Post-Game Notes: Michigan

SERIES
• Michigan State defeated Michigan for the ninth time in the last 13 meetings . . . Michigan State has won five of the last seven meetings over Michigan in Ann Arbor, including three of the last four matchups. Although the Spartans fell to No. 15 Michigan last year in Ann Arbor, MSU defeated the No. 7 Wolverines in 2017, 14-10, and in 2015 the Spartans beat No. 12 Michigan, 27-23, as Jalen Watts-Jackson scooped up a fumbled snap on a punt attempt and ran it back 38 yards for a TD as time expired. The unforgettable touchdown was named the No. 1 play of the 2015 season at the ESPN College Football Awards Show in Atlanta on Dec. 10.

• Saturday's game marked the 113th meeting between Michigan State and Michigan. The Wolverines lead the all-time series, 71-37-5, including a 50-23-3 record in Ann Arbor; however, since 1950, Michigan holds just a seven-game edge, 38-31-2. Since 1953, the winner of the Michigan State-Michigan game has been presented the Paul Bunyan Trophy. The four-foot wooden statue was donated by then-Governor G. Mennen Williams to mark Michigan State's acceptance into the Big Ten. Since 1953, Michigan leads the series 38-28-2. The trophy depicts the legendary giant lumberjack astride an axe with feet planted on a map of the state with flags representing the schools.

• Mel Tucker is the first head coach in school history to defeat Michigan for his first win as the Spartan head coach . . . Tucker joins Nick Saban as the only Spartan head coaches to defeat Michigan in their first meeting against the Wolverines.

• Michigan State ranks second among opponents in all-time victories over Michigan. Only Ohio State (52) has posted more wins over the Wolverines than the Spartans (37).

• Michigan State ranks second among opponents in all-time victories over Michigan at Michigan Stadium. Only Ohio State (22) has posted more wins over the Wolverines than the Spartans (21) at Michigan Stadium (opened in 1927). In addition, only Ohio State (24) has recorded more wins over Michigan in Ann Arbor than the Spartans (23).

• Michigan State has now defeated Michigan 21 times when the Wolverines were ranked in the AP Top 25, including 11 wins in the top 10 . . . Michigan entered the game ranked No. 13 in the AP Poll.

OFFENSE
• Freshman wide receiver Ricky White had 196 yards receiving on eight catches in his second game for the Spartans, after just one catch last week vs. Rutgers in his MSU debut . . . the 196 receiving yards were the most-ever by a Spartan freshman receiver, bettering the previous mark of Cody White with 165 receiving yards in 2017 at Northwestern . . . Ricky White's 196 yards tied for seventh-best single-game outing in program history, matching Andre Rison (11 catches) vs. Indiana (11/8/86) . . . it also marks the second-highest total by a Spartan receiver against Michigan (Plaxico Burress with 255 in 1999) . . . Ricky White snared his first career TD reception with his first-quarter TD catch from junior quarterback Rocky Lombardi . . . it was White's second catch of the season after a 5-yard reception last week vs. Rutgers . . . White added a 50-yard reception on MSU's opening possession of the second half, setting up the Spartans' field goal.

• Junior quarterback Rocky Lombardi threw for a career-high 323 yards, the third-highest total by a Spartan quarterback against Michigan (Bill Burke with 400 in 1999; Connor Cook with 325 in 2015) . . . Lombardi now has thrown at least one TD in four of his five starts with three TD passes Saturday . . . Lombardi now has multi-TD passes in both games this season and in three career games started . . . Lombardi's 53-yard pass play to redshirt sophomore wide receiver Jalen Nailor in the second quarter was a career-long for Lombardi, bettering a 50-yard TD pass vs. Rutgers last week, and Lombardi matched the 50-yarder with a pass play to freshman Ricky White on the opening drive of the third quarter.

• Redshirt sophomore wide receiver Jalen Nailor's 53-yard catch in the second quarter to set up the Spartans' second TD of the game, was his career-long, topping previous long of 48 yards vs. Purdue in 2018.

• Redshirt junior Connor Heyward's second quarter and fourth quarter TD catches were his only two receptions of the day . . . Heyward now has four TD receptions for his career, joining 2019 vs. Tulsa and 2017 vs. Rutgers . . . Heyward now has nine career total TDs, adding five rushing scores.

DEFENSE
• Senior linebacker Antjuan Simmons, who went to high school at Ann Arbor Pioneer, which is just across the street from UM's campus, notched 11 tackles, tying his career-high from last week vs. Rutgers . . . Simmons finished with six solo stops, five assists, along with 0.5 tackle for loss and two pass break-up, one coming in the end zone, thwarting a UM score.

• Senior defensive end Jacub Panasiuk registered his 14th career game with at least 0.5 tackle for loss with 1.0 on Saturday, including a sack on the Spartans' first defensive play from scrimmage, leading the MSU defense to six TFLs for the day . . . Panasiuk now has 9.0 career sacks and 20.0 career TFL.

• Senior safety Tre Person topped his career-high with nine tackles, topping his previous best of eight vs. Purdue (10/27/18).

SPECIAL TEAMS
• Senior placekicker Matt Coghlin's split the uprights from a career-long 51 yards in the third quarter, for his first career field goal of 50+ yards, bettering his previous high of 49 yards vs. Utah State (8/31/18), after a 48-yarder last week . . . Coghlin added a 27-yard field goal earlier in the third quarter, and is now 59-of-77 for his career, taking over sole possession of the No. 3 spot on MSU's career field goals made list, separating from a tie with John Langeloh (1987-90) . . . the 77 career field goal attempts now moves Coghlin up to No. 4 on the career field goals attempt list, passing former teammate Michael Geiger (2013-16) . . . Coghlin's three PATs on Saturday give him 100 for his career, becoming the eighth MSU placekicker with 100 PATs.

• Redshirt junior punter Bryce Baringer's 56-yard punt in the first quarter was his second new career-long in as many punts, bettering his previous best of 55 yards last week vs. Rutgers, before being credited with a new career long 78-yarder in the second quarter . . . Baringer ended with five punts for a 54.0 ypp average . . . with four 50+ yard punts Saturday, Baringer topped his previous career total of three, now with seven for his career.

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Players Mentioned

Bryce Baringer

Matt Coghlin

Connor Heyward

Rocky Lombardi

Jalen Nailor

Jacub Panasiuk

Tre Person

Antjuan Simmons

Jalen Watts-Jackson

Cody White

Ricky White

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