Photo by: MSU Athletic Communications
Post-Game Notes: Oregon
1/1/2019 12:08:00 AM | Football
• Michigan State closes the 2018 season with a 7-6 record, marking the 10th winning season in 12 seasons under Mark Dantonio . . . Dantonio owns the second-most victories in school history (107), second only to Hall of Famer Duffy Daugherty (109) . . . Dantonio is 107-51 in 12 seasons in East Lansing.
• The Spartans are 12-16 all-time in bowl games, including a 5-6 record under Dantonio . . . Dantonio owns school records for most bowl appearances (11) and bowl victories (five) . . . the Spartans are 6-2 in bowl games in the state of California (4-1 Rose Bowl; 1-0 Holiday Bowl; 1-0 Silicon Valley Bowl; 0-1 Redbox Bowl).
• Oregon has a 4-3 edge in the all-time series between the two schools . . . the Redbox Bowl marked the first-ever meeting between the Ducks and Spartans in a bowl game.
• Michigan State's 19-member 2018 Senior Class finished with the ninth-most wins in program history (32-20 record since 2015).
DEFENSE
• MSU held Oregon to a season-low seven points, the second-fewest points the Spartans have allowed in a bowl game (6 vs. Auburn in 1938 Orange Bowl) and the fewest points scored by the Ducks since Nov. 4, 2017 (lost 38-3 at Washington) . . . the Spartans allowed just 17.2 points per game all season, the third best of the Dantonio era (13.2 in 2013; 16.3 in 2012) . . . MSU held its opponents to 21 or fewer points 10 times and only Utah State cracked the 30-point plateau against the Spartans in 2018 with 31 in the season opener (USU ranks third in the FBS with 47.5 ppg.).
• The Spartans also held the Ducks to season lows in total offense (203) and rushing yards (37) . . . Oregon's 166 passing yards were the second fewest for the Ducks in 2018 (118 vs. Oregon State).
• MSU, which entered the game ranked No. 1 in the FBS in rushing defense, finished the season allowing just 77.9 rushing yards per game, the fifth-lowest total in school history and the lowest since 1999 (76.2 ypg.) . . . the Spartans held eight opponents under 100 yards rushing and six under 50 yards rushing.
• Oregon was just 2-of-14 on third downs against MSU.
• Sophomore cornerback Josiah Scott was named the Redbox Bowl Outstanding Defensive Player after recording a career-high four pass break-ups and three tackles, including one for a loss of 8 yards . . . Scott became just the second Spartan to earn bowl MVP honors in a losing effort (Andre Rison, 1989 Gator Bowl Offensive MVP) . . . after missing the first eight games of the season with a knee injury, Scott had 13 tackles, two interceptions and seven pass break-ups in the last five games of the year.
• Junior linebacker Joe Bachie led MSU with eight tackles and closed the season with a team-high 102 stops, marking his second consecutive 100-tackle season (100 in 2017).
• Senior linebacker Andrew Dowell finished his Spartan career with 260 tackles, 15 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks in 51 games, including 34 starts (29 consecutive) . . . he had seven stops in his final collegiate game, giving him a career-high 97 on the season (second on the team) . . . he also had a career-high 8.5 TFLs (third on the team) and 3.5 sacks (tied for second on the team) in 2018.
• Senior safety Khari Willis had three tackles in his final collegiate game to finish with a career-high 84 this season . . . he had 196 tackles in 46 career games, including 30 starts (26 consecutive) . . . he also had two pass break-ups vs. Oregon to finish with 16 in his career.
• MSU tied a season high with nine pass break-ups and also had three sacks.
• MSU forced seven three-and-outs for the Oregon offense.
• In the post-game press conference, Dantonio announced that junior defensive lineman Kenny Willekes, who was named an All-American and the Big Ten Defensive Lineman of the Year, broke his fibula in the third quarter . . . Willekes had two tackles and a pass break-up in the game and finished the season with 78 tackles, 20.5 tackles for loss and 8.5 sacks.
OFFENSE
• Michigan State held advantages in total offense (330 yards to 203), rushing (159 to 37), passing yards (172 to 166), first downs (19 to 11), total plays (86 to 60) and time of possession (37:15 to 22:45).
• Playing in just his fifth game of the season due to injuries, senior running back LJ Scott tied his season high with 84 yards on a season-high 24 carries . . . Scott finishes his career ranked among MSU's all-time leaders in rushing yards (ninth with 2,855 yards), carries (ninth with 610) and rushing touchdowns (12th with 25) . . . Scott rushed 79 times for 264 yards in 2018 (3.3 avg.; 52.8 ypg.).
• Brian Lewerke recorded season highs for rushing yards (63) and carries (16) . . . it was the most rushing yards in a game for Lewerke since last season's 73 against Washington State in the Holiday Bowl . . . he completed 22-of-40 passes for 172 yards and one interception in his first start since Ohio State on Nov. 10.
• Darrell Stewart had a season-high nine receptions for 45 yards . . . the nine receptions tied for third most by a Spartan in a bowl game . . . he led the team in receptions on the season with 48 for 413 yards.
• Cody White became the 44th player in program history to record 1,000 career receiving yards . . . he finished with six catches for 64 yards against the Ducks and now has 77 receptions for 1,045 yards in just 22 games (14 starts) . . he had a team-high 555 yards receiving on 42 catches in just nine games in 2018.
• Jordan Reid started at right tackle for the 14th straight game and was the only player to start the same position on offense all season for the Spartans . . . Tyler Higby also started all 13 games on offense (first two at center, next three at left tackle, last eight at left guard).
SPECIAL TEAMS
• Sophomore Matt Coghlin made two of his three field-goal attempts (made two 34-yarders in third quarter, missed 50-yarder in fourth quarter) . . . Coghlin finished the season 18-of-22 in field-goal attempts for the season . . . the 18 field goals tied for eighth most in an MSU season . . . Coghlin finished the season with a team-high 85 points.
• Making his third consecutive start, true freshman punter William Przystup averaged 43.1 yards on seven punts for a season-high total of 302 yards . . . MSU was the only FBS school to start four different punters this season.
• The Spartans are 12-16 all-time in bowl games, including a 5-6 record under Dantonio . . . Dantonio owns school records for most bowl appearances (11) and bowl victories (five) . . . the Spartans are 6-2 in bowl games in the state of California (4-1 Rose Bowl; 1-0 Holiday Bowl; 1-0 Silicon Valley Bowl; 0-1 Redbox Bowl).
• Oregon has a 4-3 edge in the all-time series between the two schools . . . the Redbox Bowl marked the first-ever meeting between the Ducks and Spartans in a bowl game.
• Michigan State's 19-member 2018 Senior Class finished with the ninth-most wins in program history (32-20 record since 2015).
DEFENSE
• MSU held Oregon to a season-low seven points, the second-fewest points the Spartans have allowed in a bowl game (6 vs. Auburn in 1938 Orange Bowl) and the fewest points scored by the Ducks since Nov. 4, 2017 (lost 38-3 at Washington) . . . the Spartans allowed just 17.2 points per game all season, the third best of the Dantonio era (13.2 in 2013; 16.3 in 2012) . . . MSU held its opponents to 21 or fewer points 10 times and only Utah State cracked the 30-point plateau against the Spartans in 2018 with 31 in the season opener (USU ranks third in the FBS with 47.5 ppg.).
• The Spartans also held the Ducks to season lows in total offense (203) and rushing yards (37) . . . Oregon's 166 passing yards were the second fewest for the Ducks in 2018 (118 vs. Oregon State).
• MSU, which entered the game ranked No. 1 in the FBS in rushing defense, finished the season allowing just 77.9 rushing yards per game, the fifth-lowest total in school history and the lowest since 1999 (76.2 ypg.) . . . the Spartans held eight opponents under 100 yards rushing and six under 50 yards rushing.
• Oregon was just 2-of-14 on third downs against MSU.
• Sophomore cornerback Josiah Scott was named the Redbox Bowl Outstanding Defensive Player after recording a career-high four pass break-ups and three tackles, including one for a loss of 8 yards . . . Scott became just the second Spartan to earn bowl MVP honors in a losing effort (Andre Rison, 1989 Gator Bowl Offensive MVP) . . . after missing the first eight games of the season with a knee injury, Scott had 13 tackles, two interceptions and seven pass break-ups in the last five games of the year.
• Junior linebacker Joe Bachie led MSU with eight tackles and closed the season with a team-high 102 stops, marking his second consecutive 100-tackle season (100 in 2017).
• Senior linebacker Andrew Dowell finished his Spartan career with 260 tackles, 15 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks in 51 games, including 34 starts (29 consecutive) . . . he had seven stops in his final collegiate game, giving him a career-high 97 on the season (second on the team) . . . he also had a career-high 8.5 TFLs (third on the team) and 3.5 sacks (tied for second on the team) in 2018.
• Senior safety Khari Willis had three tackles in his final collegiate game to finish with a career-high 84 this season . . . he had 196 tackles in 46 career games, including 30 starts (26 consecutive) . . . he also had two pass break-ups vs. Oregon to finish with 16 in his career.
• MSU tied a season high with nine pass break-ups and also had three sacks.
• MSU forced seven three-and-outs for the Oregon offense.
• In the post-game press conference, Dantonio announced that junior defensive lineman Kenny Willekes, who was named an All-American and the Big Ten Defensive Lineman of the Year, broke his fibula in the third quarter . . . Willekes had two tackles and a pass break-up in the game and finished the season with 78 tackles, 20.5 tackles for loss and 8.5 sacks.
OFFENSE
• Michigan State held advantages in total offense (330 yards to 203), rushing (159 to 37), passing yards (172 to 166), first downs (19 to 11), total plays (86 to 60) and time of possession (37:15 to 22:45).
• Playing in just his fifth game of the season due to injuries, senior running back LJ Scott tied his season high with 84 yards on a season-high 24 carries . . . Scott finishes his career ranked among MSU's all-time leaders in rushing yards (ninth with 2,855 yards), carries (ninth with 610) and rushing touchdowns (12th with 25) . . . Scott rushed 79 times for 264 yards in 2018 (3.3 avg.; 52.8 ypg.).
• Brian Lewerke recorded season highs for rushing yards (63) and carries (16) . . . it was the most rushing yards in a game for Lewerke since last season's 73 against Washington State in the Holiday Bowl . . . he completed 22-of-40 passes for 172 yards and one interception in his first start since Ohio State on Nov. 10.
• Darrell Stewart had a season-high nine receptions for 45 yards . . . the nine receptions tied for third most by a Spartan in a bowl game . . . he led the team in receptions on the season with 48 for 413 yards.
• Cody White became the 44th player in program history to record 1,000 career receiving yards . . . he finished with six catches for 64 yards against the Ducks and now has 77 receptions for 1,045 yards in just 22 games (14 starts) . . he had a team-high 555 yards receiving on 42 catches in just nine games in 2018.
• Jordan Reid started at right tackle for the 14th straight game and was the only player to start the same position on offense all season for the Spartans . . . Tyler Higby also started all 13 games on offense (first two at center, next three at left tackle, last eight at left guard).
SPECIAL TEAMS
• Sophomore Matt Coghlin made two of his three field-goal attempts (made two 34-yarders in third quarter, missed 50-yarder in fourth quarter) . . . Coghlin finished the season 18-of-22 in field-goal attempts for the season . . . the 18 field goals tied for eighth most in an MSU season . . . Coghlin finished the season with a team-high 85 points.
• Making his third consecutive start, true freshman punter William Przystup averaged 43.1 yards on seven punts for a season-high total of 302 yards . . . MSU was the only FBS school to start four different punters this season.
Players Mentioned
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