Post-Game Notes
9/20/2008 12:00:00 AM | Football
Sept. 20, 2008
Recap | Final Stats | Quotes | Photo Gallery 
• In the 72nd meeting between these two historic rivals, Michigan State defeated Notre Dame, 23-7, before a crowd of 76,366 at Spartan Stadium...it marked MSU's first win over Notre Dame at home since 2000...it also marked the first time a home team has won in the series since 2000...Michigan State has won nine of the past 12 meetings in the series...Michigan State now has 27 victories against Notre Dame, the second most by an Irish opponent (Southern Cal - 32 wins).
• Javon Ringer rushed for 201 yards on 39 carries (5.2 avg.), marking the first time ever a Michigan State running back has rushed for more than 200 yards in back-to-back games...he rushed for 282 yards on 43 carries last week against Florida Atlantic...the past two weeks, Ringer has rushed for 483 yards on 82 carries (5.9 avg.)...this marks Ringer's third-career 200-yard game.
• Ringer's 201 yards against the Fighting Irish are the most ever by a Spartan against Notre Dame...the previous high was 157 yards by Dennis Mendyk in 1956...in his four career games against Notre Dame, Ringer rushed for 445 yards on 83 carries.
• Ringer now has 3,460 career rushing yards, which moves him up to fifth all-time at Michigan State...Ringer has 699 yards (174.8 avg.) through four games.
• Ringer, who came into the game leading the nation in scoring and rushing touchdowns, scored two touchdowns this afternoon...he now has 11 rushing touchdowns this season...his first touchdown was a 1-yard run in the first quarter...on MSU's final touchdown drive, Ringer carried the ball seven straight times for 77 yards - including a 63-yarder - and capped off the drive with a 1-yard TD with 2:16 left in the game...Ringer has scored multi-touchdowns in every game this season.
• It marked Ringer's 15th career 100-yard rushing game, tying Sedrick Irvin for fourth all-time at Michigan State.
• Ringer recorded more than 200 all-purpose yards for the fourth straight game...he finished with 223 all-purpose yards (201 rush; 22 kick return)...he now has 4,311 all-purpose yards, which ranks seventh in MSU history.
• Otis Wiley recorded two interceptions for the second time this season...his first interception arrived in the first quarter at the back of the end zone, halting an Irish scoring drive...his second pick came in the second quarter at the Irish 22-yard line, setting up a Javon Ringer touchdown...he now has nine career interceptions, one shy of cracking MSU's all-time top 10 in that category...he entered the game leading the Big Ten in passes defended (interception and pass break-ups)...he also had two interceptions in the season opener at California.
• Brandon Long recorded a career-high two sacks for 19 yards...he entered the game with two career sacks (16 yards)...he finished with a carerer-high 2.5 tackles for loss for 19 yards.
• The Spartans registered a season-best nine tackles for loss (41 yards) and three sacks (34 yards)...entering the game, Notre Dame's offensive line hadn't allowed a sack.
• MSU's offensive line did not record a sack for the third straight game and has only allowed one sack all season.
• Mark Dantonio improved to 2-0 vs. Notre Dame as a head coach at Michigan State...as an assistant and head coach at MSU, Dantonio is 6-0 vs. Notre Dame.
• Mark Dell had four catches for 80 yards...through four games, Dell has 17 catches for 400 yards (100.0 avg.)...through four games last season, Devin Thomas had 16 catches for 370 yards
• Michigan State's defense forced three turnovers, two of them occuring in the red zone (intereception by Wiley in the first quarter; forced fumble by Ross Weaver and fumble recovery by Eric Gordon in the third quarter)...the three turnovers ties the most in the Coach Dantonio era (Bowling Green, Pittsburgh, Purdue).
• Notre Dame was limited to 16 rushing yards, the fewest Michigan State has allowed since UAB rushed for 12 yards in the 2007 season opener.
• Brett Swenson hit three field goals, matching his career high...he hit a 45-yard field goal on MSU's first possession of the game...his career long is 46 yards (accomplished twice)...hit a 23-yarder in the third quarter to make it 13-0 and a 26-yarder in the fourth quarter to make it 16-7...Swenson now ranks 10th all-time at MSU in scoring with 205 points...Swenson now has 35 career field goals, which ties Ralf Mojsiejenko for seventh in MSU history.
• The fourth quarter touchdown was the first allowed by the Michigan State defense in nine quarters, going back to the second quarter against Eastern Michigan.
• Chris L. Rucker recorded a career-high nine tackles, including 1.5 for losses and a half sack.
• Adam Decker had a career-high eight tackles.
• Danny Fortener recorded career highs in tackles (7) and pass break-ups (2).
