Michigan State vs. Central Michigan Post-Game Notes

MICHIGAN STATE vs. CENTRAL MICHIGAN SPARTAN STADIUM (September 8, 2001)

ATTENDANCE - 73,879 (sellout). Today's sellout marks the 21st capacity crowd in the last 26 contests at Spartan Stadium, including the last 13 in a row.

SERIES - Michigan State holds a 3-2 advantage in the all-time series following today's 35-21 win over Central Michigan. MSU has now won three straight contests vs. the Chippewas.

BAKER'S DAY - After missing two weeks of the preseason recovering from knee surgery, senior tight end Chris Baker came back to start his 36th consecutive game against CMU. In addition, Baker scored the first touchdown of the 2001 campaign, marking the second consecutive year that he has scored the first touchdown of the season. Baker, who finished with two catches for 20 yards, has now caught a pass is 13 straight games.

DUCKETT REACHES ANOTHER MILESTONE - Junior tailback T.J. Duckett reached the 2,000-yard career rushing mark against Central Michigan. Duckett hit the milestone with a five-yard run in the second quarter. He now has 2,079 career rushing yards. T.J. Duckett finished the day with 22 carries for 120 yards. It marked his eighth career 100-yard rushing day.

SEASON OPENER - The Spartans opened their 105th season of competition today and are now 68-34-3 (.662) in season openers, including a 6-4 (.500) mark in their last 10 games.

HOME OPENERS - MSU is 84-21-0 (.800) in home openers, including a 6-4 record (.600) in its last 10 games. The Spartans have won three straight home openers.

MSU VS. MAC TEAMS - Michigan State has compiled a 24-5 record (.828) against current members of the Mid-American Conference. The Spartans have won eight straight and 15 out of the last 17 meetings against the MAC with the only two losses coming to Central Michigan in 1991 (20-3) and 1992 (24-20).

RUNNING THE OFFENSE - MSU's 35 points are the most since points the Spartans have scored since the 2000 Citrus Bowl when MSU registered 37 points.

After CMU tied the game at 7-7, the Spartans rallied off 28 unanswered points to take a 35-7 lead. CMU broke its scoreless streak with a blocked punt returned for a touchdown at the 9:13 mark of the fourth quarter.

MSU finished the game with 486 yards total offense, including 196 yards rushing and 290 yards passing.

INTERCEPT THAT BALL - Senior safety Lorenzo Guess picked off this second career interception in the second quarter, returning the ball for 18 yards.

Junior Broderick Nelson picked off his first career pass in the fourth quarter and returned the interception 16 yards.

FIRST TIME STARTERS - MSU's starting lineup for the 2001 season opener featured six first-time starters, including two on offense and four on defense. On offense, split end Charles Rogers (So.) and right guard William Whitticker (R-Fr.) made their first collegiate starts. On defense, SAM linebacker Mike Labinjo (So.), WILL linebacker Ronald Stanley (Fr.), corner back Broderick Nelson (Jr.) and defensive end Clifford Dukes (R-Fr.) also made their debuts.

MORE MILESTONES - Senior tailback Little John Flowers caught his first career touchdown pass on a 28-yard toss from Ryan Van Dyke in the second quarter.

Freshman wide receiver Roderick Maples caught his first career pass, a 53-yard touchdown pass from Ryan Van Dyke in the second quarter.

Senior quarterback Ryan Van Dyke tied his career high with two touchdown passes. It marked the third time in his career that he has thrown a pair of touchdown passes in a game.

CENTRAL MICHIGAN NOTES - James King's four blocked punts ties a NCAA individual record. The NCAA individual record is also held by Ken Irvin, Memphis vs. Arkansas on Sept. 26, 1992. The four blocked punts also ties a NCAA team record, which has been set by three different opponents.

Tory Humphrey scored his first career touchdown on his second career catch in the first quarter.

The Chippewas have lost seven straight road games.

Prior to today, the last time a CMU player returned a block punt for a touchdown was Darren Leins vs. Kent State in 1999.