Football Media Center: Minnesota
11/5/2010 12:00:00 AM | Football
| No. 16/15 Michigan State (8-1, 4-1 Big Ten) vs. Minnesota (1-8, 0-5 Big Ten) | |
| Date | Saturday, Nov. 6 |
| Time | 12 p.m. ET |
| Location | East Lansing, Mich. | Spartan Stadium (75,005/Natural Grass) |
| Televison | Big Ten Network |
| Radio | Spartan Sports Network (Listen Live) |
| Satellite Radio | SIRIUS: Channel 127; XM: Channel 195 |
| Tickets | Available at www.msuspartans.com | Gameday Answers |
| Game Notes | Michigan State | Minnesota |
| Statistics | Michigan State | Minnesota |
| Internet Coverage | Live Stats (Mobile Users) | |
| Social Media | @MSU_Football  | Facebook  |
STORYLINE
No. 16/15 Michigan State (8-1, 4-1 Big Ten) will look to stay atop the Big Ten standings as it faces Minnesota (1-8, 0-5) Saturday at noon in Spartan Stadium.
BROADCAST COVERAGE:
TELEVISION: The Big Ten Network will televise the Michigan State-Minnesota game live to a national audience, with Tom Hart handling the play-by-play, Anthony Herron providing color commentary and Lisa Byington serving as the sideline reporter.
RADIO: The Spartan Sports Network, featuring veteran play-by-play announcer George Blaha, color analyst Jim Miller, sideline reporter Jason Strayhorn and broadcast host Will Tieman, will broadcast the game to 32 affiliates throughout the state. Michigan State football broadcasts can be heard on flagship stations WJIM (AM 1240)/WMMQ (FM 94.9) in Lansing and WJR Radio (AM 760) in Detroit. The MSU-Minnesota game also can be heard live on satellite radio: SIRIUS (Channel 127) and XM (Channel 195).
FIRST-AND-10 -
• Saturday's game marks the 43rd meeting between Michigan State and Minnesota and the first in Spartan Stadium since 2006. The Spartans lead the all-time series, 25-17, including a 14-6 record in games played in East Lansing. The Golden Gophers have won three in a row and six of the last eight games in the series. Overall, Michigan State has won 19 of the last 25 meetings. Last season, Minnesota defeated MSU, 42-34.
• With their 8-1 start, it marks the 14th time in program history the Spartans have won at least eight games in their first nine tries (1904, 1905, 1909, 1934, 1937, 1950, 1951, 1952, 1953, 1955, 1957, 1965, 1966, 2010). MSU went 9-0 in both 1951 and 1952, and also started 9-0 in 1965 and 1966. The Spartans started 8-0 this season for only the fifth time in school history.
• Michigan State is tied atop the Big Ten standings at 4-1 along with Ohio State. Wisconsin and Iowa also have one loss with 3-1 conference records.
• The Spartans are ranked No. 14 in the latest Bowl Championship Series Standings, released Sunday, Oct. 31. MSU was ranked No. 5 in Oct. 24 standings, its highest ranking ever in the BCS.
• Michigan State ranks among the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision leaders in takeaways (tied for 11th with 20), turnover margin (21st at +0.67 per game), scoring defense (No. 29 allowing 20.0 points per game), pass efficiency defense (No. 31 with a 114.8 rating), rushing defense (No. 31 allowing 123.8 yards per game) and total defense (No. 32 allowing 334.7 yards per game). The Spartans totaled only 14 takeaways during the entire 2009 season.
• Michigan State's first nine opponents comprise the nation's 18th-most difficult schedule, according to NCAA figures. The Spartans' past opponents have a combined record of 31-19 (.620) against other Bowl Subdivision teams.
• Junior quarterback Kirk Cousins tied the school record for most consecutive games (16) with a touchdown pass as he connected for a 6-yard strike to B.J. Cunningham in the fourth quarter at Iowa. Drew Stanton also threw a TD pass in 16 straight games in 2005-06. It also marked Cousins' 36th career touchdown pass, which moved him into sixth place all-time in the MSU record book. In addition, Cousins became the eighth quarterback in MSU history to compile 5,000 career passing yards, as he threw for 198 yards against the Hawkeyes, giving him 5,136 passing yards for his career. That figure already ranks seventh in MSU history.
• Sophomore Dan Conroy, who is 13-for-14 in field goals and a perfect 33-for-33 in point-after attempts this season, has been named one of 20 semifinalists for the Lou Groza Award, which is given to the nation's top placekicker. A First-Team Midseason All-American according to CBS Sports.com, Conroy leads the Big Ten in field-goal percentage (93 percent) and ranks second in kick scoring with 9.0 points per game. He was named the National Placekicker of the Week after kicking a career-high four field goals in the win over Illinois Oct. 16.
• Senior linebackers Greg Jones and Eric Gordon have combined for 737 career tackles - the most by any active linebacker duo in the NCAA FBS (Connecticut's Lawrence Wilson and Scott Lutrus rank second with 715 combined stops). Jones has 437 career tackles, third most in school history, while Gordon recorded his 300th career tackle in the Iowa game.
• Michigan State's receiving corps features two career 1,000-yard receivers: senior Mark Dell (121 for 1,966) and junior B.J. Cunningham (126 for 1,656). That duo has combined for 247 receptions, 3,622 yards and 20 career touchdowns. Their numbers rank among the best in Michigan State history: Dell is eighth all-time in receiving yards and 11th in receptions, while Cunningham is ninth in receptions and 18th in receiving yards. Both have caught 10 touchdown passes each, tied for 15th in the school record books.
UPON FURTHER REVIEW -
• Michigan State ranks fifth in the Big Ten and No. 37 in the NCAA FBS in rushing offense, averaging 175.4 yards per game. Sophomore Edwin Baker (88.9 yards per game) and freshman Le'Veon Bell (65.1 ypg.) rank fifth and ninth, respectively, in the Big Ten in rushing. Baker and Bell have combined to rush for 1,386 yards and 15 touchdowns in 2010 while averaging 6.3 yards per carry. Under head coach Mark Dantonio, MSU is 13-2 in games it gains 200-plus yards rushing, including a perfect 5-0 in 2010.
• With his first career punt return for a score against Wisconsin, Keshawn Martin has accounted for touchdowns in five different ways during his career (rushing, receiving, passing, punt return and kickoff return) and joins Florida International's T.Y. Hilton and Troy's Jerrel Jernigan as the only active players in the NCAA FBS that have accomplished that feat.
• After intercepting six passes all of last season, the Spartan defense has picked off 13 passes in the first nine games of 2010. The 13 interceptions are tied for ninth in the NCAA FBS.
• Senior Aaron Bates currently ranks second in the Big Ten and No. 11 in the NCAA in punting with his 45.6-yard average. Bates is listed among MSU's all-time leaders in punts (third at 241), punting yards (third at 10,075), and punting average (seventh at 41.8). He has placed 76 of his 241 career punts (32 percent) inside the opponent's 20-yard line. Bates ranks second in punts and third in punting yards among all active NCAA FBS punters.
• Michigan State scored at least 30 points in its first six games for the first time in school history. In addition, the Spartans scored at least 26 points in each of their first eight games for the first time ever.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS -
• The Spartans rank among the NCAA FBS leaders in both passes defended (seventh with 50) and interceptions (tied for ninth with 13).
• Michigan State ranks third in the Big Ten and No. 34 in the NCAA FBS in red-zone defense, allowing opponents score on 77 percent of their trips inside the Spartan 20-yard line (24-of-31, including 16 touchdowns and eight field goals).
• Michigan State's defense has allowed only nine gains of 30-plus yards from scrimmage (combined rushing and passing plays plus kickoff and punt returns) this season. That total ranks among the fewest allowed in the NCAA FBS (tied for 13th).
THE LAST MEETING -
Oct. 31, 2009, in Minneapolis, Minn.: Adam Weber passed for 416 yards and five touchdowns, helping Minnesota hurdle a school-record 17 penalties and hang on to beat Michigan State 42-34. Playing without injured star wide receiver Eric Decker for the first time, Weber stepped up for his struggling offense, completing 19 of 31 passes for the career high in yardage.
Running back Duane Bennett caught two of the touchdowns for Minnesota, including an incredible recreation of the famous Immaculate Reception by Franco Harris for the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1972 to stretch the lead to eight with 6:04 left. Tight end Nick Tow-Arnett, who had a career-high eight catches for 81 yards and two scores, caught a third-and-17 pass from Weber near the Michigan State 35 and landed on his back after a jarring hit. The ball never touched the ground and popped right up into the hands of Bennett, who ran the rest of the way for the 59-yard touchdown.
Kirk Cousins finished 21 for 35 for 236 yards and two touchdowns, both of them impressive throws. His 11-yard toss to tight end Dion Sims gave the Spartans their first lead, 31-28 heading into the final quarter.
The third quarter actually belonged to MSU's Keshawn Martin, who returned a kickoff back 82 yards for a score and then raced 84 yards for a touchdown on an end around to put the Spartans in position for the wild finish.
On the first play from scrimmage, though, Weber used a textbook play-action fake to find Bennett open along the sideline for a 62-yard catch and tiptoe streak along the sideline. After the Spartans fumbled the kickoff, Weber found Brandon Green in tight coverage in the corner of the end zone from 37 yards out to make it 14-0 just 107 seconds into the game.
MSU/MINNESOTA COACHING CONNECTION -
• Michigan State first-year running backs coach Brad Salem's father Joe compiled a 19-35-1 record (.355) in five seasons as head coach at Minnesota, from 1979-83.
Javon Ringer NAMED HONORARY CAPTAIN -
Javon Ringer, who ranks second in MSU history and 10th in Big Ten history with 4,398 rushing yards, has been selected honorary captain for Saturday's game against Minnesota. He will address the team during the pre-game meal and join the 2010 captains at midfield for the coin toss.
Ringer rushed for 1,637 yards and a school-record 22 touchdowns in 2008, becoming the first Spartan running back to earn consensus All-America honors since Lorenzo White in 1987. As a senior, he earned first-team All-America honors from the Associated Press and Walter Camp Football Foundation.
 Javon Ringer, the second-leading rusher in Michigan State history, is now playing for the Tennessee Titans.  | |
A Doak Walker Award finalist and first-team All-Big Ten selection, Ringer finished 10th in the final balloting for the Heisman Trophy. The 5-foot-9, 205-pound Ringer led the nation in scoring (10.2 points per game) and rushing TDs (22) while ranking fourth in rushing (125.9 yards per game) and 15th in all-purpose yards (157.8 ypg.). He led the Big Ten in scoring and all-purpose yards and ranked second in rushing. His 1,637 yards rank as the second-highest single-season rushing total in school history, and he became the first Spartan to record back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons since T.J. Duckett in 2000-01.
Ringer led the Big Ten in rushing for nine consecutive weeks (Sept. 14-Nov. 9) before being overtaken by Iowa's Shonn Greene on the second-to-last weekend of the regular season. In fact, Ringer led the conference in rushing, scoring and all-purpose yards during that nine-week stretch. Ringer accounted for 97 percent of Michigan State's rushing yards (1,637 of 1,692) and 76 percent of its rushing attempts (390 of 511) in 2008. He recorded seven 100-yard rushing games that season: Eastern Michigan (34 carries for 135 yards), Florida Atlantic (43 for 282), Notre Dame (39 for 201), Indiana (44 for 198), Northwestern (35 for 124), Michigan (37 for 194) and Purdue (32 for 121). In addition, Ringer had eight multi-TD games, including a career-best five scores vs. Eastern Michigan.
Ringer became the first offensive player in Big Ten history to earn Player of the Week honors for three consecutive weeks (vs. Eastern Michigan, Florida Atlantic and Notre Dame). His 390 carries also led the nation - 23 more attempts than the second running back on the list. He recorded four of the six highest single-game carry totals in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision in 2008 (career best 44 vs. Indiana, 43 vs. Florida Atlantic, 39 vs. Notre Dame and 37 vs. Michigan).
Ringer ranks first on MSU's all-time list in all-purpose yards (5,426), second in rushing yards (4,398) and fourth in rushing TDs (34; tied with Blake Ezor, 1986-89). His 4,398 career rushing yards rank No. 10 in Big Ten history. The Dayton, Ohio, native had 19 career 100-yard rushing games and 11 career multi-TD games.
Ringer was selected by the Tennessee Titans in the fifth round (No. 173 overall) of the 2009 National Football League Draft. In eight games of action this season, Ringer has rushed for 173 yards and one touchdown on 33 carries (5.2 avg.), including a career-high 50-yard effort vs. Denver in Week 4. As a rookie in 2009 playing behind Pro Bowler Chris Johnson, Ringer had eight carries for 48 yards (6.0 avg.).
JONES NAMED SEMIFINALIST FOR BUTKUS & LOMBARDI AWARDS -
Senior linebacker Greg Jones leads the Spartans in tackles (78), forced fumbles (3), quarterback hurries (5) and production points (177). Jones also is listed among the team leaders in tackles for loss (second with 5.5 for 15 yards) and interceptions (tied for third with 2). He ranks among the Big Ten leaders in forced fumbles (tied for first) and tackles (fourth at 8.7 per game).
 Greg Jones leads the Big Ten with 78 tackles and three forced fumbles. | |
The 6-foot-1, 240-pound Jones has been selected Midseason First-Team All-America by SI.com, CBSSports.com, Phil Steele, CollegeFootballNews.com, Rivals.com, Heisman Pundit and BleacherReport.com. In addition, he has been named one of 15 semifinalists for the Butkus Award (top collegiate linebacker), one of 12 semifinalists for the Lombardi Award (college lineman of the year) and one of 23 quarterfinalists for the Lott IMPACT Trophy (Defensive IMPACT Player of the Year).
A model of consistency, he has led the team in tackles in 29 of the last 35 games. Jones is attempting to become only the second player in MSU history to lead the Spartans in tackles for four straight seasons (linebacker Dan Bass, 1976-79).
He made nine stops each in back-to-back road games against Northwestern and Iowa.
Jones, who posted a season-high 14 stops in a 26-6 Homecoming victory over Illinois, has been named National Defensive Player of the Week by the Walter Camp Football Foundation as well as Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week. He recorded double-figure tackles for the second time this season and for the 20th time his career. Jones also was credited with a pass break-up and a quarterback hurry. Michigan State limited the Illini to 114 rushing yards - 103 yards below its season average. Trailing 6-3 at halftime, the Spartan defense shut out the Illini in the second half while forcing three turnovers (four takeaways in the game). It marked the first time since a 31-3 win over Indiana on Oct. 4, 2003, that MSU didn't allow a touchdown in a Big Ten game.
Jones posted five tackles in MSU's 34-17 victory at No. 18 Michigan, as the Spartan defense held the Wolverines to season lows in points (17), rushing yards (162) and total yards (377).
He recorded eight tackles, including a season-best three for losses, in No. 24 MSU's 34-24 victory over No. 11 Wisconsin. The Spartan defense held Wisconsin to 165 rushing yards - nearly 93 yards below its season average. The Badgers entered the game ranked second in the Big Ten and No. 10 in the NCAA FBS in rushing, averaging 257.5 yards per game.
Jones, who recorded two interceptions, four tackles and forced a fumble in MSU's 45-7 victory over Northern Colorado, was named Big Ten Co-Defensive Player of the Week. Jones recorded the first two interceptions of his career against the Bears, with both leading to MSU scores. His 34-yard return in the first quarter set up Edwin Baker's 5-yard TD run, while his second-quarter pick set up Le'Veon Bell's second TD run.
He tallied nine tackles in MSU's 34-31 overtime victory over Notre Dame, including a 6-yard sack. Jones recorded 11 tackles and forced a fumble in MSU's 30-17 victory over Florida Atlantic at Ford Field.
The Cincinnati, Ohio, native has started 42 of 48 career games, including 36 consecutive starting assignments (tied for team high with linebacker Eric Gordon). He has 437 career tackles, including 42 for losses (155 yards) and 16.5 sacks (93 yards). Jones ranks among the FBS active leaders in total tackles (second), tackles per game (sixth at 9.1) and tackles for loss (sixth). Jones ranks among MSU's all-time leaders in total tackles (third), tackles for loss (third) and sacks (sixth).
COUSINS HEATS UP IN THE SECOND HALF -
Junior quarterback Kirk Cousins ranks sixth in the Big Ten and No. 20 in the NCAA Football Subdivision in passing efficiency with his 156.7 rating. In addition, Cousins ranks fourth in the Big Ten in passing yards (230.4 per game), fifth in touchdown passes (15) and seventh in total offense (234.6 ypg.). He has completed 162-of-241 throws (.672) for 2,146 yards, 15 TDs and seven interceptions. In Big Ten games, Cousins ranks second in the conference in passing yards (256.6 ypg.), fourth in passing efficiency (152.3 rating) and fifth in total offense (245.0 ypg.)
In addition, he has recorded at least one TD pass in 16 consecutive games, tying the school record set by Drew Stanton in 2005-06.
 Kirk Cousins is second in the Big Ten in conference games in passing (256.6 ypg.). | |
The 6-foot-3, 202-pound Cousins plays his best when the game is on the line, as his 184.8 second-half passing efficiency rating ranks sixth among all NCAA FBS quarterbacks. In the second half (18 quarters and overtime), he has connected on 73 percent (72-of-98) of his throws for 1,032 yards, eight TDs and two interceptions.
With 198 passing yards at Iowa (21-of-29), Cousins became just the eighth quarterback in MSU history to eclipse the 5,000-yard career milestone. In the second half against the Hawkeyes, he connected on 9-of-14 passes for 108 yards, including a 6-yard TD toss to B.J. Cunningham early in the fourth quarter.
During one stretch, Cousins recorded six-straight 200-yard passing games (270.0 ypg.): against Notre Dame (245), Northern Colorado (290), Wisconsin (269), Michigan (284), Illinois (201) and Northwestern (season high 331).
Cousins was selected Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week after completing 29-of-43 throws for 331 yards and three TDs as MSU rallied from a 17-point deficit to remain unbeaten at 8-0 with a 35-27 victory at Northwestern. He posted career highs in pass completions (43), pass attempts (43) and TD passes (3 - tied). Cousins completed scoring passes of 7 and 15 yards to Mark Dell and 9 yards to Cunningham. He completed 17-of-23 passes for 201 yards and two TDs in the second half. Cousins connected on 7-of-8 throws for 98 yards on MSU's game-winning drive (11 plays, 88 yards), including a 9-yard scoring strike to Cunningham with 2:00 left that gave the Spartans their first lead at 28-27.
In a 26-6 Homecoming win over Illinois, Cousins connected on 7-of-12 passes for 128 yards in the second half, including a 48-yard TD strike to Cunningham that gave MSU its first lead at 13-6 with 8:26 left in the third quarter.
In MSU's 34-17 victory at No. 18 Michigan, he completed 7-of-10 second-half throws for 157 yards, including a 41-yard bomb to Dell early in the third quarter gave the Spartans a 24-10 lead.
In MSU's 34-24 victory over No. 11 Wisconsin in the Big Ten opener, Cousins hit 8-of-10 passes for 118 yards and two scores in the second half. His 8-yard TD toss to tight end Charlie Gantt on third-and-goal capped a six-play, 51-yard drive, and his 1-yard scoring strike to Cunningham on fourth-and-goal finished off a 15-play, 84-yard drive that took 8:03 off the clock and iced the game.
In MSU's 34-31 overtime victory over Notre Dame, Cousins went 12-for-12 for 129 yards in the second half, including a 24-yard TD strike to Cunningham that tied the score at 28 with 7:43 left in the fourth quarter.
BAKER, BELL PACE SPARTAN GROUND ATTACK -
Sophomore Edwin Baker and freshman Le'Veon Bell have combined to rush for 1,386 yards and 15 touchdowns in 2010 while averaging 6.3 yards per carry. As a team, the Spartans rank fifth in the Big Ten in rushing offense, averaging 175.4 yards per game. Both Baker and Bell are midseason additions to the Doak Walker Award (nation's top running back) Watch List.
The 5-foot-9, 208-pound Baker ranks fifth in the Big Ten and No. 37 in the NCAA FBS in rushing, averaging 88.9 yards per game. He leads the team in carries (124) and rushing yards (800) and ranks second in rushing TDs (7). Baker has led the team in rushing in five of the first nine games. Thirty of his 124 carries (24 percent) have resulted in either a first down or a score, including five gains of 20 or more yards. He ranks ninth among all NCAA FBS rushers in yards gained on first down (75 attempts for 531 yards, 7.1 yards per carry).
Baker opened the 2010 season with back-to-back 100-yard rushing games: 117 yards and two TDs against Western Michigan and a career-best 183 yards against Florida Atlantic, including a career-long 80-yard TD run. He gained 90 yards on 14 attempts against Notre Dame, including a 56-yard TD run in the third quarter, and picked up a team-high 87 yards on 18 rushes against No. 11 Wisconsin.
In MSU's 34-17 victory at No. 18 Michigan, Baker set a career high with 22 carries for 147 yards, including a 61-yard TD run early in the second quarter that gave the Spartans a 7-3 lead. In the fourth quarter, he carried the ball 10-straight times for 49 yards, as MSU took the final 5:41 off the clock.
At Northwestern, Baker rushed 10 times for 73 yards, including a 25-yard TD run around left end with 1:07 left in the fourth quarter that helped seal MSU's 35-27 come-from-behind win.
The 6-2, 230-pound Bell ranks ninth in the Big Ten in rushing, averaging 65.1 yards per game. His eight rushing TDs rank sixth in the conference. He has rushed 95 times for 586 yards, averaging 6.2 yards per carry. Bell has led the team in rushing in three of the first nine games. Twenty-seven of his 95 carries (28 percent) have resulted in either a first down or a score, including three gains of 20 or more yards. He is listed among the top six candidates for CBSSports.com's Freshman of the Year.
Bell already has earned Big Ten Freshman of the Week honors twice, rushing for 141 yards and two TDs in the season opener against Western Michigan and a game-high 114 yards on 17 carries in MSU's 34-31 overtime victory over Notre Dame, including a 16-yard TD run in the third quarter. He rushed 11 times for 92 yards and three TDs against Northern Colorado, scoring on runs of 8, 1 and 15 yards. Bell ran 16 times for 75 yards against Wisconsin, including a 23-yard run around left end on a fourth-and-1 play late in the second quarter that set up Kirk Cousins' 8-yard TD pass to Mark Dell to give MSU a 20-10 halftime lead.
He carried seven times for 78 yards and one score in MSU's 34-17 victory over No. 18 Michigan in Ann Arbor. Bell averaged over 11 yards per carry against the Wolverines, and his 41-yard touchdown run around left end gave MSU the lead for good at 14-10 with 4:23 left in the first half.
