, Mich.), tailback Little John Flowers (Kalamazoo, Mich.), snapper Tony Grant (Bay City, Mich.), safety Lorenzo Guess (Wayne, Mich.), wide receiver Herb Haygood (Sarasota, Fla.), punter Craig Jarrett (Martinsville, Ind.), linebacker Matt Kropf (Traverse City, Mich.), wide receiver Derrick Lee (Flint, Mich.), tight end Ivory McCoy (Chicago, Ill.), defensive end Nick Myers (Springfield, Ohio), placekicker David Schaefer (Birmingham, Mich.), defensive tackle Josh Shaw (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.), cornerback DeMario Suggs (Toledo, Ohio), linebacker Josh Thornhill (Lansing, Mich.) and quarterback Ryan Van Dyke (Marshall, Mich.).
Spartans Of The Week -
The Michigan State coaching staff selected the following players as Spartans of the Week for their performances Nov. 24 vs. Penn State:
Offense - OT Ulish Booker (graded out 97 percent with six pancakes).
Defense - LB Josh Thornhill (12 tackles including two for losses, 24 production points).
Special Teams - Richard Bryce (two tackles, eight production points).
Spartan Scout Team Players Of The Week -
The Michigan State coaching staff selected the following Scout Team Players of the Week for their contributions in practice prior to the Nov. 24 game vs. Penn State:
Offense - OL Matt Hasbrook
Defense - LB Matt Ott
Many Happy Spartan Returns -
Michigan State's special teams have produced three touchdowns in 2001, including two kickoff returns and one punt return. It marks the best point production by the Spartans' return game since 1995 when it accounted for a school-record four scores (two kickoff and two punt returns).
Herb Haygood currently leads the Big Ten and ranks eighth in the NCAA in kickoff returns with his 28.5-yard average. Haygood has returned two kickoffs for TDs this season, including an 84-yarder vs. Northwestern and a 100-yarder vs. Iowa, and joins Derrick Mason (1995) and Derek Hughes (1979) as the only Spartan players to return two kickoffs for scores in the same season. He also could become only the third player in MSU history to average 30.0 or more yards per kickoff return in a season, joining Hughes (31.1-yard average in '79) and Bud Crane (30.0 avg. in '48).
Charles Rogers currently stands seventh in the Big Ten in punt returns with his 9.4-yard average. Rogers returned a punt 64 yards for a touchdown in the fourth quarter vs. Northwestern.
Smoker Right On Target -
Jeff Smoker leads the Big Ten and ranks eighth nationally in passing efficiency with his 155.5 rating. Smoker, who has four 200-yard passing games in 2001, needs only 90 yards to become only the eighth quarterback in Michigan State history to throw for 2,000 yards in a season. His 16 TD passes (tied for fifth) and 1,910 passing yards (10th) rank among the top single-season totals in Spartan history.
Over his last six games, he has completed 61 percent (107-174) of his throws for 1,590 yards (265.0 per game), 15 touchdowns and five interceptions.
After missing the Nov. 17 game at Purdue with a sprained left shoulder, Smoker returned to the starting lineup against Penn State and set career highs for pass attempts (36), completions (24) and passing yards (356). His three TD passes vs. Penn State also equaled his career best. Smoker's 356 passing yards marked the fourth-best single-game total in Spartan history.
The 6-foot-3, 207-pound sophomore connected on 20-of-30 passes for 288 yards and three scores vs. Indiana. It marked his third 200-yard passing game in 2001.
Smoker directed his fourth game-winning fourth-quarter drive of his career against sixth-ranked Michigan, helping the Spartans overcome a 24-20 deficit in the final 2:09. He managed a 15-play, 44-yard drive and his 2-yard TD toss to T.J. Duckett as time expired gave Michigan State a 26-24 victory. His 17-yard strike to Herb Haygood on third-and-10 from the Michigan 35 and his 8-yard completion to Duckett on fourth-and-3 from the Wolverine 11 kept the drive alive in the final minute. Smoker threw for 183 yards (15-35) and two scores in his first career start vs. Michigan.
Smoker completed 13-of-20 passes for a career-high 326 yards and three TDs in MSU's 42-28 win at Wisconsin. His 326 yards marked the seventh-best single-game passing total in Spartan history. And his 271.4 QB rating vs. Wisconsin marked the sixth-highest grade recorded in NCAA I-A football thus far in 2001.
He threw for 258 yards (21-33) and two scores vs. Minnesota. Smoker hit 14-of-20 passes for 179 yards and two TDs vs. Iowa. He connected on 15-of-23 throws for 196 yards and a score in the season opener vs. Central Michigan.
Smoker, who has compiled an 8-7 record in 15 career starts, already ranks among MSU's all-time leaders in completions (ninth at 233), completion percentage (seventh at .568), passing yards (ninth at 3,251) and passing TDs (fifth at 22).