Michigan State University
Central Michigan
Michigan State Defeats Central Michigan, 24-7, In Home Opener
9/11/2004 12:00:00 AM | Football
Sept. 11, 2004
Final Stats | Quotes | Notes
By LARRY LAGE
AP Sports Writer
EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) - Michigan State has used three quarterbacks in two games and still seems far from settled at the position.
Quarterbacks Stephen Reaves and Drew Stanton both made just enough plays to help the Spartans beat Central Michigan 24-7 Saturday.
They watched quarterback Damon Dowdell play the entire game in last week's 19-14 loss at Rutgers.
Who will start next Saturday night at home against Notre Dame?
"Show up and find out," Michigan State coach John L. Smith said. "The guy that practices the best will probably end up starting."
Reaves started and was 9-of-19 for 183 yards with a touchdown in his college debut.
"I felt really comfortable from the time I got in until the time I got out," said Reaves, whose father, John, was a Florida quarterback and an NFL player for 14 seasons.
Stanton took over in the fourth quarter and was just 1-of-3 for 9 yards, but ran for 38 yards on a fourth-and-1 late in the game for the Spartans (1-1). He was anxious to play after injuring his right knee while playing special teams in the Alamo Bowl last season.
"I told (Smith) if he didn't play me, I was going to kick him in the butt," Stanton said.
Despite not playing Dowdell on Saturday, Smith insisted the senior is a candidate to start against Notre Dame.
Michigan State's Kyle Brown caught a career-high six passes for 123 yards and a TD.
The Spartans went ahead 17-0 on the first drive of the second half, then didn't score again until Jason Teague's 1-yard run gave them a 24-7 lead with 2:08 left.
"It wasn't the prettiest 'W' in the world, but a win is a win," Smith said.
After losing 41-10 at Indiana last week, Central Michigan was very respectable against the Spartans thanks in large part to Jerry Seymour.
"The good part is Jerry is on our team. The bad part is, we've only got one of him," said Central Michigan coach Brian Kelly.
The 5-foot-6, 190-pound running back gained 164 yards, for his seventh straight 100-yard game, for the Chippewas (0-2).
Seymour's 90-yard TD tied the longest run against Michigan State, matching the Frank Aschenbrenner run for Great Lakes Naval against the Spartans in 1945.
"That's embarrassing," Smith said. "It's ridiculous for us to do something like that."
Reaves, who was cheered when he started the game, got off to a great start.
He threw a perfect 44-yard pass to Brown to put the Spartans ahead 7-0 late in the first quarter. On their next drive, Dave Rayner made a 28-yard field goal.
After Michigan State didn't convert a fourth-and-3 at the Chippewas' 6, Central Michigan drove to the Spartans' 9 before missing a field goal at the end of the first half.
DeAndra Cobb started the second half with a 52-yard return and four plays later, Jehuu Caulcrick's 7-yard run gave Michigan State a 17-0 lead.
Seymour's 90-yard run pulled Central Michigan to 17-7 midway through the third quarter.
Kent Smith started for the Chippewas, after backing up Grant Arnoldink against Indiana. Smith was 10-of-30 for 93 yards and ran for 52 yards on nine carries.
"He didn't finish the way I wanted him to finish, but I thought he did some good things for us," Kelly said.
Central Michigan is 2-13 against the Big Ten, with both victories coming at Michigan State in 1991-92.
Kelly, in his first year with the Chippewas after leading Grand Valley State to back-to-back Division II titles, was not satisfied with merely playing competitively against the Spartans.
"We have improved, but it's still not good enough," Kelly said. "A game worth playing is a game worth winning. We came in here wanting a win, and to upset Michigan State. So, anything less is unacceptable from our standpoint."
