Sept. 26, 2005

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DATE: Oct. 1, 2005
SITE: Spartan Stadium (75,005/natural grass), East Lansing, Mich.
KICKOFF: 12:10 p.m. EDT
ESTIMATED ATTENDANCE: 75,005 (sold out)
LAST WEEK: No. 17/22 Michigan State won at Illinois, 61-14; No. 14/13 Michigan lost at No. -/24 Wisconsin, 23-20.
BROADCAST COVERAGE: Radio - The Spartan Radio Network, featuring veteran play-by-play announcer George Blaha, color analyst Sherm Lewis, sideline reporter Will Tieman and broadcast host Mike Kamin, will broadcast the game to 37 affiliates throughout the state. Michigan State football broadcasts can be heard locally on flagship station WJIM (AM 1240) and WMMQ (FM 94.9). Westwood One Sports will broadcast the Michigan State-Michigan game nationally, with Joe Tolleson and Foge Fazio calling the action. Television - ABC Sports will televise the Michigan State-Michigan game live on a regional basis, with Brent Musburger handling the play-by-play, Gary Danielson providing color commentary and Jack Arute serving as the sideline reporter.

2005 SCHEDULES & SCOREBOARDS -
MICHIGAN STATE (4-0, 1-0 Big Ten)

Date        Opponent                               Time/Result
Sept. 3     KENT STATE (ESPN Plus)                 W, 49-14
Sept. 10    HAWAII  (ESPNU/ESPN Plus)              W, 42-14
Sept. 17    at Notre Dame (NBC)                    W, 44-41 (OT)
Sept. 24    at Illinois (ESPNU/ESPN Plus)          W, 61-14
Oct. 1      MICHIGAN (ABC)                         12:10 p.m. EDT
Oct. 15     at Ohio State                          TBA
Oct. 22     NORTHWESTERN (Homecoming)              TBA
Oct. 29     INDIANA                                TBA
Nov. 5      at Purdue                              TBA
Nov. 12     at Minnesota                           TBA
Nov. 19     PENN STATE                             TBA

MICHIGAN (2-2, 0-1 Big Ten)
Date        Opponent                               Time/Result
Sept. 3     NORTHERN ILLINOIS                      W, 33-17
Sept. 10    NOTRE DAME                             L, 10-17
Sept. 17    EASTERN MICHIGAN                       W, 55-0
Sept. 24    at Wisconsin                           L, 20-23
Oct. 1      at Michigan State                      12:10 p.m. EDT
Oct. 8      MINNESOTA                              TBA
Oct. 15     PENN STATE                             TBA
Oct. 22     at Iowa                                TBA
Oct. 29     at Northwestern                        7 or 7:45 p.m. EDT
Nov. 12     INDIANA                                TBA
Nov. 19     OHIO STATE                             TBA

THE COACHES -
Michigan State's John L. Smith (Weber State 1971) is 17-12 (.586) in his third year with the Spartans and 127-72 (.638) in 17 seasons as a college head coach. Smith ranks No. 12 among active NCAA I-A football coaches in career victories and No. 17 in career winning percentage. Twelve of his 16 teams have participated in postseason play, including seven-straight bowl appearances from 1997-2003. He came to Michigan State following five seasons at Louisville (1998-2002) where he put together a 41-21 worksheet (.661), including five-straight bowl appearances and back-to-back C-USA titles in 2000-01. Smith posted a 16-18 ledger (.471) in three seasons at Utah State (1995-97) while leading the Aggies to consecutive Big West Conference crowns in 1996-97. His six-year mark of 53-21 (.716) at Idaho (1989-94) included five NCAA I-AA playoff appearances and five Top 20 finishes.

Michigan's Lloyd Carr (Northern Michigan 1968) is 97-31 (.758) in his 11th year with the Wolverines. Carr has led Michigan to five Big Ten titles (1997, 1998, 2000, 2003 and 2004) and his 1997 team finished a perfect 12-0 and won a share of the national championship. Prior to being promoted to head coach, Carr spent 15 years on the Michigan coaching staff (1980-94), serving as an assistant under Bo Schembechler and Gary Moeller. His coaching credits also include stops at Eastern Michigan (1976-77) and Illinois (1978-79).

TEAM COMPARISONS -

                                        Michigan State     Michigan
Basic Offense                           Spread             Multiple
Basic Defense                           Multiple 4-3       3-4
Offensive Starters Returning            8                  8
Defensive Starters Returning            5                  7
Specialists Returning                   1                  1

AVERAGE HEIGHTS & WEIGHTS (STARTERS) -

                                      Michigan State     Michigan
Offensive Line & Tight End            6-4, 301           6-5, 305
Offensive Backs & Wide Receivers      6-2, 218           6-1, 214
Defensive Line                        6-3, 296           6-6, 288
Linebackers                           6-1, 243           6-2, 248
Defensive Backs                       5-11, 195          6-0, 199

CLASS BREAKDOWN (STARTERS) -
Michigan State Offense: 6 seniors, 3 juniors, 2 sophomores
Michigan State Defense: 4 seniors, 5 juniors, 2 sophomores
Michigan Offense: 8 seniors, 1 junior, 2 sophomores
Michigan Defense: 5 seniors, 4 juniors, 2 sophomores

STAT LEADERS -
Michigan State (after four games):
Rushing - Javon Ringer (39 carries for 367 yards, 9.4 avg., 4 TDs)
Passing - Drew Stanton (79 of 108 for 1184 yards, 13 TDs, 2 INTs)
Receiving - Kyle Brown (17 catches for 262 yards, 15.4 avg., 2 TDs)
Tackles - Eric Smith (32 tackles, 17 solos, 15 assists, 1 INT, 2 PBUs)

Michigan (after four games):
Rushing - Max Martin (47 carries for 214 yards, 4.6 avg., 2 TDs)
Passing - Chad Henne (68 of 128 for 855 yards, 8 TDs, 2 INTs)
Receiving - Jason Avant (29 catches for 418 yards, 14.4 avg., 4 TDs)
Tackles - Grant Mason (36 tackles, 28 solos, 8 assists, 1 INT, 2 PBUs)

STAT COMPARISON -

                              Michigan State     Michigan
Scoring                       49.0               29.5
First Downs                   28.0               22.8
Total Offense                 594.2              412.5
Rushing Yards                 272.2              174.2
Passing Yards                 322.0              238.2
Time of Possession            30:23              31:30
Third Down Conversions        .533               .508
Points Allowed                20.8               14.2
Total Offense Allowed         384.8              269.0
Rushing Yards Allowed         91.8               117.5
Passing Yards Allowed         293.0              151.5

MSU/MICHIGAN SERIES NOTES -
Saturday's game marks the 98th meeting between Michigan State and Michigan. The Wolverines lead the all-time series 64-28-5, including a 17-10-2 record in games played in East Lansing, Mich. Michigan has won three in a row and 10 of the last 14 meetings overall. MSU's last win in the series came on Nov. 3, 2001, 26-24, in Spartan Stadium. (Note: For a complete list of all-time series scores, please refer to page 134 in the 2005 MSU Football Media Guide.)

THE RIVALRY -
* This marks the 98th meeting between Michigan State and Michigan. The series celebrated its 100th anniversary in 1998 and it has gone uninterrupted for 60 years since World War II (1945).
* This game marks the 58th-consecutive sellout in the Michigan State-Michigan series, dating from 1948.
* The home team has won 11 of the last 13 meetings between Michigan State and Michigan.

Since 1953, the winner of the MSU-Michigan game has been presented the Paul Bunyan Trophy.

BATTLE FOR THE PAUL BUNYAN TROPHY -
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 '53, Michigan leads the series 31-19-2. The trophy depicts the legendary giant lumberjack astride an axe with feet planted on a map of the state with flags representing the schools.

THE LAST MEETING -
Oct. 30, 2004, in Ann Arbor, Mich.: Chad Henne completed 24-of-35 passes for 273 yards and four touchdowns to lead No. 12 Michigan to a 45-37 victory over Michigan State in triple overtime. The Spartans jumped out to a 7-0 lead on DeAndra Cobb's 72-yard TD run. Michigan answered on its next series as Michael Hart scored on a 7-yard run. Drew Stanton capped an 11-play, 79-yard drive with a 5-yard TD run as MSU took a 14-7 lead late in the first quarter. The Spartans extended their lead to 17-7 on Dave Rayner's 22-yard field goal. The Wolverines pulled to within 17-10 at halftime on a 34-yard field goal by Garrett Rivas. After a scoreless third quarter, MSU built a 27-10 lead on Rayner's 19-yard field goal and Cobb's 64-yard TD run around left end. It took Michigan just 5:44 to erase its 17-point deficit and force overtime. Rivas converted a 24-yard field goal and Henne fired TD strikes of 36 and 21 yards to Braylon Edwards as the Wolverines pulled even at 27 with 2:59 left in regulation. After the teams traded field goals in the first overtime, Jason Teague scored on a 3-yard run to give MSU a 37-30 lead. Five plays later, Henne responded with a 5-yard TD toss to Jason Avant to tie the score at 37. Michigan took its first lead of the game on Henne's third scoring pass to Edwards, a 24-yarder on a third-and-9 play. MSU failed to score on its third overtime possession. The Spartans and Wolverines combined to produce 52 first downs, 82 points and 1,031 total yards. Cobb became just the second back in Spartan history to record a 200-yard rushing game in the MSU-Michigan series, gaining a career-best 205 yards on 22 carries.

THE LAST MEETING IN SPARTAN STADIUM -
Nov. 1, 2003, in East Lansing, Mich.: Chris Perry ran for 219 yards on a school-record 51 carries and John Navarre threw for 223 yards and three scores to lead No. 11 Michigan to a 27-20 victory over No. 9 Michigan State. It marked Michigan's first win in Spartan Stadium since Oct. 25, 1997. Perry capped a 10-play, 55-yard drive with a 1-yard touchdown run as Michigan took a 7-0 lead with 12:31 left in the second quarter. The Spartans responded with an 11-play, 74-yard drive and pulled to within 7-3 on Dave Rayner's 20-yard field goal with 7:07 to play in the first half. Braylon Edwards scored on a 40-yard TD strike from Navarre with 1:03 remaining in the second quarter to give the Wolverines a 13-3 lead. Midway through the third quarter, Michigan State attempted a running play from punt formation but Pierre Woods and Pat Massey stopped Rayner for no gain at the Michigan 36. Five plays later, Navarre hooked up with Andy Mignery for a 26-yard scoring pass as the Wolverines built a 20-3 lead with 4:12 left in the third quarter. Michigan State answered on its next offensive play as Jeff Smoker threw a 73-yard bomb to Agim Shabaj to cut its deficit to 20-10. Navarre finished off an 11-play, 65-yard drive with a 16-yard TD toss to Edwards as Michigan extended its lead to 27-10 with 13:31 remaining in the game. DeAndra Cobb's 56-yard kickoff return set up Rayner's 31-yard field goal as the Spartans closed the margin to 27-13 with 10:32 to play. Michigan appeared headed for another score, marching 38 yards to the MSU 22, but Robert Flagg sacked Navarre and forced a fumble that Clifford Dukes returned 65 yards for a TD as the Spartans rallied to within 27-20 with 6:03 on the clock. The game ended as Scott McClintock intercepted Smoker's Hail Mary heave from midfield in the end zone, intended for Aaron Alexander. Michigan outgained Michigan State on the ground, 216-36.

MSU/MICHIGAN COACHING CONNECTIONS -
* Michigan defensive line coach Steve Stripling spent two years in the same capacity at Michigan State (2003-04). Stripling followed John L. Smith to Michigan State after a two-year stint at Louisville (2001-02).
* Michigan State assistant athletics director/director of football operations Mike Vollmar worked for three years as assistant recruiting coordinator under Bo Schembechler and Gary Moeller at Michigan (1988-90).
* Michigan State assistant athletics director/director of football operations Mike Vollmar and Michigan assistant head coach/wide receivers coach Erik Campbell spent the 1994 season together at Syracuse. Vollmar served as director of football and recruiting operations for the Orangemen while Campbell coached the running backs.
* Michigan State assistant athletics director/director of football operations Mike Vollmar and Michigan head coach Lloyd Carr both graduated from Riverview (Mich.) Community High School.

GROUND GAME KEY FACTOR IN THIS SERIES -
You don't have to look far to find the key stat in the Michigan State-Michigan series. The team with the most productive ground attack has won 33 of the last 35 games. The only exceptions to that trend came last year when Chad Henne passed for 273 yards and four touchdowns as Michigan rallied from a 27-10 fourth-quarter deficit for a 45-37 triple-overtime win; and on Nov. 4, 1995, when Tony Banks threw for 318 yards, including a 25-yard scoring strike to Nigea Carter with 1:24 left in the fourth quarter that gave the Spartans a 28-25 victory over the seventh-ranked Wolverines.

Here's a look at the rushing totals (net yards) since 1970:

Year    MSU    U-M     Result          Year    MSU    U-M     Result
1970    194    304     U-M 34-20       1988    80     249     U-M 17-3
1971    59     322     U-M 24-13       1989    77     169     U-M 10-7
1972    176    323     U-M 10-0        1990    222    176     MSU 28-27
1973    40     229     U-M 31-0        1991    84     326     U-M 45-28
1974    81     166     U-M 21-7        1992    60     294     U-M 35-10
1975    117    258     U-M 16-6        1993    131    33      MSU 17-7
1976    98     442     U-M 42-10       1994    17     349     U-M 40-20
1977    107    302     U-M 24-14       1995    73     218     MSU 28-25
1978    248    233     MSU 24-15       1996    98     206     U-M 45-29
1979    156    219     U-M 21-7        1997    95     173     U-M 23-7
1980    103    252     U-M 27-23       1998    110    206     U-M 29-17
1981    89     423     U-M 38-20       1999    90     6       MSU 34-31
1982    51     274     U-M 31-17       2000    63     188     U-M 14-0
1983    26     277     U-M 42-0        2001    169    121     MSU 26-24
1984    123    119     MSU 19-7        2002    59     188     U-M 49-3
1985    56     164     U-M 31-0        2003    36     216     U-M 27-20
1986    54     161     U-M 27-6        2004    368    223     U-M 45-37*
1987    193    93      MSU 17-11       * 3OT

SPARTANS RANK SECOND IN ALL-TIME VICTORIES vs. MICHIGAN -
Michigan State ranks second among opponents in all-time victories over Michigan. Only Ohio State (38) has posted more wins over the Wolverines than the Spartans (28).

All-Time Wins vs. Michigan
Opponent             Games Played       Wins vs. U-M
Ohio State           101                38
Michigan State       97                 28
Minnesota            93                 23
Illinois             88                 21

BATTLE FOR IN-STATE BRAGGING RIGHTS -
Michigan State's 2005 roster features 49 players from the state of Michigan, including nine of the Spartans' 24 starters: wide receivers Matt Trannon (Flint/Northern) and Kyle Brown (West Bloomfield), left guard Kyle Cook (Macomb/Dakota), center Chris Morris (Lambertville/Temperance-Bedford), right guard Gordon Niebylski (Farmington/Birmingham Brother Rice), quarterback Drew Stanton (Farmington Hills/Harrison), defensive end Clifton Ryan (Saginaw/Arthur Hill), linebacker Kaleb Thornhill (Lansing/Eastern) and free safety Greg Cooper (Flint/Flint Northern).

ROLE REVERSAL -
For just the sixth time in series history and the first time since 1968, Michigan State (No. 11) enters Saturday's game as the only team ranked in the latest Associated Press Poll. The Spartans are 4-1 in the previous five matchups against unranked U-M teams:

Date                Result (Associated Press Ranking)     Site
Oct. 12, 1968       U-M 28, No. 12 MSU 14                 Ann Arbor
Oct. 8, 1966        No. 1 MSU 20, U-M 7                   East Lansing
Oct. 9, 1965        No. 5 MSU 24, U-M 7                   Ann Arbor
Nov. 14, 1953       No. 4 MSU 14, U-M 6                   East Lansing
Sept. 27, 1952      No. 1 MSU 27, U-M 13                  Ann Arbor

STANTON AGAIN NAMED BIG TEN OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK -
Junior quarterback Drew Stanton, who completed 20-of-26 throws for 259 yards and a school-record five touchdowns in Michigan State's 61-14 victory at Illinois, has been named Big Ten Co-Offensive Player of the Week. Stanton, who won the award outright a week ago after accounting for 375 total yards and four TDs in the Spartans' 44-41 overtime victory at Notre Dame, shares this week's honor with Minnesota's Laurence Maroney. He becomes the first offensive player in Spartan history to earn back-to-back Big Ten Player of the Week awards.

The 6-foot-3, 222-pound Stanton threw TD pass to five different receivers (career-long 75 yards to Kyle Brown, 1 yard to Dwayne Holmes, 10 yards to Jerramy Scott, 2 yards to Kellen Davis and 29 yards to Matt Trannon). It marked his seventh career 200-yard passing game, his fourth of the 2005 season.

Michigan State produced a school-record 705 total yards against the Illini, and the 61 points marked the Spartans' highest total since scoring 76 vs. Northwestern in 1989.

BIG TEN/NCAA STAT LEADERS -
Here's a glance at how Michigan State ranks among the Big Ten and NCAA stat leaders in 2005:

Category                    Stat Avg.     Big Ten     NCAA
Rushing Offense             272.2         2nd         7th
Passing Offense             322.0         1st         10th
Total Offense               594.2         1st         3rd
Scoring Offense             49.0          1st         5th
Rushing Defense             91.8          4th         23rd
Passing Defense             293.0         9th         104th
Total Defense               384.8         8th         69th
Scoring Defense             20.8          8th         46th
Passing Efficiency          199.8         1st         1st
Pass Efficiency Defense     123.8         7th         60th
Turnover Margin             0.0           t-6th       t-55th
Net Punting                 40.2          2nd         13th (38.6)
Punt Returns                8.5           8th         64th
Kickoff Returns             20.0          7th         68th

NCAA STAT LEADERS -
Here's a glance at how Michigan State ranks among the NCAA individual stat leaders in 2005:

Individual Statistics (Top 50)
Rushing: Javon Ringer (36th at 91.8 yards per game)
Passing Efficiency: Drew Stanton (1st with 201.3 rating)
Total Offense: Drew Stanton (9th at 326.8 yards per game)
Punt Returns: Kyle Brown (27th at 12.6 yards per return)
Points Responsible For: Drew Stanton (t-5th at 22.0 points per game)

SPARTANS FEATURE EXPLOSIVE OFFENSIVE ATTACK -
Michigan State ranks among the NCAA's top 10 in all four offensive categories: No. 7 in rushing offense (272.2 yards per game), No. 10 in passing offense (322.0 ypg.), No. 3 in total offense (594.2 ypg.) and No. 5 in scoring offense (49.0 points per game). Last week, the Spartans produced a school-record 705 total yards against the Illini, and the 61 points marked MSU's highest total since scoring 76 vs. Northwestern in 1989.

Quarterback Drew Stanton leads the NCAA in passing efficiency with his 201.3 rating. The 6-foot-3, 222-pound junior has completed 79-of-108 throws (.731) for 1,184 yards, 13 touchdowns and two interceptions. He also leads the league and ranks No. 9 in the NCAA in total offense, averaging 326.8 yards per game.

Stanton shared Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week honors (with Minnesota running back Laurence Maroney) after completing 20-of-26 throws for 259 yards and a school-record five touchdowns in Michigan State's 61-14 victory at Illinois. He threw TD pass to five different receivers (career-long 75 yards to Kyle Brown, 1 yard to Dwayne Holmes, 10 yards to Jerramy Scott, 2 yards to Kellen Davis and 29 yards to Matt Trannon). It marked his seventh career 200-yard passing game, his fourth of the 2005 season.

He earned Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week honors after accounting for 375 total yards and four TDs in MSU's 44-41 overtime victory at No. 10 Notre Dame. He completed 16-of-27 throws for 327 yards, including TD strikes of 20 and 65 yards to Trannon and 11 yards to Davis. It marked Stanton's fourth career 300-yard passing game, his second of the 2005 season. His 327 passing yards marked the most ever by a Spartan QB in the Notre Dame series. Stanton also rushed for 48 yards on 14 carries, including a 3-yard TD run that gave MSU a 24-17 halftime lead.

He hit 21-of-26 passes (.808) for 301 yards in MSU's 42-14 victory over Hawaii, including scoring tosses of 20 yards to Terry Love, 54 yards to Trannon and 20 yards to Scott.

In MSU's 49-14 victory over Kent State in the season opener, Stanton accounted for 357 total yards, completing 22-of-29 passes for 297 yards and two scores while gaining 60 yards on 10 carries.

The Spartans feature a well-balanced ground attack as sophomore Jehuu Caulcrick, freshman Javon Ringer and senior Jason Teague have combined to rush for 865 yards and nine TDs on 122 attempts.

Javon Ringer rushed for a Spartan-freshman record 194 yards on 13 carries vs. Illinois.

The 5-9, 195-pound Ringer paces the ground game with 367 yards (39 rushes), while averaging an impressive 9.4 yards per carry. The Dayton, Ohio, native ranks fifth in the Big Ten in rushing, averaging 91.8 yards per game, and leads the team with four rushing TDs. Ringer rushed for a Spartan-freshman record 194 yards on 13 carries vs. Illinois, including a 59-yard gallop in the third quarter that set up Stanton's school-record fifth TD pass. He carried 10 times for 80 yards vs. Hawaii and scored on runs of 8, 41 and 15 yards.

Caulcrick has rushed 51 times for 305 yards (6.0 avg.). The 6-0, 245-pound sophomore produced 140 yards on 14 carries in the season opener vs. Kent State, while scoring a career-best three TDs.

The 5-9, 193-pound Teague has gained 193 yards on 32 attempts and scored twice. He contributed 63 yards on nine carries vs. Notre Dame, including a 19-yard run in overtime that gave the Spartans the 44-41 victory over the 10th-ranked Irish.

SPARTANS DOMINATE FIRST-HALF ACTION -
Michigan State has outscored its first four opponents, 125-38, in the first half.

Here's a closer look at Michigan State's first-half domination:

Sept. 3 vs. Kent State: The Spartans scored touchdowns on four of their first six possessions en route to building a 27-7 lead.
Sept. 10 vs. Hawaii: Michigan State scored TDs on its first four possessions to build a 28-0 halftime lead.
Sept. 17 at Notre Dame: The Spartans scored on two of their first three drives. Drew Stanton's 3-yard TD run with 27 seconds left in the first half gave MSU a 24-17 halftime lead.
Sept. 24 at Illinois: Michigan State scored on six of its eight first-half possessions en route to a 38-7 halftime lead.

STANTON SPREADS THE BALL AROUND -
A key to Drew Stanton's throwing success in 2005 has been his ability to utilize all of the weapons at his disposal in Michigan State's spread offense. Four Spartans have at least 13 receptions, including Kyle Brown (17 for 262 yards), Matt Trannon (16 for 301), Jerramy Scott (14 for 194) and Terry Love (13 for 241) . All four of those receivers have at least one touchdown grab.

STANTON RUNS OFFENSE AT FULL THROTTLE -
In Drew Stanton's 11 career starts at quarterback, Michigan State is averaging 264.4 rushing yards, 265.9 passing yards, 530.3 total yards and 38.1 points per game.

Here's a complete breakdown of Michigan State's offensive production in Stanton's 11 career starts (7-4 record):

Opponent (MSU Result)  Rushing Yds.  Passing Yds.  Total Yds.   Points
2004
@ Indiana (W)          241           172           413          30
@ Iowa (L)             204           245           449          16
Illinois (W)           253           234           487          38
Minnesota (W)          324           312           636          51
@ Michigan (L)         368           167           535          37
@ Penn State (L)       161           177           338          13
@ Hawaii (L)           268           330           598          38
2005
Kent State (W)         354           331           685          49
Hawaii (W)             198           301           499          42
@ Notre Dame (W)       161           327           488          44
@ Illinois (W)         376           329           705          61
11-Game Totals         2,908         2,925         5,833        419
11-Game Averages       264.4         265.9         530.3        38.1

ADAMS FINDS HOME AT BANDIT POSITION -
Sophomore bandit SirDarean Adams leads the team in tackles for losses (4 for 21 yards) and ranks second in production points (48) and third in total tackles (27).

The 6-foot, 222-pound Adams produced a team-best seven tackles vs. Illinois, including one for a 4-yard loss. He returned his first career interception 30 yards for a touchdown vs. Notre Dame as the Spartans built a 31-17 lead early in the third quarter. Adams recorded a career-best 12 tackles (10 solos, 2 assists), including two for losses (14 yards), in Michigan State's 42-14 victory over Hawaii. He also posted his first career sack (10 yards) midway through the third quarter against the Warriors.

FIRST-YEAR PLAYERS IMPACT SPARTAN DEPTH CHART -
No fewer than 11 first-year players are currently listed on Michigan State's depth chart, including four on offense and seven on defense. Here's a complete breakdown of true freshmen and junior college transfers included on the depth chart:

True Freshmen (6): WR Ryan Allison, DE Brandon Long, WR Diego Oquendo, RB Javon Ringer, CB Ross Weaver and FS Otis Wiley.

Junior College Transfers (5): LB Steve Juarez, WR Kerry Reed, DE Jonal Saint-Dic, DT David Stanton and CB Demond Williams.

SPARTAN COACHING STAFF APPOINTS 2005 CAPTAINS -
Michigan State third-year head coach John L. Smith and his coaching staff have appointed four captains for the 2005 season: senior center Chris Morris, junior defensive end Clifton Ryan, senior strong safety Eric Smith and junior quarterback Drew Stanton.

SPARTAN FOOTBALL SEASON TICKETS SOLD OUT -
Michigan State Athletics Department officials reported Saturday, Aug. 27 that football season-ticket sales have exceeded 60,000 for just the fourth time in school history and as a result, season-ticket sales have been suspended for both the general public and MSU students.

As of Friday, Aug. 26, 60,692 football season tickets have been sold, an increase of 4,160 season tickets from last season and the third-highest total in MSU history. That figure also reflects an increase in the demand for student season tickets with 12,037 sold, up 1,485 from 2004. It marks the highest number of student season tickets purchased since 1991 (13,360). Since the late 1990s, the MSU Athletics Department has allocated approximately 10,500 football season tickets for students. In 2005, MSU Athletics Director Ron Mason approved measures to meet the increased ticket demand from the student body.

Spartan football season-ticket sales topped the 60,000 mark for three-straight years from 1999-2001, with an all-time record 61,479 season tickets purchased in 2000.

With the addition of suites and club seats, the current stadium capacity is listed at 75,005.

All-Time Football Season-Ticket Sales
Rank	Season	Tickets Sold
1.	2000	61,479
2.	2001	61,198
3.	2005	60,692
4.	1999	60,109

ALMOST ALWAYS A FULL HOUSE -
Michigan State has played 41-consecutive home games before crowds in excess of 72,000. A crowd of 73,949 attended the 2005 season/home opener vs. Kent State - the largest crowd for a home opener since 1987 vs. Southern Cal (77,922).

The Spartans have ranked among the NCAA's top 20 in attendance each of the last 49 years, including No. 20 in 2004, averaging 73,602 fans per game.

RETURN TO SENDER -
Over the last two seasons, Michigan State's special teams have produced six touchdowns, including four kickoff returns and two blocked punts that have resulted in scores.

2004
Sept. 18 vs. Notre Dame: Jerramy Scott recovered a blocked punt (by Marshall Campbell) in the back of the end zone for a score early in the first quarter. DeAndra Cobb returned a kickoff 89 yards for a TD late in the third quarter.
Nov. 13 vs. Wisconsin: Travis Key recovered a blocked punt (by Marshall Campbell) at the goal line for a score midway through the first quarter.

2003
Sept. 6 vs. Rutgers: DeAndra Cobb returned a kickoff 94 yards for a TD late in the second quarter.
Oct. 18 vs. Minnesota: DeAndra Cobb returned a kickoff 100 yards for a TD with 48 seconds left in the first half.
Nov. 8 vs. Ohio State: DeAndra Cobb returned a kickoff 93 yards for a score early in the third quarter.

WINNING IN THE CLASSROOM -
Last May, six members of Michigan State's 2005 football team earned their undergraduate degrees: defensive end Michael Bazemore (interdisciplinary studies in social science - human resources), snapper Brian Bury (food industry management), linebacker Seth Mitchell (criminal justice), center Chris Morris (finance), offensive guard Gordon Niebylski (supply chain management) and strong safety Eric Smith (criminal justice). Michigan State leads the Big Ten and ranks among the NCAA's top 10 with six football players already in possession of their bachelor's degrees.

Four of those players currently are pursuing master's degrees: Bury (kinesiology), Morris (kinesiology), Niebylski (labor relations and human resources) and Smith (criminal justice). Bazemore (sociology) and Mitchell (family community services) have opted to pursue a second bachelor's degree.

WINNING IN THE CLASSROOM, PART II -
In two seasons under head coach John L. Smith, 23 student-athletes have been named Academic All-Big Ten, the highest two-year total in football program history. In 2004, a school-record 13 Spartans earned Academic All-Big Ten honors.

SPARTANS TOUGH ON HOME TURF -
Spartan Stadium is in its 82nd season as home to Michigan State football. Michigan State has compiled a 302-128-13 record (.696) since taking up residency in Spartan Stadium in 1923. With its 49-14 victory over No. 4 Wisconsin in the 2004 home finale, Michigan State recorded its 300th win in Spartan Stadium. The Spartans have gone undefeated at home 16 times since the stadium opened, including a perfect 6-0 mark in 1999. It marked Michigan State's first undefeated home record since 1966 (5-0-1) and its first unbeaten and untied home slate since 1965 (5-0-0).

MAGIC NUMBER 24 -
Since 1990, Michigan State is 81-19-1 (.807) when it scores at least 24 points and 13-65-1 (.171) when it scores fewer than 24 points. During that 16-year period, the Spartans have compiled an overall record of 94-84-2 (.528).

SPARTAN SINGLE-GAME BESTS UNDER SMITH -
Here's a look at the top single-game totals produced by Michigan State during head coach John L. Smith's tenure (2003-05; 29 games):

Rushing Yards: 430 vs. Wisconsin, 2004
Passing Yards: 382 vs. Indiana, 2003
Total Yards: 705 vs. Illinois, 2005
First Downs: 35 vs. Kent State, 2005
Fewest Rushing Yards Allowed: minus 2 by Rutgers, 2003
Fewest Passing Yards Allowed: 93 by Central Michigan, 2004
Fewest Total Yards Allowed: 238 by Penn State, 2003
Fewest First Downs Allowed: 12 by Ohio State and Indiana, 2004; Rutgers, 2003
Sacks By: 6 vs. Indiana and Western Michigan, 2003
Turnovers Forced: 5 vs. Louisiana Tech, 2003
Points (Game): 61 vs. Illinois, 2005
Points (Half): 38 (1st) vs. Illinois, 2005
Points (Quarter): 28 (2nd) vs. Illinois, 2005
Victory Margin: 47 vs. Illinois, 2005