Big Plays, Takeaways Propel Spartans to Third-Straight Win

Sept. 19, 2015

By Steve Grinczel, MSUSpartans.com Online Columnist | @GrinzOnGreen

EAST LANSING, Mich. -- It was the perfect time for Michigan State to play Air Force, and not because the Spartans were in danger of suffering a letdown after their statement-making win against Oregon a week earlier.

Michigan State has been virtually immune from getting too full of itself after a major victory or too down after a devastating loss in a big game -- or any other kind of game for that matter -- pretty much since Mark Dantonio took over as head coach in 2007.

So there wasn't a fear of complacency eroding MSU's resolve going into Saturday's game at Spartan Stadium after moving up a notch to No. 4 in the national polls.

However, to earn a 35-21 victory against such an opponent, the Spartans had to push themselves well beyond their comfort zone when it came to preparation, execution and completion.

Earlier in the week, Dantonio noted how impressed he was to read how some of the cadets playing football for the Air Force Academy had already completed their survival training -- as in learning the skills they will rely on if they are ever trapped behind enemy lines in a combat situation.

The Spartans knew they were playing a team that wasn't going to be impressed with them simply because they beat the Ducks, even if Oregon is the defending national runner-ups and was ranked seventh at the time.

You beat the Ducks? Last summer, I spent seven days in the field without a weapon and could only eat and drink what I could find.

True to expectations, the Falcons proved to be a formidable sparring partner with their triple-option offense that relentlessly battered Michigan State's defense for 428 yards and a defense that succeeded, where so many others had failed, in making MSU's vaunted balanced offensive attack one-dimensional.

When the cadets lined up in formation in the northeast corner of the stadium for the traditional singing of the Air Force Alma Mater with their pep band, the Spartans paid a fitting tribute to their worthy foe by standing at attention behind them before bidding a very fond goodbye.

Michigan State co-defensive coordinator Harlon Barnett summed up the sentiments of the entire team when asked if he was happy the Falcons are no longer on MSU's radar.

"Man, we focused on those guys back in spring ball," Barnett said. "Then in fall camp we focused on them and of course got through today. Thank God, we're done with Air Force. This was really a tough team to prepare for, especially when you don't see it on a weekly basis."

It's not to say things will get any easier for Michigan State as the season progresses, but it can't get much harder and there's value in knowing that.

The Spartans threw everything they had at Air Force. The first of Connor Cook's career-high-matching four touchdown passes -- a 15-yarder to tight end Josiah Price -- and fifth-year senior safety RJ Williamson's 64-yard scoop-and-score off D.J. Johnson's fumble gave MSU a 14-0 first-quarter lead, but the Falcons didn't flinch.

Michigan State built a 35-7 advantage on three unanswered touchdowns by wideout Aaron Burbridge, on a 28-yard reception early in the second quarter, a spectacular toe-tap-down 32-yarder with 28 seconds remaining in the first half and a slick 21-yarder in the third quarter, but the Falcons didn't flinch.

In fact, even after the defense added two more goal-line stands to the one it had against Oregon, Air Force kept pushing the Spartans to their limit while scoring the game's final two touchdowns. Dantonio said he didn't feel comfortable until Williamson recovered an on-side kick with 2:10 remaining.

"We came out last week and got the win, but that was last week," said Williamson, whose interception of a Karson Roberts' pass on third-and-goal at 10 ended a second consecutive Falcon threat in the red zone. "I wanted guys, and coach wanted guys, to come out here and focus on the task at hand.

"We always talk about it's a one-step process every day to becoming a National Champion contender. We came out with a great win and we're going to enjoy it, but when Monday comes around, it's time to get focused on Central Michigan and another step in the process to where we want to be."

Michigan State has been repeating that drill the same way since before Williamson became a Spartan.

"There's a trickle effect (from the seniors) down to juniors, sophomores and freshmen and it all starts with our head man," Williamson said. "Every meeting, he lets us know this process is long-going. It's not over after a win against Oregon or Air Force.

"You have to continue to better yourself because teams are continually getting better week in and week out. The more games you play the more film people have on you to attack your weaknesses, so we have to get better each and every day."

It's a good thing Michigan State was outstanding in certain areas. Burbridge had eight catches for a career-high 156 yards and doubled his number of career touchdowns while Cook completed 15-of-23 passes for 247 yards. However, Air Force forced the Spartans to rely on the pass by regularly putting eight defenders in the box, and the result was just 77 yards on 42 rushes for just 1.8 yards-per-carry.

"Our game plan every week always is to run the ball," Burbridge said. "That's what Michigan State does, but the passing game was there so we won with it.

"Every game is big to get to where we want to get to, so we've got to take it a week at a time and bring that enthusiasm and intensity every week. We have confidence in ourselves, in our offense and our defense. Last week, we beat Oregon, and that was a big stepping stone for our program. This week, we didn't play up to our potential, but we still came out with the win."

What pleased Dantonio about the game as much as the big plays in the passing game and taking advantage of three turnovers on defense was the way the Spartans matched Air Force's intensity, effort and respect.

"We wanted to put the game out of reach," Dantonio said. "I don't know if it was out of reach at the end or not. To the common man maybe, but not to the common coach.

"I think our guys came to play. Win or loss in the big game, we're 26-4 in the next game, I believe, for the last seven years. I thought we played with energy. We started the game very fast. I thought our players did that, our seniors did that and we'll continue to move as they move."

Sophomore linebacker Chris Frey made one of the biggest plays of the game early in the fourth quarter when on fourth-and-goal at the MSU 3-yard line, he dropped wideout Jalen Robinette, who got the ball on a reverse, for a 5-yard loss. He said the Spartans have no problem learning from the Falcons' example, since they're preparing for conflicts much more serious than those that take place on a football field.

"Everybody on this team knew Air Force was going to come out and fight from start to finish, and they were going to push themselves because that's what they're trained to do," Frey said. "They don't quit; they keep fighting through. It doesn't matter if the score is 100-0, they're going to keep playing.

"We just have to play to the last whistle and keep going."