Oct. 2, 2009

As the Michigan State football team (1-3, 0-1 Big Ten) prepares to take on No. 22/20 Michigan (4-0, 1-0) Saturday at 12 p.m. in Spartan Stadium, catch up on all the latest information on the Spartans. The game will be televised on the Big Ten Network.

GAMEDAY COVERAGE:
Gameday Central | Gametracker | Game Updates - Twitter | Audio

BROADCAST COVERAGE:
TELEVISION: The Big Ten Network will televise the Michigan State-Michigan game live to a national audience, with Wayne Larrivee handling the play-by-play, Chris Martin providing color commentary and Brent Stover serving as the sideline reporter.

RADIO: The Spartan Sports Network, featuring veteran play-by-play announcer George Blaha, color analyst Jim Miller, sideline reporter Jason Strayhorn and broadcast host Will Tieman, will broadcast the game to 35 affiliates throughout the state. Michigan State football broadcasts can be heard on flagship stations WJIM (AM 1240)/WMMQ (FM 94.9) in Lansing and WJR Radio (AM 760) in Detroit. The MSU-Michigan game also can be heard live on satellite radio: SIRIUS (Channel 153) and XM (Channel 196).

GAME NOTES:
Michigan State | Michigan

STATISTICS:
Michigan State | Michigan

DEPTH CHARTS:
Michigan State | Michigan

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FIRST-AND-10 (what you need to know about the MSU-Michigan matchup) -
• Saturday's game marks the 102nd meeting between Michigan State and Michigan. The Wolverines lead the all-time series 67-29-5, including a 19-10-2 record in games played in East Lansing, Mich. Michigan has won three straight games (2003, 2005 and 2007 by a combined total of 14 points) in Spartan Stadium. In fact, the last five games played in East Lansing have been decided by a total of 19 points (U-M has a 3-2 record during the five-game stretch in Spartan Stadium, with all those games decided by a touchdown or less.) MSU's last win in Spartan Stadium came on Nov. 3, 2001, 26-24.

• 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 34-20-2. The trophy depicts the legendary giant lumberjack astride an axe with feet planted on a map of the state with flags representing the schools.

• Michigan State's 2009 roster features 59 players from the state of Michigan, including as many as 14 of the Spartans' 24 projected starters.

• 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 36 of the last 39 games. Last year, Javon Ringer rushed 37 times for 194 yards and two scores in MSU's 35-21 victory at Michigan, as the Spartans snapped a six-game losing streak in the series and won in Michigan Stadium for the first time since 1990.

• Kirk Cousins and Keith Nichol combined to throw for 396 yards at Wisconsin, tying for the second-highest total in school history (396 yards vs. Purdue, 1998). Cousins recorded his second-straight 200-yard passing game, completing 17-of-34 throws for 201 yards, two touchdowns and an interception against the Badgers, while Nichol came off the bench to hit 7-of-12 passes for a career-best 195 yards, two TDs and two interceptions.

• Keshawn Martin set career highs for receptions (4), receiving yards (139) and touchdown receptions (2) in Michigan State's 38-30 loss at Wisconsin. Martin scored the first TDs of his career on grads of 15 and 91 yards from Keith Nichol in the fourth quarter. His 91-yard TD reception marked the second-longest passing play in Spartan history (school-record 93-yarder from Tony Banks to Nigea Carter vs. Indiana in 1994). Martin averaged 34.8 yards per catch while recording the first 100-yard receiving game of his career.

• Junior linebacker Greg Jones leads the Big Ten and ranks second (tied with Houston's Marcus McGraw) in the NCAA in tackles, averaging 13.0 stops per game. Jones also is listed among the Big Ten leaders in tackles for loss (10th at 1.12 per game). He leads the team in tackles (52 total), tackles for loss (4.5 for 19 yards) and production points (81).

• Fifth-year senior Blair White leads the Spartans in receptions (23), receiving yards (350) and touchdown catches (4). The 6-foot-2, 200-pound White leads the Big Ten in TD receptions (tied with Minnesota's Eric Decker) and ranks fourth in both receptions (5.75 per game) and receiving yards (87.5 per game). Seventeen of his 23 catches (74 percent) have produced either a first down or a score, including six gains of 20 or more yards.No. 11). Seventeen of his 22 catches (77 percent) have produced either a first down or a score, including six gains of 20 or more yards.

• Sophomore quarterback Kirk Cousins ranks third in the Big Ten and No. 37 in the NCAA in passing efficiency with his 147.6 rating. In four starts, Cousins has completed 63-of-104 throws (.606) for 850 yards, seven touchdowns and two interceptions. Cousins recorded his second-straight 200-yard passing game, completing 17-of-34 passes for 201 yards, two TDs and an interception in the Big Ten opener at Wisconsin.

• Lou Groza Award candidate Brett Swenson ranks first among NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision active leaders in scoring, with 308 career points. His 58 career field goals rank second among all-active NCAA FBS kickers, trailing only Alabama's Leigh Tiffin (61 made).

MSU/MICHIGAN SERIES NOTES -
Saturday's game marks the 102nd meeting between Michigan State and Michigan. The Wolverines lead the all-time series 67-29-5, including a 19-10-2 record in games played in East Lansing, Mich. Michigan has won three straight games (2003, 2005 and 2007 by a combined total of 14 points) in Spartan Stadium. In fact, the last five games played in East Lansing have been decided by a total of 19 points (U-M has a 3-2 record during the five-game stretch in Spartan Stadium, with all those games decided by a touchdown or less.) MSU's last win in Spartan Stadium came on Nov. 3, 2001, 26-24.

Michigan has won six of the last seven and 13 of the last 18 meetings overall. Four of the last six games in the series have been decided by eight points or less, including back-to-back overtime games in 2004-05. (Note: For a complete list of all-time series scores, please refer to page 148-149 in the 2009 MSU Spring Football Guide.)

THE RIVALRY -
• This marks the 102nd meeting between Michigan State and Michigan. The series celebrated its 100th anniversary in 1998 and it has gone uninterrupted for 64 years since World War II (1945).

• This game marks the 62nd-consecutive sellout in the Michigan State-Michigan series, dating from 1948.

• The home team has won 12 of the last 17 meetings between Michigan State and Michigan.

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 34-20-2. The trophy depicts the legendary giant lumberjack astride an axe with feet planted on a map of the state with flags representing the schools.

Blair White had 143 receiving yards in last year's win at Michigan, including a 61-yard TD in the first quarter.

THE LAST MEETING -
Oct. 25, 2008, in Ann Arbor, Mich.: Javon Ringer's second touchdown run broke a tie midway through the fourth quarter and Brian Hoyer's third touchdown pass padded the lead, lifting Michigan State to a 35-21 win over Michigan. Michigan State had not knocked off its rival since 2001, when T.J. Duckett scored with a disputed second on the clock, and was winless at the Big House since 1990. Michigan (2-6, 1-3) tied the game in the first quarter when the replay official overturned a ruling on the field, giving Brandon Minor a TD because his foot hit a pylon. The NCAA rule book, however, states: "A player or an airborne player who touches a pylon is out of bounds." Michigan State ended up making the missed call moot. The Spartans outgained Michigan 473-252, their highest total in a win at Michigan Stadium in a half-century. Ringer ran for 194 yards and two scores on 37 carries. Hoyer was 17-of-29 for 282 yards and a season-high three touchdowns.Blair White scored on a 61-yard reception to start the scoring and finished with four catches for 143 yards. The Wolverine's Steven Threet was 13-of-26 for 168 yards with a touchdown and three interceptions. He scored on a third-quarter run, giving Michigan its only lead. Minor ran for 55 yards and a score and was credited with a 19-yard TD reception.

THE LAST MEETING IN SPARTAN STADIUM -
Nov. 3, 2007, in East Lansing, Mich.: Michigan quarterback Chad Henne's 31-yard touchdown pass to Mario Manningham with 2:28 left lifted No. 15 Michigan to a 28-24 win over Michigan State. The Spartans, who overcame an 11-point deficit at halftime to lead by 10 midway through the final quarter, drove to the Wolverines 34 on the final drive before turning the ball over on downs. Henne tied a school record with four touchdowns, the last two after the Spartans stormed ahead to take a 24-14 lead. He was 18-of-33 for 211 yards with four scores and one interception after missing the previous game with a shoulder injury. Javon Ringer and Jehuu Caulcrick combined for 200-plus yards rushing and three scores, but their efforts went against a trend in the 100th matchup of the rivals separated by about 60 miles. For just the third time in 38 games, the team that ran for fewer yards won the game. Ringer ran for 128 yards and Caulcrick had 84 yards rushing and two scores. Caulcrick's 1-yard run in the third and Hoyer's TD pass put the Spartans ahead, 17-14. Caulcrick's second score gave them a 24-14 lead with 7:40.

BATTLE FOR IN-STATE BRAGGING RIGHTS -
Michigan State's 2009 roster features 59 players from the state of Michigan, including as many as 14 of the Spartans' 24 projected starters: wide receivers Mark Dell (Farmington Hills/Harrison) and Blair White (Saginaw/Nouvel Catholic Central), left guard Joel Foreman (Highland/Milford), center John Stipek (Macomb Township/Dakota), right guard Brendon Moss (Saline), right tackle D.J. Young (Lansing/Sexton), tight end Charlie Gantt (Farmington Hills/Brother Rice), quarterback Kirk Cousins (Holland/Holland Christian), fullback Andrew Hawken (Grandville), running back Caulton Ray (Southfield/Brother Rice), defensive end Trevor Anderson (Detroit/Crockett Technical), linebacker Chris Norman (Detroit/Renaissance), linebacker Eric Gordon (Traverse City/Traverse City West) and free safety Trenton Robinson (Bay City/Bay City Central).

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 36 of the last 39 games. The only exceptions to that trend came in 2007 when Chad Henne threw for 221 yards and four scores, including two in the fourth quarter, as Michigan rallied from a 24-14 fourth-quarter deficit for a 28-24 victory; on Oct. 30, 2004, when Henne passed for 273 yards and four TDs as the Wolverines 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.

SPARTANS RANK SECOND IN ALL-TIME VICTORIES vs. MICHIGAN -
Michigan State ranks second among opponents in all-time victories over Michigan. Only Ohio State (42) has posted more wins over the Wolverines than the Spartans (29).

JONES: A MODEL OF CONSISTENCY -
Junior linebacker Greg Jones leads the Big Ten and ranks second (tied with Houston's Marcus McGraw) in the NCAA in tackles, averaging 13.0 stops per game. Jones also is listed among the Big Ten leaders in tackles for loss (10th at 1.12 per game). He leads the team in tackles (52 total), tackles for loss (4.5 for 19 yards) and production points (81).

The 6-foot-1, 228-pound Jones reached double-figure tackles for the third time in four games this season, recording 14 stops including nine solo hits in the Big Ten opener at Wisconsin. He has posted double-digit tackles in 10 of his last 11 game overall, averaging 12.5 stops during that stretch. The Cincinnati, Ohio, native has led the team in tackles in 15 of the last 17 games.

Jones made nine stops at Notre Dame, ending his streak of consecutive games with double-figure tackles at nine. He averaged 12.8 tackles during that nine-game stretch, and it marked the longest streak by a Spartan since Chuck Bullough produced double-digit tackles in 15 straight games in 1990-91 (Oct. 20, 1990, game vs. Illinois through Nov. 2, 1991, game vs. Northwestern). Bullough averaged 15.7 tackles during his 15-game streak.

Jones matched his career high with 15 tackles against Central Michigan, including 1.5 for losses (3 yards).

The 2009 Big Ten Preseason Defensive Player of the Year registered 14 tackles in the season opener against Montana State, with three resulting in losses (16 yards) including 1.5 sacks (11).

WHITE KEYS EXPLOSIVE PASSING GAME -
Fifth-year senior Blair White leads the Spartans in receptions (23), receiving yards (350) and touchdown catches (4). The 6-foot-2, 200-pound White leads the Big Ten in TD receptions (tied with Minnesota's Eric Decker) and ranks fourth in both receptions (5.75 per game) and receiving yards (87.5 per game). White also is listed among the NCAA leaders in both receiving yards (No. 33) and receptions (tied for No. 40). Seventeen of his 23 catches (74 percent) have produced either a first down or a score, including six gains of 20 or more yards.

White caught six passes for 75 yards and two scores in Michigan State's 33-30 loss at Notre Dame. He scored on a 30-yard pass from wide receiver Keshawn Martin in the second quarter and a 17-yard strike from Kirk Cousins in the fourth quarter that gave the Spartans a 30-26 lead.

The Saginaw, Mich., native recorded his second-straight 100-yard receiving game with seven catches for 105 yards against Central Michigan.

He had a career-high nine receptions for 162 yards and two TDs in the 2009 season opener against Montana State. White scored on TD grabs of 15 and 24 yards from Cousins against the Bobcats. His 162 receiving yards were just 2 yards shy of his career best (164 vs. Wisconsin in 2008). Almost one-third of his receiving yards (51 of 162) came after the catch against Montana State.

A former walk-on, White has 69 career receptions for 1,034 yards (15.0 avg.) and five TDs. The Saginaw, Mich., native has four career 100-yard receiving games. White has caught at least one pass in 15 consecutive games.

COUSINS OFF TO A SOLID START -
Sophomore quarterback Kirk Cousins ranks third in the Big Ten and No. 37 in the NCAA in passing efficiency with his 147.6 rating. In four starts, Cousins has completed 63-of-104 throws (.606) for 850 yards, seven touchdowns and two interceptions. He also ranks among the conference leaders in passing yards (No. 7 at 212.5 yards per game) and total offense (No. 8 at 209.5 ypg.).

The 6-foot-3, 202-pound Cousins recorded his second-straight 200-yard passing game, completing 17-of-34 passes for 201 yards, two TDs and an interception in the Big Ten opener at Wisconsin. He completed scoring tosses of 14 yards to Mark Dell and 20 yards to B.J. Cunningham.

completed 23-of-35 throws for 302 yards, one TD and one interception in Michigan State's 33-30 loss at Notre Dame. He set career highs for completions, attempts and passing yards against the Irish. His 302 passing yards mark the third-best single-game total by a Spartan quarterback against Notre Dame (Drew Stanton - 327 in 2005; Ed Smith - 306 in 1978).

Cousins hit 13-of-18 passes for 164 yards and a score in MSU's 29-27 loss to Central Michigan. With the score tied at 20, he went 5-for-5 for 59 yards on a 13-play, 80-yard drive as the Spartans took a 27-20 lead on his 35-yard TD strike to Cunningham with 7:33 left in the game.

In his first career start, Cousins completed 10-of-17 throws for 183 yards and a career-best three scores against Montana State in the 2009 season and home opener. He completed TD strikes of 29 yards to Cunningham, and 15 and 24 yards to Blair White. He connected on 7-of-11 passes for 118 yards and two TDs in the first half against the Bobcats.

SWENSON EMERGES AS A TOP CONTENDER FOR THE GROZA AWARD -
Lou Groza Award candidate Brett Swenson ranks third in the Big Ten in kick scoring (8.0 points per game) and field goals (1.5 made per game). He leads the team in scoring with 32 points, converting 6-of-7 field-goal attempts and 14-of-15 extra-point tries.

The 5-foot-8, 185-pound senior placekicker accounted for 11 points in Michigan State's season-opening 44-3 victory over Montana State, hitting 2-of-2 field-goal attempts and all five extra-point tries.

Swenson ranks first among NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision active leaders in scoring, with 308 career points. His 58 career field goals rank second among all-active NCAA FBS kickers, trailing only Alabama's Leigh Tiffin (61 made).

The Pompano Beach, Fla., native currently ranks ninth (tied with MSU's John Langeloh, 1987-90) in kick scoring in Big Ten history. Swenson needs just one more field goals to join the conference's all-time Top 10 in that statistical category.

He ranks among MSU's all-time leaders in scoring (tied for second), field goals (second) and extra points (third with 134 made). With his first two extra points against Notre Dame, Swenson tied Dave Rayner's (2003-04) school record with 76 consecutive PATS; however, his third attempt was blocked by the Irish.

BATES IMPACTS FIELD POSITION -
Ray Guy Award candidate Aaron Bates ranks second in the Big Ten in punting with his 45.6-yard average. His punting average would rank fourth in the NCAA; however, Bates has not punted enough times to meet the minimum requirement (3.6 punts per game). Seven of his 14 punts this season have been downed inside the opponent's 20-yard line. Bates also has hit five punts 50 or more yards, including three 57-yarders (two vs. Montana State and one vs. Central Michigan).

The 6-foot, 192-pound junior averaged 45.0 yards on three punts at Notre Dame, including two kicks downed inside the Irish 20-yard line.

He averaged 45.6 yards on five punts against Central Michigan, including four kicks downed inside the Chippewa 20.

His 41.3-yard career average ranks seventh in MSU history and 19th among active NCAA FBS punters. Bates has placed 52 of his 154 career punts (34 percent) inside the opponent's 20.