Michigan State University Athletics
Spartan Football Faces Road Test At No. 10 Notre Dame
9/16/2005 12:00:00 AM | Football
Sept. 15, 2005
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DATE: Sept. 17, 2005
SITE: Notre Dame Stadium (80,795/natural grass), Notre Dame, Ind.
KICKOFF: 3:40 p.m. EDT
ESTIMATED ATTENDANCE: 80,795 (sold out)
LAST WEEK: Michigan State defeated Hawaii, 42-14; Notre Dame won at No. 3/3 Michigan, 17-10.
BROADCAST COVERAGE: Radio - The Spartan Radio Network, featuring veteran play-by-play announcer George Blaha, color analyst Sherm Lewis, sideline reporter Will Tieman and broadcast host Mike Kamin, will broadcast the game to 37 affiliates throughout the state. Michigan State football broadcasts can be heard locally on flagship station WJIM (AM 1240, FM 97.5). Television - NBC Sports will televise the Michigan State-Notre Dame game live to a national audience, with Tom Hammond handling the play-by-play, Pat Haden providing color commentary and Lewis Johnson serving as the sideline reporter.
2005 SCHEDULES & SCOREBOARDS -
MICHIGAN STATE (2-0, 0-0 Big Ten)
Date Opponent Time/ResultSept. 3 KENT STATE (ESPN Plus) W, 49-14 Sept. 10 HAWAII (ESPNU/ESPN Plus) W, 42-14 Sept. 17 at Notre Dame (NBC) 3:40 p.m. EDT Sept. 24 at Illinois (ESPNU/ESPN Plus) 12:10 p.m. EDT Oct. 1 MICHIGAN TBA Oct. 15 at Ohio State TBA Oct. 22 NORTHWESTERN (Homecoming) TBA Oct. 29 INDIANA TBA Nov. 5 at Purdue TBA Nov. 12 at Minnesota TBA Nov. 19 PENN STATE TBA NOTRE DAME (2-0)
Date Opponent Time/ResultSept. 3 at Pittsburgh W, 42-21 Sept. 10 at Michigan W, 17-10 Sept. 17 MICHIGAN STATE 2:30 p.m. EST Sept. 24 at Washington 12:30 p.m. PDT Oct. 1 at Purdue 6 or 6:45 p.m. EST Oct. 15 SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA 2:30 p.m. EST Oct. 22 BYU 1:30 p.m. EST Nov. 5 TENNESSEE 2:30 p.m. EST Nov. 12 NAVY 1 p.m. EST Nov. 19 SYRACUSE 2:30 p.m. EST Nov. 26 at Stanford 3:30 or 5 p.m. PST
THE COACHES -
Michigan State's John L. Smith (Weber State 1971) is 15-12 (.556) in his third year with the Spartans and 125-72 (.635) in 17 seasons as a college head coach. Smith ranks No. 12 among active NCAA I-A football coaches in career victories and No. 17 in career winning percentage. Twelve of his 16 teams have participated in postseason play, including seven-straight bowl appearances from 1997-2003. 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.
Notre Dame's Charlie Weis (Notre Dame 1978) is 2-0 (1.000) in his first year as head coach of the Fighting Irish. Weis previously spent 15 seasons as an assistant coach in the National Football League, winning four Super Bowl championship rings. In his five seasons (2000-04) as offensive coordinator under Bill Belichick, New England won three Super Bowl crowns (following the 2001, 2003 and 2004 seasons). Weis spent 10 years as an assistant coach under Bill Parcells, including stints with the New York Giants (1990-92), New England Patriots (1993-96) and New York Jets (1997-99).
TEAM COMPARISONS -
Michigan State Notre DameBasic Offense Spread Multiple Basic Defense Multiple 4-3 4-3 Offensive Starters Returning 8 10 Defensive Starters Returning 5 3 Specialists Returning 1 2 AVERAGE HEIGHTS & WEIGHTS (STARTERS) -
Michigan State Notre DameOffensive Line & Tight End 6-4, 301 6-5, 288 Offensive Backs & Wide Receivers 6-2, 218 6-2, 214 Defensive Line 6-3, 296 6-3, 271 Linebackers 6-1, 243 6-0, 230 Defensive Backs 5-11, 195 6-0, 204
CLASS BREAKDOWN (STARTERS) -
Michigan State Offense: 6 seniors, 3 juniors, 2 sophomores
Michigan State Defense: 4 seniors, 5 juniors, 2 sophomores
Notre Dame Offense: 8 seniors, 2 juniors, 1 sophomore
Notre Dame Defense: 5 seniors, 5 juniors, 1 sophomore
STAT LEADERS -
Michigan State (after two games):
Rushing - Jehuu Caulcrick (34 carries for 229 yards, 6.7 avg., 3 TDs)
Passing - Drew Stanton (43 of 55 for 598 yards, 5 TDs, 1 INT)
Receiving - Kyle Brown (12 catches for 133 yards, 11.1 avg., 1 TD)
Tackles - SirDarean Adams (16 tackles, 14 solos, 2 assists, 3 TFLs)
Notre Dame (after two games):
Rushing - Darius Walker (46 carries for 204 yards, 4.4 avg., 1 TD)
Passing - Brady Quinn (37 of 57 for 367 yards, 4 TDs, 1 INT)
Receiving - Darius Walker (8 catches for 74 yards, 9.2 avg., 1 TD); Anthony Fasano (8 for 60, 7.5 avg., 0 TDs)
Tackles - Brandon Hoyte (21 tackles, 16 solos, 5 assists, 5.5 TFLs, 3 sacks)
STAT COMPARISON -
Michigan State Notre DameScoring 45.5 29.5 First Downs 30.0 25.0 Total Offense 592.0 373.0 Rushing Yards 276.0 189.5 Passing Yards 316.0 183.5 Time of Possession 31:23 31:51 Third Down Conversions .667 .467 Points Allowed 14.0 15.5 Total Offense Allowed 337.0 330.0 Rushing Yards Allowed 68.5 108.5 Passing Yards Allowed 268.5 221.5
MSU/NOTRE DAME SERIES NOTES - Saturday's game marks the 69th meeting between Michigan State and Notre Dame. The last six games in the series all have been decided by 10 points or less. The Irish lead the all-time series 43-24-1, including a 26-11 record in games played in South Bend, Ind., and a 15-11 mark in games played in Notre Dame Stadium. The Fighting Irish have won two of the last three games; however, the Spartans have won six of the last eight meetings, including a 22-16 victory in Notre Dame Stadium in 2003. Michigan State put together a five-game winning streak from 1997-2001- its longest since taking eight straight from 1955-63. (Note: For a complete list of all-time series scores, please refer to page 134 in the 2005 MSU Football Media Guide.)
THE LAST MEETING -
Sept. 18, 2004, in East Lansing, Mich.: Brady Quinn threw for one touchdown and ran for another score to lead Notre Dame to a 31-24 victory over Michigan State in Spartan Stadium. The Fighting Irish parlayed six takeaways into 17 points. Michigan State jumped out to a 7-0 lead with 12:18 remaining in the first quarter as Jerramy Scott recovered a blocked punt by Marshall Campbell in the back of the end zone. Tom Zbikowski's 22-yard interception return to the MSU 13 set up Notre Dame's first score. Six plays later, Quinn scored on a 1-yard bootleg around the left end on a fourth-and-goal play to tie the game at 7-7 with 4:42 left in the first quarter. Notre Dame took the lead for good at 14-7 with :07 remaining in the first quarter as Zbikowski stripped the ball from Jason Teague and returned the fumble 75 yards for a score. A 21-yard punt return by Carlyle Holiday set up Notre Dame's third touchdown. Three plays later, Matt Shelton scored on a 35-yard strike from Quinn as the Irish built a 21-7 advantage with 8:52 to play in the first half. Ryan Grant finished off a seven-play, 75-yard drive with a 6-yard TD run as Notre Dame extended its lead to 28-7 with 5:39 remaining in the third quarter. DeAndra Cobb returned the ensuing kickoff 89 yards for a TD as the Spartans pulled to within 28-14. Michigan State cut its deficit to 28-17 on Dave Rayner's 46-yard field goal with 14:55 left in the fourth quarter. On their next series, the Spartans put together a 10-play, 86-yard drive but failed to score as Jehuu Caulcrick fumbled attempting to dive over the pile at the goal line. Quinn's 31-yard completion to Jeff Samardzija led to Notre Dame's final score, a 23-yard field goal by D.J. Fitzpatrick that gave the Irish a 31-17 lead with 57 seconds on the clock. Drew Stanton capped an eight-play, 63-yard drive with a 4-yard TD run as the Spartans rallied to within 31-24 with 8 seconds to play. The Irish outgained Michigan State in total yards, 388-341.
SPARTANS RANK THIRD IN ALL-TIME VICTORIES vs. NOTRE DAME -
Michigan State ranks third among opponents in all-time victories (24) over Notre Dame. Only Southern Cal (29) and Purdue (25) have posted more wins over the Irish than the Spartans. All-Time Wins vs. Notre Dame
Opponent Games Played Wins vs. NDSouthern Cal 76 29 Purdue 76 25Michigan State 68 24 Michigan 33 18 Pittsburgh 63 18
SPARTANS SEEK FIFTH-STRAIGHT WIN IN NOTRE DAME STADIUM -
Michigan State has posted 11 wins in Notre Dame Stadium - the most by any Fighting Irish opponent. Saturday, the Spartans seek their fifth-straight victory in Notre Dame Stadium. Only Purdue has put together a longer winning streak than Michigan State's current four-game run in Notre Dame Stadium, with the Boilermakers recording five-straight road victories from 1954-62. All-Time Wins in Notre Dame Stadium
Opponent Games Played Wins vs. NDMichigan State 26 11 Purdue 32 10 Southern Cal 34 10 Pittsburgh 28 9
Here are brief recaps of the Spartans' last four trips to Notre Dame Stadium:
Sept. 20, 2003 (Michigan State 22, Notre Dame 16)
Jaren Hayes rushed for 109 yards and a touchdown while Dave Rayner provided three field goals to help lift Michigan State to a 22-16 victory over No. 23 Notre Dame. It marked the Spartans' fourth straight win in Notre Dame Stadium. For the first time in 2003, Michigan State scored points on its first possession as a five-play, 22-yard drive resulted in Rayner's 51-yard field goal. A Spartan fumble led to Notre Dame's first score, a 35-yard field goal by Nicholas Setta with 2:59 left in the first quarter. A 46-yard punt return by Vontez Duff late in the first quarter set up another Notre Dame field goal, a 29-yarder from Setta with 14:11 to play in the second quarter. The Spartans managed to tie the game at 6-6 on Rayner's 30-yard field goal with 7:43 remaining in the first half. Michigan State took the lead for good at 13-6 on a 71-yard TD run by Hayes with 5:25 left in the third quarter. Notre Dame answered on its next series as Setta capped an 11-play, 68-yard drive with a 30-yard field goal as the Irish pulled to within 13-9 with 30 seconds remaining in the third quarter. The Spartans put together a 17-play, 69-yard drive that burned more than six minutes off the clock to extend their lead to 16-9 on Rayner's third field goal, a 30-yarder with 9:10 left in the game. Michigan State increased its lead to 22-9 as Greg Taplin returned an interception 40 yards for a touchdown with 6:55 on the clock. Freshman Brady Quinn came off the bench to spark a late Notre Dame rally. Quinn finished off a nine-play, 85-yard drive with a 29-yard TD strike to Rhema Knight with 2:29 remaining in the fourth quarter. Drew Stanton iced the game for the Spartans by recovering the ensuing onside kick.
Sept. 22, 2001 (Michigan State 17, Notre Dame 10)
Ryan Van Dyke came off the bench to throw for 149 yards and two scores, including a 47-yard touchdown strike to Charles Rogers with 7:51 left, to give Michigan State a 17-10 victory over No. 23 Notre Dame. It marked MSU's third-straight win in Notre Dame Stadium. Faced with third-and-6 midway through the fourth quarter, Rogers caught a quick slant from Van Dyke, spun out of Vontez Duff's attempted tackle and outraced three Notre Dame defensive backs to the end zone for the game-winning score. The Spartan defense came up with two big plays in the closing minutes to cement the win. Mike Labinjo dropped Nicholas Setta for a 3-yard loss on an Irish fake field-goal attempt with 4:09 on the clock. After Craig Jarrett's 71-yard punt pinned Notre Dame back on its 26-yard line, Broderick Nelson intercepted Matt LoVecchio's pass attempt and returned it 25 yards to the Irish 7 with 1:44 left to ice the game. Michigan State outgained Notre Dame in total yards, 332-280.
Sept. 18, 1999 (Michigan State 23, Notre Dame 13)
Gari Scott took a short pass from Bill Burke on a third-and-10 play, broke Deke Cooper's tackle along the sideline and raced 80 yards for the game-winning touchdown with 5:11 left in the game as Michigan State upset No. 24 Notre Dame, 23-13, in South Bend. It marked Michigan State's second-straight win in Notre Dame Stadium. Burke completed 22-of-37 passes for 291 yards and two TDs. Lloyd Clemons rushed for 126 yards on 22 carries and his 42-yard run with two minutes left in the fourth quarter helped ice the game as it set up Paul Edinger's 31-yard field goal.
Sept. 20, 1997 (Michigan State 23, Notre Dame 7)
Todd Schultz threw for one touchdown and ran for another score to lead Michigan State to a 23-7 victory at Notre Dame as the Spartans ended an eight-game losing streak to the Fighting Irish. Schultz completed 12-of-18 passes for 107 yards. Marc Renaud (112 yards) and Sedrick Irvin (106) combined for 218 of Michigan State's 222 rushing yards. The Spartans held Notre Dame to 61 yards rushing on 23 attempts.
MEGAPHONE TROPHY -
Since 1949, the winner of the Michigan State-Notre Dame game has been presented the Megaphone Trophy, sponsored jointly by the Detroit alumni clubs of both schools. The megaphone is printed half blue, with a gold ND monogram, and half white, with a green MSC. All previous game scores are listed on the trophy. Michigan State and Notre Dame played 36 consecutive seasons from 1959-94 until the two-year interruption of the series in 1995-96. The current series contract runs through the 2011 season.
GRIMES FAMILY FEUD -
Saturday, Michigan State red-shirt freshman wide receiver Carl Grimes (Detroit, Mich./St. Martin De Porres High School) will compete against his brother David, a freshman wide receiver on the 2005 Notre Dame roster.
MSU/NOTRE DAME COACHING CONNECTIONS -
* Michigan State's John L. Smith, who served as head coach at Utah State in 1997 and at Louisville from 1998-2002, compiled a 4-2 record against Cincinnati teams coached by Rick Minter, now defensive coordinator and linebackers coach at Notre Dame.
* Michigan State offensive coordinator Dave Baldwin spent the 2001 season in the same capacity at Cincinnati under Rick Minter (now Irish defensive coordinator and linebackers coach), helping the Bearcats to a 7-5 record and a trip to the Motor City Bowl.
* Michigan State secondary coach Chuck Driesbach and Notre Dame offensive line coach John Latina worked together at Ole Miss from 2002-04. Driesbach served as defensive coordinator under David Cutcliffe, while Latina acted as offensive coordinator and offensive line coach.
* Michigan State director of player development Dino Folino and Notre Dame offensive line coach John Latina spent the 1982 season together at Pittsburgh. Folino coached the Panther defensive backs for Foge Fazio, while Latina worked with the tight ends.
* Notre Dame head special teams coach and defensive backs assistant Brian Polian began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Michigan State in 1997, working for former Spartan head coach Nick Saban.
MSU/NOTRE DAME CONNECTIONS, PART II -
* Michigan State sophomore linebacker Eric Andino (Arlington Heights, Ill.) and Notre Dame junior strong safety Tom Zbikowski were teammates at Buffalo Grove (Ill.) High School.
* Michigan State's veteran play-by-play radio announcer George Blaha graduated from Notre Dame in 1966 with a degree in economics. Blaha is in his 28th season as the Spartans' radio voice.
* Michigan State first-year baseball coach David Grewe (pronounced GREW-ee) spent three years as an assistant coach at Notre Dame (2003-05) where he served as recruiting coordinator, hitting and catching instructor under Paul Mainieri.
MSU vs. NOTRE DAME RANKS AMONG NATION'S OLDEST RIVALRIES -
The Michigan State-Notre Dame series began 108 years ago in 1897, making it one of the 27 oldest rivalries in college football. It also ranks as one of only three rivalries - joining Army-Navy and Auburn-Georgia Tech - that does not involve either intrastate or current conference rivals.
First Game Opponents (Series leader listed first) Games Played1888 Miami (Ohio)-Cincinnati 109 1888 North Carolina-Wake Forest 101 1890 Minnesota-Wisconsin 114 1890 Army-Navy 105 1891 Missouri-Kansas 113 1891 Purdue-Indiana 107 1892 Nebraska-Kansas 111 1892 North Carolina-Virginia 109 1892 Auburn-Georgia 108 1892 Stanford-California 107 1892 Utah-Utah State 104 1892 Illinois-Northwestern 98 1892 Nebraska-Missouri 98 1892 Tennessee-Vanderbilt 98 1892 Auburn-Georgia Tech 92 1893 Tennessee-Kentucky 100 1893 Penn State-Pittsburgh 96 1893 Georgia-Georgia Tech 99 1893 Louisiana State-Tulane 94 1894 Texas-Texas A&M 111 1894 Oregon-Oregon State 108 1894 New Mexico-New Mexico State 95 1895 N.C. State-Wake Forest 98 1895 Pittsburgh-West Virginia 97 1896 Clemson-South Carolina 102 1896 Nebraska-Iowa State 99 1897 Michigan-Ohio State 101 1897 Connecticut-Rhode Island 90 1897 Notre Dame-Michigan State 68
SPARTANS FROM THE HOOSIER STATE -
Michigan State's 2005 roster features two players from Indiana: sophomore center John Masters (Carmel) and junior defensive lineman Kenny Shane (Indianapolis/North Central High School).
SPARTANS TOUGH IN NON-CONFERENCE GAMES -
Since 1999, Michigan State has compiled a 19-7 record (.731) in games played against non-conference opponents. However, the Spartans are just 8-7 (.533) in their last 15 non-conference games.
Here's a look at Michigan State's non-conference results since 1999:
Date Opponent MSU Result SiteSept. 10, 2005 Hawaii W, 42-14 Spartan Stadium Sept. 3, 2005 Kent State W, 49-14 Spartan Stadium Dec. 4, 2004 Hawaii L, 38-41 Honolulu, Hawaii Sept. 18, 2004 Notre Dame L, 24-31 Spartan Stadium Sept. 11, 2004 Central Michigan W, 24-7 Spartan Stadium Sept. 4, 2004 Rutgers L, 14-19 Piscataway, N.J. Dec. 29, 2003 Nebraska L, 3-17 San Antonio, Texas Sept. 20, 2003 Notre Dame W, 22-16 South Bend, Ind. Sept. 13, 2003 Louisiana Tech L, 19-20 Spartan Stadium Sept. 6, 2003 Rutgers W, 44-28 Spartan Stadium Aug. 30, 2003 Western Michigan W, 26-21 Spartan Stadium Sept. 21, 2002 Notre Dame L, 17-21 Spartan Stadium Sept. 14, 2002 California L, 22-46 Spartan Stadium Sept. 7, 2002 Rice W, 27-10 Spartan Stadium Aug. 31, 2002 Eastern Michigan W, 56-7 Spartan Stadium Dec. 31, 2001 Fresno State W, 44-35 San Jose, Calif. Dec. 1, 2001 Missouri W, 55-7 Spartan Stadium Sept. 22, 2001 Notre Dame W, 17-10 South Bend, Ind. Sept. 8, 2001 Central Michigan W, 35-21 Spartan Stadium Sept. 23, 2000 Notre Dame W, 27-21 Spartan Stadium Sept. 16, 2000 Missouri W, 13-10 Columbia, Mo. Sept. 9, 2000 Marshall W, 34-24 Spartan Stadium Jan. 1, 2000 Florida W, 37-34 Orlando, Fla. Sept. 18, 1999 Notre Dame W, 23-13 South Bend, Ind. Sept. 11, 1999 Eastern Michigan W, 51-7 Spartan Stadium Sept. 2, 1999 Oregon W, 27-20 Spartan Stadium
UPSET SPECIALS -
Michigan State is 17-16 (.515) in its last 33 games against teams ranked in the Associated Press Top 25, including an 11-3 record (.786) in games played in Spartan Stadium. Fourteen of those 17 wins over ranked teams have come while Michigan State was unranked or ranked below its opponent.
Since November 1997, Michigan State is 8-1 (.889) against teams ranked in the AP Top 10, including a perfect 6-0 record in games played in Spartan Stadium.
In 2004, the Spartans went 2-1 vs. AP Top 25 teams, including victories over No. 19 Minnesota (51-17) and No. 4 Wisconsin (49-14) and a triple-overtime loss at No. 12 Michigan (45-37).
Here's a look at Michigan State's last 33 games against AP Top 25 teams:
Date Result (Associated Press Ranking) SiteNov. 13, 2004 MSU 49, No. 4 Wisconsin 14 East Lansing Oct. 30, 2004 No. 12 Michigan 45, MSU 37 (3 OT) Ann Arbor Oct. 16, 2004 MSU 51, No. 19 Minnesota 17 East Lansing Dec. 29, 2003 No. 22 Nebraska 17, MSU 3 San Antonio Nov. 8, 2003 No. 7 Ohio State 33, No. 14 MSU 23 Columbus Nov. 1, 2003 No. 11 Michigan 27, No. 9 MSU 20 East Lansing Oct. 18, 2003 No. 15 MSU 44, No. 25 Minnesota 38 Minneapolis Sept. 27, 2003 MSU 20, No. 13 Iowa 10 East Lansing Nov. 23, 2002 No. 15 Penn State 61, MSU 7 State College Nov. 2, 2002 No. 15 Michigan 49, MSU 3 Ann Arbor Oct. 12, 2002 No. 17 Iowa 44, MSU 16 Iowa City Sept. 21, 2002 No. 12 Notre Dame 21, MSU 17 East Lansing Dec. 31, 2001 MSU 44, No. 20 Fresno State 35 San Jose Nov. 3, 2001 MSU 26, No. 6 Michigan 24 East Lansing Sept. 29, 2001 No. 16 Northwestern 27, No. 23 MSU 26 Evanston Sept. 22, 2001 MSU 17, No. 23 Notre Dame 10 South Bend Nov. 11, 2000 MSU 30, No. 9 Purdue 10 East Lansing Nov. 4, 2000 No. 16 Ohio State 27, MSU 13 Columbus Oct. 21, 2000 No. 16 Michigan 14, MSU 0 Ann Arbor Sept. 23, 2000 No. 23 MSU 27, No. 16 Notre Dame 21 East Lansing Jan. 1, 2000 No. 9 MSU 37, No. 10 Florida 34 Orlando Nov. 20, 1999 No. 15 MSU 35, No. 13 Penn State 28 East Lansing Nov. 6, 1999 No. 19 MSU 23, No. 20 Ohio State 7 East Lansing Oct. 23, 1999 No. 17 Wisconsin 40, No. 11 MSU 10 Madison Oct. 16, 1999 No. 20 Purdue 52, No. 5 MSU 28 West Lafayette Oct. 9, 1999 No. 11 MSU 34, No. 3 Michigan 31 East Lansing Sept. 18, 1999 MSU 23, No. 24 Notre Dame 13 South Bend Nov. 28, 1998 No. 23 Penn State 51, MSU 28 State College Nov. 7, 1998 MSU 28, No. 1 Ohio State 24 Columbus Sept. 12, 1998 MSU 45, No. 10 Notre Dame 23 East Lansing Aug. 29, 1998 No. 15 Colorado State 23, No. 23 MSU 16 East Lansing Dec. 25, 1997 No. 21 Washington 51, No. 25 MSU 23 Aloha Bowl Nov. 29, 1997 MSU 49, No. 4 Penn State 14 East Lansing
SPARTANS OWN 14 WINS OVER RANKED IRISH TEAMS -
Michigan State has compiled a 14-23-1 record (.382) against ranked Notre Dame teams, according to Associated Press Polls since 1948. Five of those 14 victories have come in Notre Dame Stadium.
The Spartans have won four of the last five games played against ranked Irish teams.
Michigan State is 8-17-1 (.327) against Irish teams ranked in the AP Top 10, including a 3-8 record (.273) in games played in Notre Dame Stadium.
Here's a look at MSU's 38 games played against ranked Notre Dame teams:
Year ND Rank MSU Result Site1948 No. 1 L, 7-26 Notre Dame Stadium 1949 No. 1 L, 21-34 Macklin Field 1951 No. 11 W, 35-0 Macklin Field 1952 No. 6 W, 21-3 Macklin Field 1954 No. 8 L, 19-20 Notre Dame Stadium 1955 No. 4 W, 21-7 Macklin Field 1957 No. 15 W, 34-6 Spartan Stadium 1961 No. 6 W, 17-7 Spartan Stadium 1964 No. 1 L, 7-34 Notre Dame Stadium 1965 No. 4 W, 12-3 Notre Dame Stadium 1966 No. 1 T, 10-10 Spartan Stadium 1968 No. 5 W, 21-17 Spartan Stadium 1970 No. 4 L, 0-29 Spartan Stadium 1971 No. 4 L, 14-2 Notre Dame Stadium 1972 No. 7 L, 0-16 Spartan Stadium 1973 No. 8 L, 10-14 Notre Dame Stadium 1974 No. 7 L, 14-19 Spartan Stadium 1975 No. 8 W, 10-3 Notre Dame Stadium 1976 No. 18 L, 6-24 Spartan Stadium 1977 No. 14 L, 6-16 Notre Dame Stadium 1979 No. 15 L, 3-27 Notre Dame Stadium 1980 No. 7 L, 21-26 Spartan Stadium 1982 No. 11 L, 3-11 Spartan Stadium 1983 No. 4 W, 28-23 Notre Dame Stadium 1986 No. 20 W, 20-15 Spartan Stadium 1987 No. 9 L, 8-31 Notre Dame Stadium 1988 No. 8 L, 3-20 Spartan Stadium 1989 No. 1 L, 13-21 Notre Dame Stadium 1990 No. 1 L, 19-20 Spartan Stadium 1991 No. 11 L, 10-49 Notre Dame Stadium 1992 No. 7 L, 31-52 Spartan Stadium 1993 No. 4 L, 14-36 Notre Dame Stadium 1994 No. 8 L, 20-21 Spartan Stadium 1998 No. 10 W, 45-23 Spartan Stadium 1999 No. 24 W, 23-13 Notre Dame Stadium 2000 No. 16 W, 27-21 Spartan Stadium 2001 No. 23 W, 17-10 Notre Dame Stadium 2002 No. 12 L, 17-21 Spartan Stadium
BIG TEN/NCAA STAT LEADERS -
Here's a glance at how Michigan State ranks among the Big Ten and NCAA stat leaders in 2005:
Category Stat Avg. Big Ten NCAARushing Offense 276.0 3rd 6th Passing Offense 316.0 1st 10th Total Offense 592.0 1st 2nd Scoring Offense 45.5 4th 13th Rushing Defense 68.5 4th 21st Passing Defense 268.5 8th 90th Total Defense 337.0 5th 49th Scoring Defense 14.0 2nd t-24th Passing Efficiency 189.5 2nd 7th Pass Efficiency Defense 113.6 3rd 47th Turnover Margin -0.5 t-8th t-68th Net Punting 40.6 2nd 43rd (36.6) Punt Returns 11.0 6th t-40th Kickoff Returns 16.0 11th t-97th
NCAA STAT LEADERS -
Here's a glance at how Michigan State ranks among the NCAA individual stat leaders in 2005:
Individual Statistics (Top 50)
Rushing: Jehuu Caulcrick (17th at 114.5 yards per game)
Passing Efficiency: Drew Stanton (4th with 195.9 rating)
Total Offense: Drew Stanton (7th at 330.5 yards per game)
Receptions: Kyle Brown (t-35th at 6.0 receptions per game); Jerramy Scott (t-49th at 5.5 rpg.)
Receiving Yards: Terry Love (43rd at 82.0 yards per game)
Interceptions: Eric Smith (t-42nd at 0.5 interceptions per game); Ashton Watson (t-42nd at 0.5 ipg.)
Punt Returns: Kyle Brown (13th at 21.0 yards per return)
Scoring: Javon Ringer (t-12th at 12.0 points per game)
Points Responsible For: Drew Stanton (t-22nd at 17.0 points per game)
 Drew Stanton leads the Big Ten and ranks No. 4 nationally in passing efficiency, with his 195.9 rating.  | |
SPARTANS FEATURE EXPLOSIVE OFFENSIVE ATTACK -
Michigan State ranks among the NCAA's top 10 in three offensive categories: No. 6 in rushing (276.0 yards per game), No. 10 in passing (316.0 ypg.) and No. 2 in total offense (592.0 ypg). The Spartans also rank among the NCAA leaders in scoring offense (No. 13), averaging 45.5 points per game.
Quarterback Drew Stanton leads the Big Ten and ranks No. 4 nationally in passing efficiency, with his 195.9 rating. Stanton has completed 43-of-55 throws (.782) for 598 yards, five touchdowns and one interception. He hit 21-of-26 passes (.808) for 301 yards in MSU's 42-14 victory over Hawaii, including scoring tosses of 20 yards to Terry Love, 54 yards to Matt Trannon and 20 yards to Jerramy Scott. His three TD passes matched his career best (vs. Illinois and Minnesota, 2004).
The 6-foot-3, 222-pound junior also leads the league and ranks No. 7 in the NCAA in total offense, averaging 330.5 yards per game. In MSU's 49-14 victory over Kent State in the season opener, Stanton accounted for 357 total yards, completing 22-of-29 passes for 297 yards and two scores while gaining 60 yards on 10 carries.
The Spartans feature a well-balanced ground attack as sophomore Jehuu Caulcrick and freshman Javon Ringer has combined to rush for 378 yards and seven TDs on 56 attempts. The 6-0, 245-pound Caulcrick paces the ground game with 229 yards on 34 carries. In the season opener vs. Kent State, Caulcrick produced 140 yards on 14 carries, while scoring a career-best three TDs. Ringer has rushed 22 times for 149 yards, including a team-best four rushing TDs. The 5-9, 195-pound rookie carried 10 times for 80 yards vs. Hawaii and scored on runs of 8, 41 and 15 yards.
SPARTANS DOMINATE FIRST-HALF ACTION -
Michigan State has outscored its first two opponents, 63-14, in the first half.
Here's a closer look at Michigan State's first-half domination:
Sept. 3 vs. Kent State: The Spartans scored touchdowns on four of their first six possessions en route to building a 27-7 lead.
Sept. 10 vs. Hawaii: Michigan State scores TDs on its first four possessions to build a 28-0 halftime lead.
STANTON SPREADS THE BALL AROUND -
A key to Drew Stanton's throwing success in 2005 has been his ability to utilize all of the weapons at his disposal in Michigan State's spread offense. Four Spartans have at least six receptions, including Kyle Brown (12 for 133 yards), Jerramy Scott (11 for 155), Terry Love (8 for 164) and Matt Trannon (6 for 90). All four of those receivers have at least one touchdown grab.
STANTON RUNS OFFENSE AT FULL THROTTLE -
In Drew Stanton's nine career starts at quarterback, Michigan State is averaging 263.4 rushing yards, 252.1 passing yards, 515.6 total yards and 34.9 points per game.
Here's a complete breakdown of Michigan State's offensive production in Stanton's nine career starts:
Opponent (MSU Result) Rushing Yds. Passing Yds. Total Yds. Points2004 @ Indiana (W) 241 172 413 30 @ Iowa (L) 204 245 449 16 Illinois (W) 253 234 487 38 Minnesota (W) 324 312 636 51 @ Michigan (L) 368 167 535 37 @ Penn State (L) 161 177 338 13 @ Hawaii (L) 268 330 598 38 2005 Kent State (W) 354 331 685 49 Hawaii (W) 198 301 499 429-Game Totals 2,371 2,269 4,640 314 9-Game Averages 263.4 252.1 515.6 34.9
 SirDarean Adams leads the Spartans in tackles (16) and tackles for losses (3 for 17 yards). | |
ADAMS FINDS HOME AT BANDIT POSITION -
Sophomore bandit SirDarean Adams leads the team in tackles (16), tackles for losses (3 for 17 yards) and ranks second in production points (28), trailing only senior strong safety Eric Smith (35 points).
The 6-foot, 222-pound Adams recorded a career-best 12 tackles (10 solos, 2 assists), including two for losses (14 yards), in Michigan State's 42-14 victory over Hawaii. He also posted his first career sack (10 yards) midway through the third quarter against the Warriors.
FIRST-YEAR PLAYERS IMPACT SPARTAN DEPTH CHART -
No fewer than 11 first-year players are currently listed on Michigan State's depth chart, including four on offense and seven on defense. Here's a complete breakdown of true freshmen and junior college transfers included on the depth chart:
True Freshmen (6): WR Ryan Allison, DE Brandon Long, WR Diego Oquendo, RB Javon Ringer, CB Ross Weaver and FS Otis Wiley.
Junior College Transfers (5): LB Steve Juarez, WR Kerry Reed, DE Jonal Saint-Dic, DT David Stanton and CB Demond Williams.
SPARTAN COACHING STAFF APPOINTS 2005 CAPTAINS -
Michigan State third-year head coach John L. Smith and his coaching staff have appointed four captains for the 2005 season: senior center Chris Morris, junior defensive end Clifton Ryan, senior strong safety Eric Smith and junior quarterback Drew Stanton.
SPARTAN FOOTBALL SEASON TICKETS SOLD OUT -
Michigan State Athletics Department officials reported Saturday, Aug. 27 that football season-ticket sales have exceeded 60,000 for just the fourth time in school history and as a result, season-ticket sales have been suspended for both the general public and MSU students.
As of Friday, Aug. 26, 60,692 football season tickets have been sold, an increase of 4,160 season tickets from last season and the third-highest total in MSU history. That figure also reflects an increase in the demand for student season tickets with 12,037 sold, up 1,485 from 2004. It marks the highest number of student season tickets purchased since 1991 (13,360). Since the late 1990s, the MSU Athletics Department has allocated approximately 10,500 football season tickets for students. In 2005, MSU Athletics Director Ron Mason approved measures to meet the increased ticket demand from the student body.
Spartan football season-ticket sales topped the 60,000 mark for three-straight years from 1999-2001, with an all-time record 61,479 season tickets purchased in 2000.
With the addition of suites and club seats, the current stadium capacity is listed at 75,005.
All-Time Football Season-Ticket Sales
Rank Season Tickets Sold1. 2000 61,479 2. 2001 61,1983. 2005 60,692 4. 1999 60,109
ALMOST ALWAYS A FULL HOUSE -
Michigan State has played 41-consecutive home games before crowds in excess of 72,000. A crowd of 73,949 attended the 2005 season/home opener vs. Kent State - the largest crowd for a home opener since 1987 vs. Southern Cal (77,922).
The Spartans have ranked among the NCAA's top 20 in attendance each of the last 49 years, including No. 20 in 2004, averaging 73,602 fans per game.
RETURN TO SENDER -
Over the last two seasons, Michigan State's special teams have produced six touchdowns, including four kickoff returns and two blocked punts that have resulted in scores.
2004
Sept. 18 vs. Notre Dame: Jerramy Scott recovered a blocked punt (by Marshall Campbell) in the back of the end zone for a score early in the first quarter. DeAndra Cobb returned a kickoff 89 yards for a TD late in the third quarter.
Nov. 13 vs. Wisconsin: Travis Key recovered a blocked punt (by Marshall Campbell) at the goal line for a score midway through the first quarter.
2003
Sept. 6 vs. Rutgers: DeAndra Cobb returned a kickoff 94 yards for a TD late in the second quarter.
Oct. 18 vs. Minnesota: DeAndra Cobb returned a kickoff 100 yards for a TD with 48 seconds left in the first half.
Nov. 8 vs. Ohio State: DeAndra Cobb returned a kickoff 93 yards for a score early in the third quarter.
WINNING IN THE CLASSROOM -
Last May, six members of Michigan State's 2005 football team earned their undergraduate degrees: defensive end Michael Bazemore (interdisciplinary studies in social science - human resources), snapper Brian Bury (food industry management), linebacker Seth Mitchell (criminal justice), center Chris Morris (finance), offensive guard Gordon Niebylski (supply chain management) and strong safety Eric Smith (criminal justice). Michigan State leads the Big Ten and ranks among the NCAA's top 10 with six football players already in possession of their bachelor's degrees.
Four of those players currently are pursuing master's degrees: Bury (kinesiology), Morris (kinesiology), Niebylski (labor relations and human resources) and Smith (criminal justice). Bazemore (sociology) and Mitchell (family community services) have opted to pursue a second bachelor's degree.
WINNING IN THE CLASSROOM, PART II -
In two seasons under head coach John L. Smith, 23 student-athletes have been named Academic All-Big Ten, the highest two-year total in football program history. In 2004, a school-record 13 Spartans earned Academic All-Big Ten honors.
MAGIC NUMBER 24 -
Since 1990, Michigan State is 79-19-1 (.803) when it scores at least 24 points and 13-65-1 (.171) when it scores fewer than 24 points. During that 16-year period, the Spartans have compiled an overall record of 92-84-2 (.522).
SPARTANS IN THE NFL -
Michigan State has 19 former players listed on opening-day rosters for National Football League teams in 2005. Here's a complete list of Spartans currently playing in the NFL (opening-day rosters as of Monday, Sept. 5):
Atlanta Falcons - RB DeAndra Cobb, RB T.J. Duckett, LB Ike Reese
Baltimore Ravens - WR Derrick Mason
Chicago Bears - WR Muhsin Muhammad
Cincinnati Bengals - DT Matthias Askew
Dallas Cowboys - OT Flozell Adams
Detroit Lions - WR Charles Rogers
Green Bay Packers - OG William Whitticker
Houston Texans - QB Tony Banks, DE Robaire Smith
Indianapolis Colts - K Dave Rayner
Minnesota Vikings - K Paul Edinger
New York Giants - WR Plaxico Burress
New York Jets - TE Chris Baker
Oakland Raiders - CB Renaldo Hill
Philadelphia Eagles - LB Mike Labinjo
San Francisco 49ers - LB Julian Peterson
Washington Redskins - LB Lemar Marshall
Two former Michigan State players are listed on NFL practice squads (as of Monday, Sept. 5):
Detroit Lions - TE Jason Randall
St. Louis Rams - DE Clifford Dukes
Another former Spartan player is listed on NFL injured reserve (as of Monday, Sept. 5):
Miami Dolphins - DT Kevin Vickerson
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 (2003-05; 27 games):
Rushing Yards: 430 vs. Wisconsin, 2004
Passing Yards: 382 vs. Indiana, 2003
Total Yards: 685 vs. Kent State, 2005
First Downs: 35 vs. Kent State, 2005
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 Ohio State and Indiana, 2004; Rutgers, 2003
Sacks By: 6 vs. Indiana and Western Michigan, 2003
Turnovers Forced: 5 vs. Louisiana Tech, 2003
Points (Game): 51 vs. Minnesota, 2004
Points (Half): 35 (1st) vs. Kent State, 2005
Points (Quarter): 24 (2nd) vs. Rutgers, 2003
Victory Margin: 35 vs. Kent State, 2005; Wisconsin, 2004; Illinois, 2003
