Post-Game Notes: Illinois

Oct. 10, 2009

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• With the 24-14 win, Michigan State won its sixth straight game in Memorial Stadium...Illinois last home win in the series came on Nov. 21, 1992, 14-10...the Spartans own a 24-17-2 all-time lead in the series and have won 10 of the last 11 meetings.

• In his first career start, freshman running back Larry Caper collected season highs in carries (16) and yards (95)...he scored his team-leading fifth touchdown of the season with a 17-yard run in the second quarter that made it 14-0 in favor of MSU...Caper also caught two passes for 44 yards, including a 30-yarder in the second quarter that placed MSU on the Illinois 1-yard line.

• The Spartan defense recorded a season-high six sacks, marking the second-highest total in the Coach Dantonio era (seven vs. Bowling Green in 2007)...the past two weeks, MSU has tallied 10 sacks...MSU had four sacks last week against Michigan...the Spartans also tallied eight tackles for loss vs. Illinois and have 18 tackles for loss the last two games.

• Danny Fortener returned an interception 45 yards for a touchdown in the third quarter to extend MSU's lead to 24-0...it marked MSU's first interception return for a TD since Johnny Adams ran a pick back 40 yards for a score last season vs. Purdue...Fortener also collected a season-high 10 tackles.

• Greg Jones collected a team-high 11 tackles, including a 6-yard sack...he also had two quarterback hurries...he has led the team or tied for the team lead in tackles in every game this season...he now has 71 tackles this season, including 6.5 for losses and three sacks...his 29 career tackles for loss now rank tied for ninth in MSU history, along with Mark Nichols and Melvin Land...his 276 career tackles now rank 22nd in MSU history.

• Making his first career start at quarterback, Keith Nichol completed 13-of-25 passes for 179 yards and one interception...he also had six rushes for 27 yards (4.5 avg.).

• Eric Gordon recorded two tackles for loss (8 yards), including a 7-yard sack...Gordon ranks tied for third on the team with five tackles for loss this season.

• Jerel Worthy had a 2-yard sack, improving his team-leading total to 4.5 this season.

• Trevor Anderson collected a season-high 2.5 tackles for loss (8 yards), including 1.5 sacks (3 yards).

• Brett Swenson kicked a 35-yard field goal as time expired in the second quarter, giving him 61 for his career, which is just one shy of Dave Rayner's school-record mark of 62...Swenson also kicked three extra points, moving him into second place all-time at MSU with 139 career PATs.

• Glenn Winston, who carried the ball 14 times for a career-high 64 yards, left the game in the second quarter with a knee injury...he scored his second career TD with a 2-yard run in the first quarter that gave MSU a 7-0 lead.

• For the second straight game, MSU held the advantage in time of possession (36:07 to 23:53).

• At halftime, MSU compiled 281 yards of offense compared to 60 for Illinois...MSU also held advantages in first downs (15-3) and rushing (149 yards to 29)...however, the Spartans were limited to three first downs and 91 yards of total offense in the second half.