Post-Game Notes: Wisconsin
10/23/2011 12:00:00 AM | Football
Oct. 23, 2011
Recap | Final Stats | Quotes | Photo Gallery 
• Tonight's Attendance: 76,405 (sellout)
• The Spartans now lead the all-time series 29-21, including a 16-7 record in games played in East Lansing, Mich. . . . MSU has won the last four meetings against the Badgers in Spartan Stadium (49-14 in 2004; 25-24 in 2008; 34-24 in 2010; 37-31 in 2011). . . . The home team has won the last seven games in the series.
• Michigan State is 63-30-3 (.671) in 96 Homecoming games, including a 4-5 record against Wisconsin. . . . The Spartans have won five-straight Homecoming games and 12 of their last 16. . . . MSU has a 49-21-2 (.694) record in Homecoming contests played in October.
• Michigan State is now 7-4 in 11 prime-time games in Spartan Stadium.
• MSU extended its current home winning streak to 12 games, tying its longest home streak since 1964-66 (teams coached by Duffy Daugherty).
• For the second year in a row, Michigan State has defeated ranked opponents on back-to-back Saturdays. In 2010, MSU knocked off No. 11 Wisconsin and No. 18 Michigan on consecutive weekends. . . . Since 1998, Michigan State is 9-8 (.529) against teams ranked in The Associated Press Top 10, including a 6-3 record (.667) in games played in Spartan Stadium . . . It marks the highest-ranked team MSU has beat since the 49-14 victory over No. 4 Wisconsin in 2004 . . . It's also the first victory for MSU over a Top 10 team since a 44-41 victory at No. 10 Notre Dame in 2005.
• Thanks to his 44-yard Hail Mary pass to Keith Nichol, Kirk Cousins became the winningest quarterback in Spartan history, recording his 22nd career victory. Cousins, now 22-10 (.688) in 32 career starts, broke the mark he previously shared with Jeff Smoker (21 career wins from 2000-03).
• Kirk Cousins recorded his 20th career 200-yard passing game, completing 22-of-31 throws for 290 yards and three touchdowns. His three TD passes matched his career best (five times; last vs. Northwestern, 2010).
• B.J. Cunningham posted his sixth career 100-yard receiving game, with six receptions for 102 yards. It marked his third 100-yard receiving game of the season. With his 35-yard touchdown grab from Kirk Cousins in the second quarter, Cunningham tied Gene Washington for sixth place on MSU's all-time list with his 16th career TD reception.
• Bennie Fowler recovered a punt, blocked by Kyler Elsworth, in the end zone for a touchdown late in the second quarter that gave MSU a 23-14 halftime lead. It marked MSU's first blocked punt that resulted in TD since Kiel Beltinck recovered a punt, blocked by Brandon Denson, in the end zone for a score vs. Minnesota in 2006.
• Le'Veon Bell set season-highs for carries (16) and rushing yards (87). His 16 rushing attempts fell one shy of his career high (17 vs. Notre Dame, 2010).
• Wisconsin's Russell Wilson entered the game with a touchdown-to-interception ratio of 14:1. The Spartans intercepted Wilson twice (Trenton Robinson and Isaiah Lewis).
