Post-Game Notes: Rutgers
11/12/2022 7:13:00 PM | Football
SERIES/TEAM
• Michigan State defeated Rutgers, 27-21, on Saturday afternoon in Spartan Stadium for its third win in the last four games.
• Michigan State improves to 10-4 all-time against Rutgers . . . MSU is 5-3 vs. Rutgers in East Lansing . . . the Spartans are 8-1 against the Scarlet Knights in Big Ten games . . . MSU head coach Mel Tucker is 2-1 against Rutgers.
DEFENSE
• Redshirt sophomore linebacker Cal Haladay recorded a career-high 19 tackles, the most by a Spartan since Eric Smith had 19 against Notre Dame on Sept. 18, 2004 . . . Haladay also had a 3-yard tackle for loss.
• Fifth-year senior safety Kendell Brooks recorded double-digit tackles for the fourth time this season with 10 (one solo, nine assists) . . . Brooks also had a career-high two pass break-ups as part of five overall for the Spartans.
• Fifth-year senior linebacker Ben VanSumeren was credited with a 13-yard sack on an intentional grounding call in the second quarter . . . VanSumeren had eight stops overall in the game.
• Redshirt sophomore defensive end Avery Dunn collected a career-high six tackles, including his first career sack.
• Graduate senior linebacker Aaron Brule was credited with six tackles, including 1.5 for losses (15 yards) and a 13-yard sack.
• Michigan State had six tackles for loss (42 yards) and three sacks overall (33 yards) in the game.
• Fifth-year senior defensive tackle Jacob Slade blocked a 39-yard field goal attempt in the fourth quarter . . . it marked the first blocked field goal for the Spartans since Mike Panasiuk in 2018 vs. Purdue.Â
OFFENSE
• Michigan State's 197 yards rushing was the most in a B1G game this season for the Spartans, and matching their second-highest of the season overall, behind 260 vs. Akron (9/10/22) and equaling 197 vs. Western Michigan (9/2/22) in the season-opener . . . the 197 rushing yards was the most in a B1G game in its last 11 conference games dating back to last season with 199 vs. Michigan (10/30/21).
• The 453 yards of total offense by the Spartans was the most in a B1G game this season for MSU, and third-highest overall behind 430 vs. Western Michigan (9/2/22) and 496 against Akron (9/10/22) . . . the 453 was the most in a league contest since last season with 481 vs. Maryland (11/13/21).
• With 256 yards Saturday, redshirt junior quarterback Payton Thorne had his second-highest passing total in a B1G game this season, behind 265 vs. Wisconsin (10/15/22), as part of third-highest overall, behind a season-high 323 vs. Washington (9/17/22) ... Thorne's 256 yards was his seventh 200+ yard outing of the season in 10 games this year . . . Thorne was 19-for-35 with two TDs, marking his second-straight game with multiple TDs as part of third time in last four games with seventh time this season, and seven of the last 12 games played . . . overall, Thorne now has 13 career games with multi TDs tosses.
• Thorne's two TDs Saturday give him 46 for his Spartan career, moving up to tie for No. 5 on MSU's career passing TD list, matching Bill Burke (1996-99) . . . the 256 yards gives Thorne 5,967 passing yards, moving up to No. 7 on the Spartan career passing yards list . . . with 19 completions, Thorne now has 473 for his career, also moving up to No. 7 on the career pass completions list.
• Graduate senior wide receiver Jayden Reed snared four receptions for 90 yards and one TD, his second-most receiving yards this season behind a season-high 117 vs. Wisconsin (10/15/22) . . . Reed's TD catch was his second game in a row with a scoring reception and he has had one in five of the last six games played as part of five total on the season, as part of his 18th of his Michigan State career (seventh most in MSU history) and 26th of his collegiate career.
• Reed now has at least one catch in 29 straight games, which is every game of his Spartan career, and is No. 21 among active FBS players . . . he has a catch in 41 of 42 career collegiate games played.Â
• With the 90 yards Saturday, Reed now has 3,073 all-purpose yards during his MSU career, becoming the 25th player in Spartan history with 3,000 all-purpose yards . . . he also moved up to tie for No. 9 on MSU's career receptions list, now with 135 and tying Charles Rogers (2001-02).
• Redshirt-sophomore running back Jalen Berger rushed for 85 yards on 16 carries, while graduate-senior Jarek Broussard had 80 yards on 11 carries . . . the Spartan duo's combined 165 yards was their most in a Big Ten game this season and third-most overall this year behind a season high 188 vs. Akron (9/10/22) with 107 for Berger and 81 for Broussard, and 174 in season-opener vs. Western Michigan (9/2/22) with 120 for Berger and 54 for Broussard.
• Berger's 85 yards was his B1G-high for the second-straight game, topping 81 last week at Illinois (11/5/22), and the third-highest of the year behind 120 vs. WMU and 107 vs. Akron . . . Broussard's 80 yards was also the most in a B1G game and his second-highest overall behind the 81 vs. Akron.
• Berger score a 2-yard TD for his sixth rushing TD of the season and ninth of his collegiate career, with three during his career at Wisconsin.Â
• Graduate-senior tight end Daniel Barker had four catches for 64 yards including a 26-yard TD pass for the Spartans' first score of the day . . . it was Barker's second TD catch of the season and 13th of his collegiate career after 11 during his time at Illinois . . . the 64 yards was Barker's most in a B1G game and second-most of the season behind 69 at Washington (9/17/22), while the four receptions was also his B1G-high and second-highest of the season behind seven also at Washington . . . Barker's 16.0 yards per catch was a season-high.
SPECIAL TEAMS
• Graduate senior punter Bryce Baringer, the Ray Guy Award Watch List member and four-time Ray's 8 honoree, had three punts averaging 45.3 ypp . . . Baringer's game-long punt of 64 yards in the second quarter was downed at the Rutgers 4-yard line, and came after getting run into by a Rutgers defender . . . all three of Baringer's punts were inside the 20, with a 51-yarder being fair caught in the third quarter and a 21-yarder that was out-of-bounds at the Rutgers 17 . . . with two punts of over 50 yards, Baringer now has 21 punts of 50+ yards of his 42 total, good for 50.0 percent of his punts going for over 50 . . . the 64-yarder also gives Baringer eight punts of 60+ yards, good for 19.0 percent.
• Baringer has seven punts inside the 20 in the last two games, as part of 15 in the last five games with 20 total for the season.
• The two 50+ yards punts Saturday gives Baringer has 61 punts of 50-plus yards and 53 inside the 20 for his career.
• Redshirt-junior placekicker Ben Patton made an MSU season-high two field goals Saturday, splitting the uprights from 34-yards out midway through the fourth quarter before a 48-yarder late in the game . . . the 48-yarder was Patton's second-longest of his collegiate career behind a 49-yarder during his career at Auburn, coming against Alabama (11/27/21) . . while the two field goals tied his collegiate high for the third time, with both previous times coming while at Auburn, most recently vs. Houston (12/28/21) . . . Patton was also 3-for-3 on PATs and his now 11-of-12 during his MSU career and 19-of-20 for his collegiate career.Â
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• Michigan State defeated Rutgers, 27-21, on Saturday afternoon in Spartan Stadium for its third win in the last four games.
• Michigan State improves to 10-4 all-time against Rutgers . . . MSU is 5-3 vs. Rutgers in East Lansing . . . the Spartans are 8-1 against the Scarlet Knights in Big Ten games . . . MSU head coach Mel Tucker is 2-1 against Rutgers.
DEFENSE
• Redshirt sophomore linebacker Cal Haladay recorded a career-high 19 tackles, the most by a Spartan since Eric Smith had 19 against Notre Dame on Sept. 18, 2004 . . . Haladay also had a 3-yard tackle for loss.
• Fifth-year senior safety Kendell Brooks recorded double-digit tackles for the fourth time this season with 10 (one solo, nine assists) . . . Brooks also had a career-high two pass break-ups as part of five overall for the Spartans.
• Fifth-year senior linebacker Ben VanSumeren was credited with a 13-yard sack on an intentional grounding call in the second quarter . . . VanSumeren had eight stops overall in the game.
• Redshirt sophomore defensive end Avery Dunn collected a career-high six tackles, including his first career sack.
• Graduate senior linebacker Aaron Brule was credited with six tackles, including 1.5 for losses (15 yards) and a 13-yard sack.
• Michigan State had six tackles for loss (42 yards) and three sacks overall (33 yards) in the game.
• Fifth-year senior defensive tackle Jacob Slade blocked a 39-yard field goal attempt in the fourth quarter . . . it marked the first blocked field goal for the Spartans since Mike Panasiuk in 2018 vs. Purdue.Â
OFFENSE
• Michigan State's 197 yards rushing was the most in a B1G game this season for the Spartans, and matching their second-highest of the season overall, behind 260 vs. Akron (9/10/22) and equaling 197 vs. Western Michigan (9/2/22) in the season-opener . . . the 197 rushing yards was the most in a B1G game in its last 11 conference games dating back to last season with 199 vs. Michigan (10/30/21).
• The 453 yards of total offense by the Spartans was the most in a B1G game this season for MSU, and third-highest overall behind 430 vs. Western Michigan (9/2/22) and 496 against Akron (9/10/22) . . . the 453 was the most in a league contest since last season with 481 vs. Maryland (11/13/21).
• With 256 yards Saturday, redshirt junior quarterback Payton Thorne had his second-highest passing total in a B1G game this season, behind 265 vs. Wisconsin (10/15/22), as part of third-highest overall, behind a season-high 323 vs. Washington (9/17/22) ... Thorne's 256 yards was his seventh 200+ yard outing of the season in 10 games this year . . . Thorne was 19-for-35 with two TDs, marking his second-straight game with multiple TDs as part of third time in last four games with seventh time this season, and seven of the last 12 games played . . . overall, Thorne now has 13 career games with multi TDs tosses.
• Thorne's two TDs Saturday give him 46 for his Spartan career, moving up to tie for No. 5 on MSU's career passing TD list, matching Bill Burke (1996-99) . . . the 256 yards gives Thorne 5,967 passing yards, moving up to No. 7 on the Spartan career passing yards list . . . with 19 completions, Thorne now has 473 for his career, also moving up to No. 7 on the career pass completions list.
• Graduate senior wide receiver Jayden Reed snared four receptions for 90 yards and one TD, his second-most receiving yards this season behind a season-high 117 vs. Wisconsin (10/15/22) . . . Reed's TD catch was his second game in a row with a scoring reception and he has had one in five of the last six games played as part of five total on the season, as part of his 18th of his Michigan State career (seventh most in MSU history) and 26th of his collegiate career.
• Reed now has at least one catch in 29 straight games, which is every game of his Spartan career, and is No. 21 among active FBS players . . . he has a catch in 41 of 42 career collegiate games played.Â
• With the 90 yards Saturday, Reed now has 3,073 all-purpose yards during his MSU career, becoming the 25th player in Spartan history with 3,000 all-purpose yards . . . he also moved up to tie for No. 9 on MSU's career receptions list, now with 135 and tying Charles Rogers (2001-02).
• Redshirt-sophomore running back Jalen Berger rushed for 85 yards on 16 carries, while graduate-senior Jarek Broussard had 80 yards on 11 carries . . . the Spartan duo's combined 165 yards was their most in a Big Ten game this season and third-most overall this year behind a season high 188 vs. Akron (9/10/22) with 107 for Berger and 81 for Broussard, and 174 in season-opener vs. Western Michigan (9/2/22) with 120 for Berger and 54 for Broussard.
• Berger's 85 yards was his B1G-high for the second-straight game, topping 81 last week at Illinois (11/5/22), and the third-highest of the year behind 120 vs. WMU and 107 vs. Akron . . . Broussard's 80 yards was also the most in a B1G game and his second-highest overall behind the 81 vs. Akron.
• Berger score a 2-yard TD for his sixth rushing TD of the season and ninth of his collegiate career, with three during his career at Wisconsin.Â
• Graduate-senior tight end Daniel Barker had four catches for 64 yards including a 26-yard TD pass for the Spartans' first score of the day . . . it was Barker's second TD catch of the season and 13th of his collegiate career after 11 during his time at Illinois . . . the 64 yards was Barker's most in a B1G game and second-most of the season behind 69 at Washington (9/17/22), while the four receptions was also his B1G-high and second-highest of the season behind seven also at Washington . . . Barker's 16.0 yards per catch was a season-high.
SPECIAL TEAMS
• Graduate senior punter Bryce Baringer, the Ray Guy Award Watch List member and four-time Ray's 8 honoree, had three punts averaging 45.3 ypp . . . Baringer's game-long punt of 64 yards in the second quarter was downed at the Rutgers 4-yard line, and came after getting run into by a Rutgers defender . . . all three of Baringer's punts were inside the 20, with a 51-yarder being fair caught in the third quarter and a 21-yarder that was out-of-bounds at the Rutgers 17 . . . with two punts of over 50 yards, Baringer now has 21 punts of 50+ yards of his 42 total, good for 50.0 percent of his punts going for over 50 . . . the 64-yarder also gives Baringer eight punts of 60+ yards, good for 19.0 percent.
• Baringer has seven punts inside the 20 in the last two games, as part of 15 in the last five games with 20 total for the season.
• The two 50+ yards punts Saturday gives Baringer has 61 punts of 50-plus yards and 53 inside the 20 for his career.
• Redshirt-junior placekicker Ben Patton made an MSU season-high two field goals Saturday, splitting the uprights from 34-yards out midway through the fourth quarter before a 48-yarder late in the game . . . the 48-yarder was Patton's second-longest of his collegiate career behind a 49-yarder during his career at Auburn, coming against Alabama (11/27/21) . . while the two field goals tied his collegiate high for the third time, with both previous times coming while at Auburn, most recently vs. Houston (12/28/21) . . . Patton was also 3-for-3 on PATs and his now 11-of-12 during his MSU career and 19-of-20 for his collegiate career.Â
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