Michigan State University Athletics
Michigan State vs. Notre Dame: Post-Game Notes
9/18/1999 12:00:00 AM | Football
Sept. 18, 1999
SERIES RECORD: Notre Dame leads the series, 41-21-1. Michigan State has won each of the last three meetings, its longest winning streak vs. the Irish since claiming eight straight from 1955-68. The Spartans are just the second team (USC, also current) to win three in a row against Notre Dame in over a decade. Three teams had similar streaks end in 1988.
NOTES:
? Michigan State improved to 3-0 for just the second time since 1979. The Spartans went 5-0 to open the 1997 season.
? With the win, Michigan State improves to 4-3 in its last seven games against teams ranked in the Associated Press Top 25. The Spartans are now 10-35 against Top 25 teams since 1988.
? WR Gari Scott's 80-yard TD reception from Bill Burke marked Scott's career-long reception and the longest pass play for Michigan State since Burke and WR Plaxico Burress hooked up on an 86-yard TD pass vs. Notre Dame last year. Scott finished with four catches for 110 yards, as he passed Kirk Gibson (112 from 1975-78) and Eugene Byrd (114 from 1975-79) to move into sixth place all-time at MSU in career receptions with 115. He is tied for third in career TD receptions with 16.
? QB Bill Burke's 8-yard touchdown pass to Chris Baker in the second quarter marked the seventh consecutive game in which he has thrown at least one touchdown pass. Burke now has 32 career TD passes and needs 12 to break the MSU career record of 43 (Dave Yarema, 1982-86, and Ed Smith, 1976-78).
? QB Bill Burke finished with 291 yards on 22-of-37 passing with two TDs. His passing yardage is the second-best effort by a Spartan QB vs. the Irish, 15 behind Ed Smith (306 yards in 1978). It marks Burke's sixth 200-yard passing game in his last seven outings. MSU is now 7-2 all-time when Burke throws for 200 yards.
? TE Chris Baker, who has five career TD passes, has one in each of the last two games. He finished with a career-best eight catches for 51 yards. His best game in terms of receiving yards was 69 vs. Indiana last year.
? TB Lloyd Clemons carried for a career-best 126 yards on 22 carries. His 42-yard run in the fourth quarter was a career-long.
? Michigan State has scored first in each of the last five meetings with Notre Dame (since ND scored first in 1992). When Notre Dame kicked a field goal with 14:51 remaining in the fourth quarter it marked the first time the Irish led the Spartans since a 21-20 ND victory in 1994. ND led for 5:09 before MSU responded with a Paul Edinger field goal.
? Notre Dame's second-quarter fumble forced by Julian Peterson and recovered by Josh Shaw marked Peterson's second forced fumble of the season. He also forced the fumble which Amp Campbell returned for the game-winning TD vs. Oregon.
? Michigan State forced two second-quarter fumbles inside the Spartan 20-yard line (the 19-yard line and at the 10-yard line).
? PK Paul Edinger remained perfect on the season, making three field goals and two PATs. He is now 8-for-8 on field goals through three games and 10-for-10 on extra points.
? MSU improved to 2-0 when tied after three quarters in 1999.
? MSU nearly held a third straight opponent to under 100 yards rushing, although the Irish finished with 108 yards on the ground. It would have marked the first time since the start of the 1997 season (Western Michigan, Memphis, Notre Dame) that the Spartans have held three straight opponents to under 100 yards rushing. MSU's three opponents are averaging 55.0 yards per game on the ground.
