Post-Game Notes: Indiana
9/23/2018 12:44:00 PM | Football
• In the 65th meeting between Michigan State and Indiana, the Spartans defeated the Hoosiers, 35-21, Saturday night at Memorial Stadium . . . MSU leads the all-time series, 47-16-2, including a 25-10-1 record in Bloomington.
• MSU head coach Mark Dantonio is 9-1 in his tenure against Indiana, including a 4-1 mark in Memorial Stadium.
• Michigan State retained the Old Brass Spittoon with the 35-21 victory over IU. Since 1950, the winner of the Michigan State-Indiana game has been presented the Old Brass Spittoon, which came from one of Michigan's earliest trading posts and is widely believed to be nearly 190 years old. Legend has it that the spittoon was around when both institutions were founded – Indiana in 1820 and MAC in 1855. Since 1950, Michigan State leads the series 47-13-1.
• Michigan State is 8-4 in Big Ten openers under Dantonio. Dantonio's .670 winning percentage (61-30) in Big Ten play ranks first in MSU history (minimum 10 Big Ten games).
• Michigan State played in its third consecutive regular-season night game for the first time in school history. The Spartans are 18-10 overall in 28 regular-season night games under Dantonio, including a 7-6 record on the road.
• MSU is 7-5 after bye weeks under Dantonio.
OFFENSE
• Freshman wide receiver Jalen Nailor scored the first two touchdowns of his career, including a 75-yard TD run in the fourth quarter that sealed the win . . . with MSU up 28-21, Nailor busted loose for a 75-yard score on MSU's first play from scrimmage after IU cut the lead to seven, and put the Spartans on top, 35-21, with 3:17 left in the game . . . Nailor had three carries for 79 yards total . . . he also had a 16-yard TD reception in the first quarter that gave MSU a 7-0 lead.
• Brian Lewerke recorded his ninth 200-yard passing game of his career, completing 14-of-25 passes for 213 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions . . . Lewerke also had his first career reception on a pass from Cody White in the third quarter . . . also the team's holder, Lewerke ran an option pitch on a fake field goal to placekicker Matt Coghlin, who ran in for a 6-yard TD in the third quarter that put MSU on top, 28-7.
• Felton Davis led the Spartans with five catches for 79 yards . . . Cody White had four grabs for 77 yards.
• Sophomore center Matt Allen started his first career game at center. He became the third member of the Allen family, joining his older brothers Jack and Brian, to start at center for the Spartans.
DEFENSE
• Michigan State remains ranked No. 1 in the FBS in rushing defense, as the Spartans held the Hoosiers to 29 yards rushing on 32 attempts. MSU is only allowing 32.7 yards per game on the ground through three games. IU entered the game entered the game averaging 235.0 rushing yards per game.
• MSU held IU running back Stevie Scott to 18 rushing yards on 11 carries. Scott entered the game with 388 rushing yards on 69 carries (129.3 ypg).
• Michigan State has held its opponents under 50 yards rushing for five consecutive games, dating back to last season, and under 100 yards rushing for six straight games . . . MSU has only allowed 136 rushing yards in its last five games, dating back to last season.
• MSU allowed just one rushing first down to the Hoosiers. It marks just the 22nd time in Spartan history that a team either failed to record a rushing first down (accomplished eight times) or only recorded one rushing first down (14 times).
• The Spartans recorded five sacks (Andrew Dowell with a career-high two; Brandon Bouyer-Randle, Kenny Willekes and Raequan Williams with one each), the most in a single game for MSU since recording seven against Western Michigan in the 2015 season opener.
• Joe Bachie, who entered the game ranked No. 1 in the Big Ten in tackles, tied for the team lead in tackles with nine stops.
• For the second straight game, Andrew Dowell tied his career high with two tackles for loss, including a 4-yard sack . . . Dowell had nine stops overall.
• Kenny Willekes racked up two more tackles for loss (6 yards), including a 1-yard sack . . . he now has a team-leading five TFLs and three sacks this season.
• Mike Panasiuk had a career-high two TFLs (3 yards).
• MSU had four sacks and nine tackles for loss in the game.
• Shakur Brown returned an interception 69 yards for a TD in the first quarter to give MSU a 14-0 lead . . . it marked MSU's first pick six since Tyson Smith vs. Bowling Green in 2017 . . . it marked MSU's 30thdefensive TD in the Dantonio era.
• Antjuan Simmons recorded his first career interception in the fourth quarter.
SPECIAL TEAMS
• Matt Coghlin scored on a 6-yard TD run on a fake field goal in the third quarter to give MSU a 28-7 lead over Indiana . . . Coghlin became the first Spartan to score a touchdown and then kick the PAT on his own TD since Sam Williams in 1958 against Wisconsin . . . other Spartans who kicked both PATs and scored an offensive TD in the same season prior to Williams include Earl Lattimer in 1962 and Art Brandstatter in 1960 . . . Dave Kaiser also scored a TD and kicked the PAT following his own score vs. California in 1957.
• With fifth-year senior punter Jake Hartbarger out with an injury, two Spartan punters made their collegiate debuts against Indiana . . . redshirt freshman Tyler Hunt was the starter, punting four times for 155 yards (38.8 avg.), including a long of 46 yards . . . redshirt freshman Bryce Baringer, who joined the team as a walk-on during the bye week, punted twice for 34.0 yards.
• MSU head coach Mark Dantonio is 9-1 in his tenure against Indiana, including a 4-1 mark in Memorial Stadium.
• Michigan State retained the Old Brass Spittoon with the 35-21 victory over IU. Since 1950, the winner of the Michigan State-Indiana game has been presented the Old Brass Spittoon, which came from one of Michigan's earliest trading posts and is widely believed to be nearly 190 years old. Legend has it that the spittoon was around when both institutions were founded – Indiana in 1820 and MAC in 1855. Since 1950, Michigan State leads the series 47-13-1.
• Michigan State is 8-4 in Big Ten openers under Dantonio. Dantonio's .670 winning percentage (61-30) in Big Ten play ranks first in MSU history (minimum 10 Big Ten games).
• Michigan State played in its third consecutive regular-season night game for the first time in school history. The Spartans are 18-10 overall in 28 regular-season night games under Dantonio, including a 7-6 record on the road.
• MSU is 7-5 after bye weeks under Dantonio.
OFFENSE
• Freshman wide receiver Jalen Nailor scored the first two touchdowns of his career, including a 75-yard TD run in the fourth quarter that sealed the win . . . with MSU up 28-21, Nailor busted loose for a 75-yard score on MSU's first play from scrimmage after IU cut the lead to seven, and put the Spartans on top, 35-21, with 3:17 left in the game . . . Nailor had three carries for 79 yards total . . . he also had a 16-yard TD reception in the first quarter that gave MSU a 7-0 lead.
• Brian Lewerke recorded his ninth 200-yard passing game of his career, completing 14-of-25 passes for 213 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions . . . Lewerke also had his first career reception on a pass from Cody White in the third quarter . . . also the team's holder, Lewerke ran an option pitch on a fake field goal to placekicker Matt Coghlin, who ran in for a 6-yard TD in the third quarter that put MSU on top, 28-7.
• Felton Davis led the Spartans with five catches for 79 yards . . . Cody White had four grabs for 77 yards.
• Sophomore center Matt Allen started his first career game at center. He became the third member of the Allen family, joining his older brothers Jack and Brian, to start at center for the Spartans.
DEFENSE
• Michigan State remains ranked No. 1 in the FBS in rushing defense, as the Spartans held the Hoosiers to 29 yards rushing on 32 attempts. MSU is only allowing 32.7 yards per game on the ground through three games. IU entered the game entered the game averaging 235.0 rushing yards per game.
• MSU held IU running back Stevie Scott to 18 rushing yards on 11 carries. Scott entered the game with 388 rushing yards on 69 carries (129.3 ypg).
• Michigan State has held its opponents under 50 yards rushing for five consecutive games, dating back to last season, and under 100 yards rushing for six straight games . . . MSU has only allowed 136 rushing yards in its last five games, dating back to last season.
• MSU allowed just one rushing first down to the Hoosiers. It marks just the 22nd time in Spartan history that a team either failed to record a rushing first down (accomplished eight times) or only recorded one rushing first down (14 times).
• The Spartans recorded five sacks (Andrew Dowell with a career-high two; Brandon Bouyer-Randle, Kenny Willekes and Raequan Williams with one each), the most in a single game for MSU since recording seven against Western Michigan in the 2015 season opener.
• Joe Bachie, who entered the game ranked No. 1 in the Big Ten in tackles, tied for the team lead in tackles with nine stops.
• For the second straight game, Andrew Dowell tied his career high with two tackles for loss, including a 4-yard sack . . . Dowell had nine stops overall.
• Kenny Willekes racked up two more tackles for loss (6 yards), including a 1-yard sack . . . he now has a team-leading five TFLs and three sacks this season.
• Mike Panasiuk had a career-high two TFLs (3 yards).
• MSU had four sacks and nine tackles for loss in the game.
• Shakur Brown returned an interception 69 yards for a TD in the first quarter to give MSU a 14-0 lead . . . it marked MSU's first pick six since Tyson Smith vs. Bowling Green in 2017 . . . it marked MSU's 30thdefensive TD in the Dantonio era.
• Antjuan Simmons recorded his first career interception in the fourth quarter.
SPECIAL TEAMS
• Matt Coghlin scored on a 6-yard TD run on a fake field goal in the third quarter to give MSU a 28-7 lead over Indiana . . . Coghlin became the first Spartan to score a touchdown and then kick the PAT on his own TD since Sam Williams in 1958 against Wisconsin . . . other Spartans who kicked both PATs and scored an offensive TD in the same season prior to Williams include Earl Lattimer in 1962 and Art Brandstatter in 1960 . . . Dave Kaiser also scored a TD and kicked the PAT following his own score vs. California in 1957.
• With fifth-year senior punter Jake Hartbarger out with an injury, two Spartan punters made their collegiate debuts against Indiana . . . redshirt freshman Tyler Hunt was the starter, punting four times for 155 yards (38.8 avg.), including a long of 46 yards . . . redshirt freshman Bryce Baringer, who joined the team as a walk-on during the bye week, punted twice for 34.0 yards.
Players Mentioned
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