Spartan Football Opens 2002 Campaign Against Eastern Michigan
8/31/2002 12:00:00 AM | Football
Aug. 31, 2002
Complete Release in PDF Format
DATE: Aug. 31, 2002
SITE: Spartan Stadium (72,027), East Lansing, Mich.
KICKOFF: 3:40 p.m. EDT
ESTIMATED ATTENDANCE: 72,027 (sold out)
BROADCAST COVERAGE: Radio The Spartan Radio Network, featuring veteran play-by-play announcer George Blaha, color analyst Larry Bielat, sideline reporter Bill Burke and broadcast host Will Tieman, will broadcast the game to 34 affiliates throughout the state. Michigan State football broadcasts can be heard locally on flagship station WJIM (AM 1240, FM 97.5). Television ESPN Plus will televise the Michigan State-Eastern Michigan game live on a regional basis, with Mike Gleason handling the play-by-play and Rod Smith providing color commentary.
THE COACHES
Michigan State's Bobby Williams (Purdue 1982) is 13-11 (.542) in his third year as a college head coach. With MSU's 44-35 victory over No. 20 Fresno State in the 2001 Silicon Valley Football Classic, Williams became the first head coach in Spartan football history to win his first two bowl games. He made his head coaching debut on Jan. 1, 2000, and led the Spartans to a last-second victory over No. 10 Florida, 37-34, 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 10-year tenure as running backs coach (1990-99), 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.
MSU/EASTERN MICHIGAN SERIES NOTES
Saturday's game marks only the sixth meeting between Michigan State and Eastern Michigan. The Spartans lead the all-time series 5-0, including a 4-0 record in games played in East Lansing. Michigan State and Eastern Michigan played three times between the 1898-99 seasons. The series resumed 97 years later in 1996, with the Spartans posting a 47-0 shutout in East Lansing. The last meeting came in 1999 when Michigan State produced a 51-7 victory in Spartan Stadium. (Note: For a complete list of all-time series scores, please refer to page 194 in the 2002 MSU Football Media Guide.)
THE LAST MEETING
Sept. 11, 1999, in East Lansing, Mich.: Michigan State scored on seven of its 12 first-half possessions en route to a 41-0 lead and rolled to a 51-7 victory over Eastern Michigan. Bill Burke completed seven-of-18 throws in the first half for 111 yards, including touchdown tosses of 17 yards to Chris Baker and 25 yards to Gari Scott. A 51-yard punt return by Scott set up T.J. Duckett's 4-yard TD run. On his first career carry, Dawan Moss raced 42 yards for a touchdown. Thirteen seconds later, Lorenzo Guess returned an interception 39 yards for a score. Paul Edinger produced three field goals, including a 51-yarder in the third quarter. Michigan State's bid for its second straight shutout over Eastern Michigan ended early in the fourth quarter as Walter Church hooked up with Jermaine Sheffield for a 30-yard scoring pass. The Spartans' final score came on Arron Agler's 8-yard TD pass to Ivory McCoy. Michigan State played four different quarterbacks and featured 10 different ball carriers. The Spartans outgained Eastern Michigan in total yards, 492-130. Michigan State's defense allowed two first downs and 26 total yards in the first 30 minutes.
MSU/EASTERN MICHIGAN COACHING CONNECTION
Michigan State head coach Bobby Williams served as offensive backfield coach for five years at Eastern Michigan (1985-89) under Jim Harkema. Williams handled the additional duties of administrative assistant in 1989. During his stint at Eastern Michigan, the Eagles won the 1987 Mid-American Conference title and defeated San Jose State, 30-27, in the California Raisin Bowl. The Eagles finished second in the MAC standings in '88 and '89.
MICHIGAN STATE vs. MAC TEAMS
Michigan State has compiled a 24-5 record (.828) against current members of the Mid-American Conference (2-0 vs. Akron, 1-0 vs. Bowling Green, 3-2 vs. Central Michigan, 5-0 vs. Eastern Michigan, 1-0 vs. Marshall, 3-1 vs. Miami-Ohio, 1-0 vs. Ohio, 1-0 vs. Toledo and 7-2 vs. Western Michigan). The Spartans have won eight straight and 15 out of the last 17 meetings vs. MAC teams, with the only losses coming to Central Michigan in the 1991 (20-3) and 1992 (24-20) season openers.
SEASON OPENERS
In its 105-year football history, Michigan State is 68-34-3 (.662) in season openers, including a 6-4 record (.600) in its last 10 games. The Spartans have won five of their last six season openers, with the only setback coming at home to Colorado State, 23-16, in the Black Coaches Association Classic on Aug. 29, 1998. Michigan State has played its season opener on the road only once in the last 12 years (1994, a 17-10 loss at Kansas).
HOME OPENERS
In its 105-year football history, Michigan State is 84-21-0 (.800) in home openers, including a 6-4 record (.600) in its last 10 games. The Spartans have won five of their last six home openers, with the only setback coming to Colorado State, 23-16, in the Black Coaches Association Classic on Aug. 29, 1998.