Post-Game Notes: Rutgers
11/12/2016 12:00:00 AM | Football
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• With the 49-0 win over Rutgers, the Spartans improved to 3-0 against the Scarlet Knights in Big Ten play . . . MSU leads the overall series, 5-3, including a 3-2 mark in Spartan Stadium . . . MSU head coach Mark Dantonio is 4-1 in his coaching career against Rutgers (3-0 at MSU; 1-1 at Cincinnati).
DEFENSE
• With the 49-0 shutout over Rutgers, MSU recorded its first shutout since a 14-0 win over Purdue on Oct. 19, 2013 . . . it also marked the fourth shutout for MSU under Mark Dantonio (2008, 2011 vs. FAU; 2013 vs. Purdue).
• MSU held Rutgers to 149 total yards, the fewest by a Spartan opponent since last year vs. Ohio State (132) . . . MSU also limited Rutgers to 40 passing yards, the fewest by a Spartan opponent since Indiana in 2014 (11 passing yards) . . . the Scarlet Knights only had eight first downs in the game.
• The Spartans recorded two interceptions for the first time in a game this season (Demetrious Cox, Montae Nicholson) . . . MSU won the turnover battle, 2-0, and didn't turn the ball over for the first time this season.
• Demetrious Cox returned an interception 30 yards for a touchdown in the first quarter . . . it marked Cox's fourth career interception and his first for a touchdown . . . it marked Cox's second career touchdown (77-yard fumble return vs. Penn State last season).
OFFENSE
• LJ Scott recorded his fourth 100-yard game of the season and fifth of his career with 122 yards on 20 carries . . . he scored on a 1-yard TD run in the second quarter, his fifth of the season, which is tied for the team lead.
• Michigan State scored a season-high 49 points in the game and 35 points in the first half . . . MSU last scored 35 points in the first half on Nov. 22, 2014 against Rutgers . . . MSU also scored a season-high 21 points in the first quarter.
• Tyler O'Connor tied his career high with three touchdown passes (2 and 4 yards to Josiah Price, 50 yards to Trishton Jackson) . . . he finished 10-of-15 passing for 141 yards.
• MSU rushed for a season-high 277 yards (previous high: 270 vs. Maryland).
• Madre London rushed for a season-high 52 yards on just nine carries (5.8 avg.), including two touchdowns (2 yards and 6 yards in the fourth quarter) . . . the two rushing TDs tied a career high.
• Josiah Price recorded his first career multi-TD game (2-yard reception in first quarter; 4-yard reception in second quarter) . . . Price now has 21 career touchdown receptions, good for fourth in MSU history.
• Trishton Jackson scored his first career touchdown with a 50-yard TD pass from Tyler O'Connor in the first quarter . . . Jackson finished with two catches for 67 yards.
• The Spartans converted 7-of-14 third-down conversions and went 5-for-5 (all touchdowns) in the red zone . . . MSU held a 35:37-24:23 advantage in the time of possession.
• Four Spartans earned their first career starts on Saturday against Rutgers (So. DE Robert Bowers, R-Fr. LT Cole Chewins, Fr. DT Mike Panasiuk, R-Fr. DT Raequan Williams). . . . Michigan State has had a different starting lineup in every game this season on both offense and defense . . . 24 Spartans have either started for the first time this season or are in their first full-time starting role.
