Michigan State vs. Eastern Michigan Post-Game Notes
9/1/2002 12:00:00 AM | Football
Aug. 31, 2002
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ATTENDANCE - 73,929 - The game marks MSU's 19th-straight sellout. MSU has played before a sellout crowd in 26 of its last 32 home games.
SERIES - Today's game marked only the sixth meeting between Michigan State and Eastern Michigan. The Spartans lead the all-time series 6-0, including a 5-0 record in games played in East Lansing.
IT'S AMAZING - Junior tailback Tyrell Dortch led the Spartan football team out of the locker room today. For Dortch, it marked an amazing comeback from a serious injury suffered against Wisconsin last October. Dortch, who broke his lower right leg, is practicing with MSU right now but has not been cleared for full contact.
MOSS' DAY- Senior tailback Dawan Moss had a career day vs. EMU. Moss finished with 12 carries for 136 yards and two touchdowns, including a 50-yard touchdown run. It marked his first career 100-yard rushing game.
His 50-yard touchdown run in the second quarter marked Moss' first rushing touchdown since the Illinois game on Oct. 28, 2000 - a span of 15 games. His 50-yard TD was his longest run since the Eastern Michigan game in 1999.
In addition, Moss had a 5-yard TD run in the third quarter. He tied his career high with two rushing TDs today.
Moss gained more yards in the first half today, than in each of his first three seasons. As a freshman, Moss finished with 17 carries for 91 yards; as a sophomore, he had 31 attempts for 81 yards and as a junior in 2001, he finished with 25 carries for 93 yards. Two of his six career touchdowns have come against EMU.
KNOTT'S DAY - Sophomore tight end Eric Knott had his first career catch vs. EMU - a 13-yard catch from Jeff Smoker. In addition, Knott caught his first career TD pass - a 4-yarder from Jeff Smoker - in the second quarter. Knott also had a 30-yard TD pass from Smoker late in the second quarter. Knott finished the day with six catches for 69 yards.
SMOKER TO ROGERS - The first touchdown of the 2002 season was a 19-yard pass from Jeff Smoker to Charles Rogers.
In addition, Smoker hit the 4,000-yard passing mark with a 38-yard completion to Rogers in the first quarter. Smoker finished the day 14-of-24 for 232 yards and three touchdowns. The three TD passes equals his career high and marked the fifth time in his career he has hit that mark.
With four catches for 138 yards, Rogers became the first player in MSU history to post five straight 100-yard receiving games. Rogers breaks the mark previously held by Derrick Mason. Mason had four straight 100-yard receiving games from Oct. 12, 1996 to Nov. 2, 1996.
THE TAILBACKS HAVE IT - In addition to Moss, freshmen tailbacks Jaren Hayes and David Richard turned in solid performances.
Hayes scored his first career rushing TD - a one-yard run in the third quarter. Hayes finished the game with 10 carries for 83 yards.
Meanwhile, Richard rushed for 93 yards on 11 carries and one TD.
As a team, the Spartans racked up 369 yards on the ground on 48 carries - an average of 7.7 yards per game.
MISCELLANEOUS NOTES FROM TODAY -
* MSU's 56 points were the team's most since MSU scored 55 in a 55-7 victory over Missouri on Dec. 1, 2001. Over the past three games (counting the final two contests of the 2001 season), the Spartans have averaged 51.6 points per game.
* MSU gained 625 yards - 369 rushing and 256 passing. In addition, the Spartans had 31 first downs (21 rushing and 10 passing).
On the opposite side, the Spartans held EMU to 241 total yards, including only 54 yards rushing.
