Michigan State University Athletics
Homecoming 2004: Spartan Football Entertains No. 19 Minnesota
10/16/2004 12:00:00 AM | Football
Oct. 15, 2004
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DATE: Oct. 16, 2004
SITE: Spartan Stadium (72,027/natural grass), East Lansing, Mich.
KICKOFF: 12:10 p.m. EDT
ESTIMATED ATTENDANCE: 72,027 (sellout expected)
LAST WEEK: Michigan State defeated Illinois, 38-25; No. 13 Minnesota lost at No. 14 Michigan, 27-24.
BROADCAST COVERAGE: Radio - The Spartan Radio Network, featuring veteran play-by-play announcer George Blaha, color analyst Bill Burke, sideline reporter Will Tieman and broadcast host Mike Kamin, will broadcast the game to 35 affiliates throughout the state. Michigan State football broadcasts can be heard locally on flagship station WJIM (AM 1240, FM 97.5). Television - ESPN will televise the Michigan State-Minnesota game live to a national audience, with Eric Collins handling the play-by-play, Andre Ware providing color commentary and Jimmy Dykes serving as the sideline reporter. ESPN Plus also will televise the MSU-Minnesota game live on a regional basis, with Wayne Larrivee handling the play-by-play, Randy Wright providing color commentary and Quint Kessenich serving as the sideline reporter.
THE COACHES -
Michigan State's John L. Smith (Weber State 1971) is 11-8 (.579) in his second year with the Spartans and 121-68 (.640) in 16 seasons as a college head coach. Smith ranks No. 14 among active NCAA I-A football coaches in career victories and No. 19 in career winning percentage. Twelve of his teams have participated in postseason play, including seven-straight bowl appearances. He came to Michigan State following five seasons at Louisville (1998-2002) where he put together a 41-21 worksheet (.661), including five-straight bowl appearances and back-to-back C-USA titles in 2000-01. Smith posted a 16-18 ledger (.471) in three seasons at Utah State (1995-97) while leading the Aggies to consecutive Big West Conference crowns in 1996-97. His six-year mark of 53-21 (.716) at Idaho (1989-94) included five NCAA I-AA playoff appearances and five Top 20 finishes.
Minnesota's Glen Mason (Ohio State 1972) is 49-41 (.544) in his eighth year with the Golden Gophers and 108-105-1 (.507) in 18 seasons as a college head coach. Mason has guided Minnesota to postseason appearances four of the last five years, including trips to the 1999 Sun, 2000 Micronpc.com, 2002 Music City and 2003 Sun Bowls. He compiled a 47-54-1 record (.466) in nine seasons at Kansas (1988-96), including two trips to the Aloha Bowl (1992 and '95). Mason produced a 12-10 worksheet (.545) in two years at Kent State (1986-87).
2004 SCHEDULES & SCOREBOARDS -
MICHIGAN STATE (3-3, 2-1 Big Ten)
Date Opponent Time/ResultSept. 4 at Rutgers (ABC) L, 14-19 Sept. 11 CENTRAL MICHIGAN (ESPN Plus) W, 24-7 Sept. 18 NOTRE DAME (ESPN) L, 24-31 Sept. 25 at Indiana (ESPN Plus) W, 30-20 Oct. 2 at Iowa (ESPN Plus) L, 16-38 Oct. 9 ILLINOIS (ESPN Plus) W, 38-25 Oct. 16 MINNESOTA (ESPN & ESPN Plus) 12:10 p.m. EDT Oct. 30 at Michigan TBA Nov. 6 OHIO STATE TBA Nov. 13 WISCONSIN TBA Nov. 20 at Penn State TBA Dec. 4 at Hawaii TBA
MINNESOTA (5-1, 2-1 Big Ten)
Date Opponent Time/ResultSept. 4 TOLEDO W, 63-21 Sept. 11 ILLINOIS STATE W, 37-21 Sept. 18 at Colorado State W, 34-16 Sept. 25 NORTHWESTERN W, 43-17 Oct. 2 PENN STATE W, 16-7 Oct. 9 at Michigan L, 24-27 Oct. 16 at Michigan State 11:10 a.m. CDT Oct. 23 ILLINOIS 1:00 p.m. CDT Oct. 30 at Indiana TBA Nov. 6 at Wisconsin TBA Nov. 13 IOWA TBA
TEAM COMPARISONS -
Michigan State MinnesotaBasic Offense Spread Multiple Basic Defense Multiple 4-3 4-3 Offensive Starters Returning 7 7 Defensive Starters Returning 6 6 Specialists Returning 2 1
AVERAGE HEIGHTS & WEIGHTS (STARTERS) -
Michigan State MinnesotaOffensive Line & Tight End 6-5, 303 6-5, 291 Offensive Backs & Wide Receivers 6-1, 206 6-2, 207 Defensive Line 6-3, 290 6-4, 283 Linebackers 6-0, 231 6-1, 223 Defensive Backs 5-11, 193 6-0, 196
CLASS BREAKDOWN (STARTERS) -
Michigan State Offense: 3 seniors, 5 juniors, 3 sophomores
Michigan State Defense: 6 seniors, 3 juniors, 2 sophomores
Minnesota Offense: 2 seniors, 4 juniors, 3 sophomores, 2 freshmen
Minnesota Defense: 4 seniors, 5 juniors, 2 sophomores
STAT LEADERS -
Michigan State (after six games):
Rushing - Drew Stanton (48 carries for 352 yards, 7.3 avg., 4 TDs)
Passing - Drew Stanton (74 of 120 for 735 yards, 3 TDs, 2 INTs)
Receiving - Matt Trannon (20 catches for 255 yards, 12.8 avg., 1 TD)
Tackles - Ronald Stanley (68 tackles, 41 solos, 27 assists, 6 for losses)
Minnesota (after six games):
Rushing - Laurence Maroney (117 carries for 815 yards, 7.0 avg., 6 TDs)
Passing - Bryan Cupito (60 of 116 for 1051 yards, 8 TDs, 1 INT)
Receiving - Jared Ellerson (22 catches for 337 yards, 15.3 avg., 3 TDs)
Tackles - Terrance Campbell (45 tackles, 36 solos, 9 assists, 3 for losses)
STAT COMPARISON -
Michigan State MinnesotaScoring 24.3 36.2 First Downs 21.2 22.3 Total Offense 409.2 486.2 Rushing Yards 194.3 301.0 Passing Yards 214.8 185.2 Time of Possession 28:05 30:50 Third Down Conversions .326 .443 Points Allowed 23.3 18.2 Total Offense Allowed 372.0 394.3 Rushing Yards Allowed 174.3 113.2 Passing Yards Allowed 197.7 281.2
MSU/MINNESOTA SERIES NOTES -
Saturday's game marks the 39th meeting between Michigan State and Minnesota. The Spartans lead the all-time series 24-14, including a 13-5 record in games played in East Lansing, Mich. In 2003, Michigan State snapped Minnesota's three-game winning streak (1998-2002) in the series, posting a 44-38 victory in the Metrodome. Minnesota's last trip to Spartan Stadium resulted in a 28-7 win on Oct. 19, 2002. Prior to the Golden Gophers' three-game winning streak, the Spartans reeled off 17-straight victories from 1977-97. (Note: For a complete list of all-time series scores, please refer to pages 173-174 in the 2004 MSU Football Media Guide.)
THE LAST MEETING -
Oct. 18, 2003, in Minneapolis, Minn.: Jason Teague and Jaren Hayes combined to rush for 160 yards and three scores as No. 15 Michigan State posted its fifth-straight win and remained atop the Big Ten standings at 4-0, with its 44-38 victory at No. 25 Minnesota. The Spartans scored on their first three possessions to build a 17-0 lead. Michigan State got off to a quick start, thanks to its kickoff cover unit as Kiel Beltinck jarred the ball loose from Minnesota's Jared Posthumus and Mark Goebel recovered at the Gopher 36. Four plays later, Hayes scored on an 11-yard run as the Spartans jumped out to a 7-0 lead. Hayes capped an 11-play, 68-yard drive with a 6-yard TD run and a 10-play, 60-yard drive resulted in Dave Rayner's 46-yard field goal. Minnesota pulled to within 17-10 early in the second quarter on a 23-yard field goal from Rhys Lloyd and Asad Abdul-Khaliq's 13-yard touchdown pass to Tony Patterson. The Gophers' next possession ended in a fumble as Abdul-Khaliq lost the ball while being sacked by Seth Mitchell, and Mike Labinjo returned it 11 yards to the Minnesota 29. Six plays later, Jeff Smoker scored on a quarterback draw from 6 yards out to give the Spartans a 24-10 lead. Minnesota answered on its next series as Marion Barber III capped a 10-play, 80-yard drive with a 1-yard TD run on fourth-and-goal to make it 24-17 with 48 seconds left in the first half. DeAndra Cobb returned the ensuing kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown as MSU moved out to a 31-17 lead. The Spartan defense got the ball back 14 seconds later as Ronald Stanley recovered a fumble at the Minnesota 45. On the final play of the first half, Rayner connected on a 50-yard field goal to send the Spartans to the locker room with a 34-17 advantage. Late in the third quarter, Rayner produced his third field goal, a 52-yarder, as MSU extended its lead to 37-17. Abdul-Khaliq finished off a five-play, 78-yard drive with a 17-yard TD toss to Aaron Hosack as Minnesota closed the gap to 37-24 with 20 seconds remaining in the third quarter. Teague appeared to ice the game with his 60-yard TD run with 6:47 to play. Abdul-Khaliq threw TD strikes of 23 yards to Jakari Wallace and 8 yards to Hosack as Minnesota rallied to within 44-38 with 2:02 left. Drew Stanton ended the Gophers' comeback by recovering the on-side kick. Michigan State held Minnesota to 148 yards rushing (39 attempts) - 150 yards below its season average. Barber III, who came into the game averaging 105 yards per game, managed only 19 yards on 14 rushes.
THE LAST MEETING IN SPARTAN STADIUM -
Oct. 19, 2002, in East Lansing, Mich.: Terry Jackson II and Thomas Tapeh combined for 385 of Minnesota's 390 rushing yards in the Golden Gophers' 28-7 victory over Michigan State. It marked Minnesota's first win in Spartan Stadium since Oct. 16, 1976, 14-10. Michigan State took the opening kickoff and drove 74 yards in five plays to take a 7-0 lead. Jeff Smoker's 52-yard completion to Charles Rogers set up David Richard's 1-yard touchdown run. Minnesota put together a seven-play, 96-yard drive to tie the game at 7 on Asad Abdul-Khaliq's 45-yard TD strike to Aaron Hosack with 4:26 left in the first quarter. Dan Nystrom converted field goals from 44 and 22 yards in the second quarter as the Golden Gophers built a 13-7 halftime advantage. Minnesota opened the second half with a 12-play, 79-yard drive and moved out to a 21-7 lead on Abdul-Khaliq's 27-yard TD toss to Tony Patterson and two-point pass to Antoine Burns. Tapeh capped a 10-play, 80-yard drive with a 4-yard TD run as Minnesota increased its lead to 28-7 with 2:29 left in the third quarter. Jackson became the first Golden Gopher to post back-to-back 200-yard games, rushing for 238 yards on 29 carries. Tapeh gained 147 yards on 25 rushes.
MSU/MINNESOTA COACHING CONNECTIONS -
• Michigan State assistant head coach/running backs coach Reggie Mitchell previously spent 12 years as an assistant coach under Minnesota head coach Glen Mason. Mitchell joined the Spartan coaching staff in 1999 following two seasons as running backs coach at Minnesota (1997-98). He followed Mason to Minnesota after a nine-year stint at Kansas (1988-96), where he coached running backs for two years, defensive ends for four seasons and defensive line for three years. Mitchell first joined Coach Mason as wide receivers coach at Kent State in 1987.
• Michigan State defensive line coach Steve Stripling worked for four seasons at Minnesota (1997-2000) where he served as linebackers coach and recruiting coordinator under Glen Mason.
• Minnesota guards and centers coach Gordon Shaw worked for Michigan State head coach John L. Smith at Idaho in 1989. Shaw served as defensive coordinator under Smith, who was in his first season as the Vandals' head coach.
SPARTAN HOMECOMING GAMES -
Michigan State is 57-28-3 (.665) in 88 Homecoming games, including a 3-4 record vs. Minnesota. The Spartans have won three of the last four Homecoming contests against the Golden Gophers. Minnesota's last trip to East Lansing, Mich., for Homecoming resulted in a 28-7 Golden Gopher victory on Oct. 19, 2002.
The Spartans have won six of their last eight and 10 of the last 14 Homecoming games. MSU has a 43-20-2 record (.677) in Homecoming contests played in October. (Note: For a complete list of Homecoming results, please refer to page 180 in the 2004 MSU Football Media Guide.)
Here's a look at Michigan State's Homecoming results vs. Minnesota:
Date ResultOct. 19, 2002 Minnesota 28, MSU 7Oct. 4, 1997 MSU 31, Minnesota 10Oct. 19, 1991 MSU 20, Minnesota 12Oct. 29, 1983 MSU 34, Minnesota 10Oct. 16, 1976 Minnesota 14, MSU 10Oct. 19, 1968 Minnesota 14, MSU 13Nov. 3, 1962 Minnesota 28, MSU 7
UPSET SPECIALS -
Michigan State is 15-15 (.500) in its last 30 games against teams ranked in the Associated Press Top 25, including a 9-3 record (.750) in games played in Spartan Stadium. Twelve of those 15 wins over ranked teams have come while Michigan State was unranked or ranked below its opponent. In 2003, the Spartans were 2-3 vs. AP Top 25 teams, including victories over No. 13 Iowa (20-10) and No. 25 Minnesota (44-38) and losses to No. 11 Michigan (27-20), No. 7 Ohio State (33-23) and No. 22 Nebraska (17-3) in the Alamo Bowl.
Here's a look at Michigan State's last 30 games against AP Top 25 teams:
Date Result (Associated Press Ranking) SiteDec. 29, 2003 No. 22 Nebraska 17, MSU 3 San AntonioNov. 8, 2003 No. 7 Ohio State 33, No. 14 MSU 23 ColumbusNov. 1, 2003 No. 11 Michigan 27, No. 9 MSU 20 East LansingOct. 18, 2003 No. 15 MSU 44, No. 25 Minnesota 38 MinneapolisSept. 27, 2003 MSU 20, No. 13 Iowa 10 East LansingNov. 23, 2002 No. 15 Penn State 61, MSU 7 State CollegeNov. 2, 2002 No. 15 Michigan 49, MSU 3 Ann ArborOct. 12, 2002 No. 17 Iowa 44, MSU 16 Iowa CitySept. 21, 2002 No. 12 Notre Dame 21, MSU 17 East LansingDec. 31, 2001 MSU 44, No. 20 Fresno State 35 San JoseNov. 3, 2001 MSU 26, No. 6 Michigan 24 East LansingSept. 29, 2001 No. 16 Northwestern 27, No. 23 MSU 26 EvanstonSept. 22, 2001 MSU 17, No. 23 Notre Dame 10 South BendNov. 11, 2000 MSU 30, No. 9 Purdue 10 East LansingNov. 4, 2000 No. 16 Ohio State 27, MSU 13 ColumbusOct. 21, 2000 No. 16 Michigan 14, MSU 0 Ann ArborSept. 23, 2000 No. 23 MSU 27, No. 16 Notre Dame 21 East LansingJan. 1, 2000 No. 9 MSU 37, No. 10 Florida 34 OrlandoNov. 20, 1999 No. 15 MSU 35, No. 13 Penn State 28 East LansingNov. 6, 1999 No. 19 MSU 23, No. 20 Ohio State 7 East LansingOct. 23, 1999 No. 17 Wisconsin 40, No. 11 MSU 10 MadisonOct. 16, 1999 No. 20 Purdue 52, No. 5 MSU 28 West LafayetteOct. 9, 1999 No. 11 MSU 34, No. 3 Michigan 31 East LansingSept. 18, 1999 MSU 23, No. 24 Notre Dame 13 South BendNov. 28, 1998 No. 23 Penn State 51, MSU 28 State CollegeNov. 7, 1998 MSU 28, No. 1 Ohio State 24 ColumbusSept. 12, 1998 MSU 45, No. 10 Notre Dame 23 East LansingAug. 29, 1998 No. 15 Colorado State 23, No. 23 MSU 16 East LansingDec. 25, 1997 No. 21 Washington 51, No. 25 MSU 23 Aloha BowlNov. 29, 1997 MSU 49, No. 4 Penn State 14 East Lansing
 DeAndra Cobb rushed for a career-best 93 yards on nine carries and scored the first offensive TD of his career vs. Illinois.  | |
THE LAST TIME OUT -
MSU 38, Illinois 25: Drew Stanton accounted for 254 combined yards (rushing, passing and receiving) and four touchdowns to lead Michigan State to a 38-25 victory over Illinois in Spartan Stadium. It marked MSU's eighth-straight win over the Fighting Illini. Kyle Brown's 37-yard punt return to the Illini 49 set up MSU's first score. Stanton capped the nine-play, 49-yard drive with an 11-yard TD toss to Jerramy Scott with 6:19 left in the first quarter. Stanton opened the next series with a 29-yard completion down the middle to Kellen Davis to the Illini 42. Three plays later, Stanton caught an 18-yard TD pass from Scott as the Spartans built a 13-0 lead with 3:47 remaining in the first quarter. Brandon Fields mishandled the center snap on the extra-point attempt and the Illini's Kelvin Hayden returned the fumble for 2 points. Michigan State scored on its third-straight possession and took a 20-2 lead as Stanton finished off a seven-play, 80-yard drive with a 6-yard TD toss to Jason Teague with 12:54 left in the second quarter. Illinois answered on its next series and pulled to within 20-9 as Pierre Thomas raced 23 yards around left end for a touchdown with 8:30 to play in the first half. Late in the second quarter, Jon Beutjer lost the ball while being sacked by Ronald Stanley and Brandon McKinney recovered the fumble for the Spartans at the Illini 26. With four seconds left in the first half, Dave Rayner converted a 21-yard field goal as Michigan State enjoyed a 23-9 halftime advantage. Illinois opened the third period with a four-play, 80-yard drive. Thomas carried the ball four-straight times, including a 69-yard gain, and scored on a 3-yard run as the Illini closed the gap to 23-16 with 13:06 remaining in the third quarter. Michigan State put together a five-play, 80-yard drive midway through the third quarter and extended its lead to 30-16 on Stanton's 27-yard TD strike to Agim Shabaj in the right corner of the end zone. The Illini responded with a 15-play, 64-yard drive that resulted in Jason Reda's 25-yard field goal, cutting the deficit to 30-19 with 27 seconds left in the third quarter. Illinois rallied to within 30-25 with 14:13 to play as Kevin Mitchell blocked a Spartan punt that Sharriff Abdullah recovered in the end zone for a touchdown. Michigan State put the game out of reach with a seven-play, 62-yard drive that led to a 12-yard TD run by DeAndra Cobb. Stanton followed that score up with a 2-point pass to Teague for a 38-25 Spartan lead with 5:47 on the clock. Michigan State produced 487 total yards - its best single-game total under John L. Smith. Cobb rushed for a career-best 93 yards on nine carries and scored the first offensive TD of his career.
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 Oct. 9 game vs. Illinois:
Offense - C Ryan Danescu
Defense - DE Steve Kielp
BIG TEN/NCAA STAT LEADERS -
Here's a glance at how Michigan State ranks among the Big Ten and NCAA stat leaders in 2004:
Category Stat Avg. Big Ten NCAARushing Offense 194.3 2nd 27thPassing Offense 214.8 6th 51stTotal Offense 409.2 4th 32ndScoring Offense 24.3 7th t-66thRushing Defense 174.3 9th 78thPassing Defense 197.7 4th 50thTotal Defense 372.0 7th 67thScoring Defense 23.3 8th 57thPassing Efficiency 115.5 8th 82ndPass Efficiency Defense 111.9 4th t-41stTurnover Margin -0.67 t-9th t-87thNet Punting 40.0 2nd 16thPunt Returns 9.0 10th t-60thKickoff Returns 22.4 7th 35th
NCAA STAT LEADERS -
Here's a glance at how Michigan State ranks among the NCAA individual stat leaders in 2004:
Individual Statistics (Top 50)
Total Offense: Drew Stanton (39th at 217.4 yards per game)
Punting: Brandon Fields (1st at 49.5 yards per punt)
Interceptions: Jason Harmon (t-25th at 0.5 interceptions per game)
Punt Returns: Kyle Brown (49th at 9.9 yards per return)
Kickoff Returns: DeAndra Cobb (35th at 22.8 yards per return)
Field Goals: Dave Rayner (t-16th at 1.5 made per game)
SPARTANS FEATURE IMPROVED GROUND ATTACK -
Michigan State has displayed an improved running attack in 2004. Through six games, the Spartans rank second in the Big Ten in rushing, averaging 194.3 yards per game. That's an improvement of nearly 97 yards per game over last season.
The Spartans have recorded four 200-yard rushing games in 2004, including the last three in a row. Michigan State's running game yielded 253 yards vs. Illinois - its best single-game total during John L. Smith's tenure. The Spartans gained 204 yards on the ground vs. Iowa, which entered the game ranked third in the NCAA in rushing defense, allowing 55.5 yards per game. Michigan State rushed for 241 yards vs. Indiana. It marks the first time since 1997 that Michigan State has posted three-straight 200-yard rushing games in the same season (200 vs. Purdue, 202 vs. Illinois and 452 vs. Penn State).
The Spartans produced 165 yards (4.7 yards per carry ) vs. Notre Dame, which entered the game ranked sixth in the nation in rushing defense, surrendering just 39.0 yards per game. Michigan State picked up 231 yards on the ground in the home opener vs. Central Michigan.
The Spartans feature a well-balanced ground attack with three players gaining more than 300 yards. Quarterback Drew Stanton leads the team in rushing with 352 yards and four touchdowns on 48 carries. He rushed for 89 yards on 15 attempts vs. Iowa, including a 1-yard TD run. Stanton gained 134 yards on 12 rushes vs. Indiana to become the first Spartan QB to record a 100-yard game since Charlie Baggett picked up 120 yards vs. Northwestern in 1975.
Running backs Jason Teague and Jehuu Caulcrick have combined to rush for 615 yards and three scores on 142 attempts.
By contrast, Michigan State finished last in the Big Ten and No. 111 nationally in rushing in 2003, averaging just 97.4 yards per game. It marked MSU's lowest rushing production in the last 57 years.
TURNOVERS PLAGUE SPARTANS -
Through six games, the Spartans rank near the bottom of the Big Ten and NCAA in turnover margin (-4 overall). Michigan State has scored just six points off eight takeaways in 2004, while its opponents have converted 12 Spartan miscues into 34 points.
By comparison in 2003, Michigan State had a +9 turnover margin after six games. The Spartans had parlayed 17 takeaways into 45 points at this point last season.
Here's a game-by-game look at MSU's takeaways and giveaways in 2004:
Michigan State Takeaways Points@ Rutgers 1 (interception) 0Central Michigan - -Notre Dame 3 (interception, 2 fumbles) 0@ Indiana 2 (2 interceptions) 0@ Iowa 1 (interception) 3Illinois 1 (fumble) 3Totals 8 (5 interceptions, 3 fumbles) 6
Opponent Takeaways Points@ Rutgers 3 (2 fumbles, interception) 7Central Michigan - -Notre Dame 6 (3 interceptions, 3 fumbles) 17@ Indiana 2 (2 interceptions) 3@ Iowa 1 (fumble) 7Illinois - -Totals 12 (6 interceptions, 6 fumbles) 34
BALL SECURITY, PART II -
Michigan State has committed 12 turnovers (six interceptions, six fumbles) in the first six games of the 2004 season. By contrast, the Spartans turned the ball over just 18 times in 13 games in 2003 - the Big Ten's fourth-lowest total (No. 15 in the NCAA). In 2003, Michigan State lost just three fumbles - the NCAA's best mark.
 Drew Stanton has completed 74-of-120 throws (.617) for 735 yards, three TDs and two interceptions in 2004. | |
STANTON ADDS RUNNING DIMENSION TO SPREAD OFFENSE -
Sophomore quarterback Drew Stanton ranks fourth in the Big Ten in total offense (217.4 yards per game), seventh in passing efficiency (118.0 rating) and eighth in rushing (70.4 ypg.). In Big Ten games, Stanton ranks second in the league in total offense (292.0 ypg.), fourth in rushing (86.7 ypg.), sixth in passing (205.3 ypg.) and sixth in passing efficiency (116.8 rating).
The 6-foot-3, 225-pound Stanton leads the Spartans in rushing (352 yards on 48 carries) and rushing touchdowns (4). He also has completed 74-of-120 throws (.617) for 735 yards, three TDs and two interceptions.
Stanton accounted for 254 combined yards (rushing, passing and receiving) and four TDs to lead MSU to a 38-25 victory over Illinois. He completed 21-of-28 throws (.750) for 199 yards and three scores against the Illini. Stanton completed passes to 10 different receivers, including scoring tosses of 11 yards to Jerramy Scott, 6 yards to Jason Teague and 27 yards to Agim Shabaj. He also scored on an 18-yard pass from Scott.
Stanton set personal bests for pass attempts (54), completions (29), passing yards (245) and total yards (334) vs. Iowa. He also picked up 89 yards on 15 carries, including a 1-yard TD run, against the Hawkeyes, who entered the game ranked third in the NCAA in rushing defense (allowing 55.5 ypg.).
He accounted for 306 total yards and two scores in his first collegiate start at Indiana as the Spartans rallied from a 13-point halftime deficit to post a 30-20 victory in the Big Ten opener. Stanton rushed for 134 yards on 12 carries vs. Indiana to become the first Spartan quarterback to record a 100-yard rushing game since Charlie Baggett gained 120 yards vs. Northwestern in 1975. He scored on runs of 1 and 2 yards against the Hoosiers.
Stanton came off the bench to account for 159 total yards (110 passing, 49 rushing) in the second half vs. Notre Dame, including a 4-yard TD run in the fourth quarter.
The Farmington Hills, Mich., native provided a spark off the bench in the home opener vs. Central Michigan, orchestrating a 13-play, 96-yard scoring drive in the fourth quarter that iced the game. His 38-yard run on a fourth-and-1 play from the CMU 40 set up MSU's final TD.
STANLEY REACHES 300-TACKLE MILESTONE, APPROACHES MSU'S ALL-TIME TOP 10 -
Senior linebacker Ronald Stanley leads the Spartans in tackles (68 total), tackles for losses (6 for 20 yards) and production points (127). Last week against Illinois, he became only the 14th player in Spartan history to reach the 300-tackle milestone. The 6-foot, 234-pound Stanley has recorded 311 career tackles and needs just 18 more stops to crack MSU's all-time top 10.
The Saginaw, Mich., native has posted double figures in tackles three times in 2004 and on 11 occasions during his career. Stanley produced 12 tackles in last week's 38-25 victory over Illinois, including a 9-yard sack that resulted in a fumble and led to a Spartan field goal. He also registered 12 tackles vs. Indiana, including two behind the line of scrimmage (6 yards). Stanley recorded a career-best 20 tackles, including two for losses (4 yards), in the season opener at Rutgers.
COBB RACES TOWARD THE RECORD BOOKS -
DeAndra Cobb returned five kickoffs for 152 yards (30.4 avg.) vs. Notre Dame, including an 89-yard runback for a touchdown in the third quarter. It marked Cobb's fourth career kickoff return for a score, one shy of the Big Ten record held by Purdue's Stan Brown (1968-70). The NCAA career mark belongs to Southern Cal's Anthony Davis (1972-74), who returned six kickoffs for TDs.
The 5-foot-10, 197-pound Cobb currently ranks seventh in the Big Ten and No. 35 in the NCAA in kickoff returns with his 22.8-yard average.
His career 25.3-yard kickoff return average ranks sixth on the Big Ten's all-time list. Cobb also stands fifth on MSU's all-time chart with 1,242 career kickoff return yards.
YOUTH IS SERVED -
Twenty-two true and red-shirt freshmen have seen action for Michigan State in the first six games of the 2004 season. Here's a complete breakdown of true and red-shirt freshmen that have made their Spartan debuts thus far in 2004:
True Freshmen (12): SP Sir Darean Adams, SP Eric Andino, SP Mike Bell, SP Tom Dance, SP Kellen Davis, SP Hugh D'Imperio, WR Carl Grimes, SP Travis Key, SP Tyrone McKenzie, DE Nick Smith, SP Rob Tabatchnick and SP Miles Williams.
Red-shirt Freshmen (10): WR Irving Campbell, RB Jehuu Caulcrick, RG Pete Clifford, SP Cole Corey, RT Mike Gyetvai, WR Terry Love, QB Stephen Reaves, SP Kyle Sackrider, LB Kaleb Thornhill and NG Joe Toth.
Note: SP = special teams appearance.
FIRST-YEAR PLAYERS IMPACT SPARTAN DEPTH CHART -
No fewer than eight first-year players are currently listed on Michigan State's depth chart, including six on defense, one on offense and one specialist. Here's a complete breakdown of true freshmen and junior college transfers included on the depth chart:
True Freshmen (6): BANDIT Sir Darean Adams, LB Eric Andino, TE Kellen Davis, RCB Eric Hines, DE Nick Smith and RCB Miles Williams.
Junior College Transfers (2): PK/P John Goss and DT Domata Peko.
THE COMEBACK KIDS -
Michigan State erased a 13-point halftime deficit by scoring 23 unanswered points en route to a 30-20 victory at Indiana in the 2004 Big Ten opener. It marked Michigan State's biggest comeback from a halftime deficit since posting a 34-16 victory over Wyoming in 1977 after trailing 16-0 at the intermission.
Spartan tailback Leroy McGee keyed the rally against the Cowboys, scoring three second-half touchdowns. His 1-yard TD run with 1:06 left in the third quarter gave Michigan State the lead for good at 20-16. The Spartans broke the game open early in the fourth quarter as Ed Smith hooked up with Kirk Gibson for an 82-yard scoring pass.
In 1998, Michigan State staged perhaps its greatest comeback, rallying from a 24-9 third-quarter deficit to upset top-ranked Ohio State, 28-24, in Columbus. Spartan placekicker Paul Edinger provided five field goals, including a 49-yarder in the third quarter. Sedrick Irvin capped an eight-play, 92-yard drive with a 3-yard TD run early in the fourth quarter as Michigan State took the lead for good at 25-24. The Spartans trailed the Buckeyes, 17-9, at halftime.
MANY HAPPY SPARTAN RETURNS -
Michigan State's special teams produced two touchdowns in a 31-24 loss to Notre Dame. Early in the first quarter, Marshall Campbell blocked D.J. Fitzpatrick's punt that Jerramy Scott recovered in the back of the end zone for a score. Late in the third quarter, DeAndra Cobb returned his fourth career kickoff for a TD, an 89-yarder.
In 2003, Michigan State scored seven non-offensive touchdowns, including three kickoff, two fumble and two interception returns.
REAVES, STANTON PRODUCE WINS IN DEBUTS AS STARTING QB -
For the first time since 1996, Michigan State has utilized three different starting quarterbacks in the same season. Senior Damon Dowdell earned his seventh career start in the 2004 season opener at Rutgers. Red-shirt freshman Stephen Reaves started back-to-back games vs. Central Michigan and Notre Dame, while sophomore Drew Stanton assumed the starting role for the Big Ten opener at Indiana.
In 1996, Todd Schultz, Gus Ornstein and Bill Burke each took turns under center as the starting signal caller.
Reaves and Stanton each produced wins in their first career starts. Here's how Michigan State's last 15 quarterbacks fared in their first college starts:
• Drew Stanton - Sept. 25, 2004 vs. Indiana (W 30-20)
Stanton accounted for 306 total yards and two touchdowns as the Spartans rallied from a 20-7 halftime deficit. He rushed for 134 yards on 12 carries, including TD runs of 1 and 2 yards, and completed 15-of-23 throws for 172 yards and two interceptions.
• Stephen Reaves - Sept. 11, 2004 vs. Central Michigan (W 24-7)
Reaves hit 9-of-19 passes for 183 yards vs. Central Michigan, including a 44-yard TD strike to Kyle Brown.
• Damon Dowdell - Nov. 17, 2001 vs. Purdue (L 14-24)
Dowdell completed 24-of-45 throws for 304 yards vs. Purdue, including a 7-yard TD toss to Charles Rogers.
• Jeff Smoker - Sept. 16, 2000 vs. Missouri (W 13-10)
Smoker connected on 10-of-24 throws for 157 yards with one interception as the Spartans rallied from a 10-0 first-quarter deficit.
• Ryan Van Dyke - Sept. 9, 2000 vs. Marshall (W 34-24)
Van Dyke completed 5-of-7 passes for 74 yards, including a 37-yard TD strike to Chris Baker, before leaving the game with a bruised right thumb late in the first quarter.
• Bill Burke - Sept. 28, 1996 vs. Eastern Michigan (W 47-0)
Burke completed 8-of-22 passes for 166 yards, including TD tosses of 49 and 5 yards to Nigea Carter.
• Gus Ornstein - Sept. 21, 1996 vs. Louisville (L 20-30)
Ornstein hit 21-of-37 passes for 237 yards, including a 17-yard TD strike to Derrick Mason.
• Todd Schultz - Sept. 30, 1995 vs. Boston College (W 25-21)
Schultz completed 20-of-28 passes for 210 yards as the Spartans rallied from a 21-9 third-quarter deficit to win 25-21.
• Tony Banks - Sept. 10, 1994 at Kansas (L 10-17)
Banks connected on 8-of-22 throws for 71 yards with two interceptions.
• Mill Coleman - Nov. 14, 1992 vs. Purdue (W 35-13)
Coleman completed 4-of-10 passes for 54 yards with one interception. He also added a 2-yard TD run.
• John Gieselman - Oct. 31, 1992 at Northwestern (W 27-26)
Gieselman hit 4-of-7 pass attempts for 27 yards.
• Jim Miller - Oct. 5, 1991 at Indiana (L 0-31)
Miller completed 10-of-19 throws for 105 yards with one interception.
• Bret Johnson - Sept. 14, 1991 vs. Central Michigan (L 3-20)
Johnson connected on 6-of-11 passes for 29 yards.
• Dan Enos - Sept. 16, 1989 vs. Miami-Ohio (W 49-0)
Enos hit 5-of-7 throws for 78 yards and scored on an 8-yard run.
• Bobby McAllister - Sept. 7, 1987 vs. Southern Cal (W 27-13)
McAllister completed 10-of-15 passes for 103 yards and rushed 15 times for 63 yards, including a 9-yard TD run.
SPARTAN COACHING STAFF APPOINTS 2004 CAPTAINS -
Michigan State second-year head coach John L. Smith and his coaching staff have appointed four captains for the 2004 season: junior wide receiver Kyle Brown, senior BANDIT Tyrell Dortch, senior free safety Jason Harmon and senior MIKE linebacker Ronald Stanley.
Stanley, who served in the same capacity in 2003, becomes just the sixth multi-year captain in Spartan football history, joining center Robert McCurry (1946-47-48), quarterback John Leister (1981-82), linebacker Carl Banks (1982-83), linebacker Ike Reese (1996-97) and linebacker Josh Thornhill (2000-01).
SPARTANS FACE ONE OF THE NCAA'S TOUGHEST SCHEDULES DOWN THE STRETCH -
Michigan State's six remaining opponents comprise the nation's 11th-most difficult schedule, according to NCAA figures. The Spartans' future opponents have a combined record of 22-10 (.688) against other Division I-A teams. The remaining schedule also features four opponents listed in this week's Associated Press Poll: No. 19 Minnesota (Oct. 16), No. 14 Michigan (Oct. 30), No. 25 Ohio State (Nov. 6) and No. 10 Wisconsin (Nov. 13).
Here's a look at teams facing the NCAA's toughest remaining schedules in 2004:
Rank Team Combined Opp. Record Winning Pct.1. Notre Dame 18-4 .8182. Cincinnati 15-5 .7503. Oklahoma State 22-8 .733 Texas A&M 22-8 .7335. UCLA 21-8 .724 Baylor 21-8 .7247. Alabama 18-7 .7208. Texas 23-9 .7199. Kansas 17-7 .70810. Virginia Tech 16-7 .69611. Michigan State 22-10 .688
PLAYING IN FRONT OF A FULL HOUSE -
Michigan State has played before a sellout crowd in 44 of its last 49 home games, including the last 36 in a row. The Spartans have ranked among the NCAA's top 20 in attendance each of the last 48 years, including 20th in 2003, averaging 72,830 fans per game.
SPARTANS TOUGH ON HOME TURF -
Spartan Stadium is in its 81st season as home to Michigan State football. Michigan State has compiled a 298-127-13 record (.695) since taking up residency in Spartan Stadium in 1923. The Spartans have gone undefeated at home 16 times since the stadium opened, including a perfect 6-0 mark in 1999. It marked Michigan State's first undefeated home record since 1966 (5-0-1) and its first unbeaten and untied home slate since 1965 (5-0-0).
MAGIC NUMBER 24 -
Since 1990, Michigan State is 75-17-1 (.812) when it scores at least 24 points and 13-63-1 (.175) when it scores fewer than 24 points. During that 15-year period, the Spartans have compiled an overall record of 88-80-2 (.524).
SPARTAN SINGLE-GAME BESTS UNDER SMITH -
Here's a look at the top single-game totals produced by Michigan State during head coach John L. Smith's tenure (2003-04; 19 games):
Rushing Yards: 253 vs. Illinois, 2004
Passing Yards: 382 vs. Indiana, 2003
Total Yards: 487 vs. Illinois, 2004
First Downs: 30 vs. Indiana, 2003
Fewest Rushing Yards Allowed: minus 2 by Rutgers, 2003
Fewest Passing Yards Allowed: 93 by Central Michigan, 2004
Fewest Total Yards Allowed: 238 by Penn State, 2003
Fewest First Downs Allowed: 12 by Indiana, 2004 and Rutgers, 2003
Sacks By: 6 vs. Indiana and Western Michigan, 2003
Turnovers Forced: 5 vs. Louisiana Tech, 2003
Points (Game): 49 vs. Illinois, 2003
Points (Half): 34 (1st) vs. Minnesota, 2003
Points (Quarter): 24 (2nd) vs. Rutgers, 2003
Victory Margin: 35 vs. Illinois, 2003
