From The Press Box
9/6/2003 12:00:00 AM | Football
Sept. 6, 2003
Recap?|? Final Stats?|? Quotes
Michigan State vs. Rutgers
Spartan Stadium - East Lansing, Mich.
September 6, 2003
MSU Game Notes
Attendance: 72,579. Today's game marked the 28th-consecutive sellout in Spartan Stadium and the 36th sellout in the last 41 games.
Today was the 1,000th game in Michigan State football history. The Spartans have an all-time record of 574-382-44.
With three touchdown passes, senior quarterback Jeff Smoker now has 46 in his career, tying the school record held by Bill Burke (1996-99). Smoker also moved into fourth place on the career completions list with 425, and is 42 completions shy of the school record of 467, held by Jim Miller (1990-93).
Smoker's 351 yards passing mark the sixth 300-plus yard effort of his career, and the third-highest total of his career. It was the 15th time in his career he surpassed 200 yards passing.
Sophomore receiver Agim Shabaj had his first 100-yard receiving game, finishing with career bests of 145 yards and seven receptions, including a 62-yard touchdown catch in the second quarter.
Sophomore running back Jaren Hayes recorded the first two receiving touchdowns of his career, scoring on a 51-yard pass from Smoker in the first quarter and a 27-yard screen pass from Smoker in the second quarter. Hayes finished with career highs of 96 yards receiving and six catches, and added 47 yards rushing on 12 carries.
Junior DeAndra Cobb returned a kickoff 94 yards for his first career touchdown. It was the eighth-longest kickoff return in school history, and first kickoff returned for a touchdown by a Spartan since Herb Haygood ran one back 100 yards vs. Iowa, Oct. 13, 2001.
Senior linebacker Monquiz Wedlow recorded his first career interception, and returned the pickoff 29 yards for a touchdown, which was his second career score. Wedlow recovered a mishandled snap for a touchdown vs. Fresno State in the 2001 Silicon Valley Football Classic.
Michigan State held Rutgers to -2 yards rushing, and in two games, has allowed a total of just four yards rushing. The Spartans held Western Michigan to only six yards rushing last Saturday.
Red-shirt freshman Brandon Fields averaged 52.3 yards on six punts, including a 74-yard punt in the second quarter that was the seventh-longest punt in Spartan history.
Quick Hitters
? Michigan State has won 15 of its last 17 games against non-conference opponents dating back to 1999.
? Michigan State improved to 2-0 for the fifth-consecutive season.
? Four of Jeff Smoker's six touchdown passes this season have covered 50 or more yards.
