Michigan State New Era Pinstripe Bowl Media Guide

Michigan State (6-6) vs. Wake Forest (8-4)

NEW ERA PINSTRIPE BOWL
Date: Friday, Dec. 27
Kickoff: 3:20 p.m. EST
Location: New York, N.Y.
Stadium: Yankee Stadium (47,878)
Surface: Natural Grass
TV/Web/Mobile: ESPN/WatchESPN
Announcers: Adam Amin (play-by-play), Matt Hasselbeck (analyst), Paul Carcaterra (sideline)
Radio: Spartan Sports Network | Affiliate Listings
Announcers: George Blaha (play-by-play), Jason Strayhorn (analyst), Will Tieman (broadcast host)
Satellite Radio: Ch. 372 (XM, SiriusXM.com)
National Radio: ESPN Radio
Announcers: Chris Carlin (play-by-play), Jack Ford (analyst), C.J. Papa (sideline)
Satellite Radio: Ch. 80 (Sirius, XM, SiriusXM.com)
Live Stats: msuspartans.com | Live Stats via StatBroadcast
All-Time Series: First meeting
MSU in Bowl Games: 12-16 (29th bowl appearance)

COACHES:
MSU Head Coach: Mark Dantonio
MSU Record: 113-57 (13th year)
Overall Record: 131-74 (16th year)

WFU Head Coach: Dave Clawson
WFU Record: 36-39 (Sixth year)
Overall Record: 126-119 (20th year)

FIRST-AND-10 –
• Michigan State is playing in a bowl game for the 12th time in the past 13 seasons as the Spartans take on Wake Forest in the New Era Pinstripe Bowl on Friday, Dec. 27 at 3:20 p.m. in Yankee Stadium. The game will be televised on ESPN with Adam Amin, Matt Hasselbeck and Paul Carcaterra on the call. The Spartans finished the regular season with a 6-6 record after winning their final two games, while Wake Forest went 8-4 overall and tied for third in the ACC Atlantic Division with a 4-4 league mark. This marks the first-ever meeting between the two schools. Michigan State is one of three Big Ten schools to make 12 bowl appearances in the last 13 years, joining Wisconsin (13) and Ohio State (12).

• With the triumph over Northwestern on Sept. 21, Mark Dantonio became Michigan State's all-time winningest coach, passing Hall of Famer Duffy Daugherty, who collected a 109-69-5 record in East Lansing from 1954- 72 (19 seasons). Dantonio owns a 113-57 (.665) record at Michigan State and has won the most Big Ten Championships (three) and bowl games (five) of any Spartan head coach and also ranks first with 12 bowl appearances. He is the only active Big Ten coach to win multiple Big Ten Championships (2010, 2013, 2015), claim a victory in the Rose Bowl (2014), and coach in the College Football Playoff (2015). Dantonio also ranks first in program history in conference winning percentage (.639, 69-39 record, minimum 10 games); tied for first in AP Top 25 finishes (seven); second in Big Ten wins (69), home wins (67) and AP Top 25 wins (21); and fifth in overall winning percentage (.665). Dantonio is 11th in Big Ten history in conference wins (69) and tied for 11th in overall victories (113). The Spartans are seeking their 11th winning season under Dantonio.

• Michigan State is making its 29th all-time appearance in a bowl game and its 12th under Dantonio, the most bowl games of any coach in program history. MSU set a school record with nine consecutive bowl appearances from 2007-15, including a school-record four-game winning streak (2011 Outback Bowl over No. 18 Georgia; 2012 Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl over TCU; 2014 Rose Bowl over No. 5 Stanford; 2015 Cotton Bowl over No. 4 Baylor). MSU is 12-16 all-time in bowl games and 5-6 under Dantonio. Dantonio's five bowl wins are also a school record and are tied for sixth most in Big Ten history. MSU has won five of its last seven bowl games.

• Michigan State is in the midst of its winningest decade in school history based on total wins, as the Spartans are 91-40 (.695) since the beginning of the 2010 season. The 91 wins this decade are third most in the Big Ten and tied for 13th most in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision. In addition, Michigan State is the fifth Big Ten program to win at least 90 games in a decade (Ohio State, Penn State, Michigan, Wisconsin) and the 91 wins are tied for the seventh-most ever by any Big Ten team in a decade.

• MSU has won five bowl games (2012 Outback, 2012 Buffalo Wild Wings, 2014 Rose, 2015 Cotton, 2017 Holiday), three Big Ten Championships (2010, 2013, 2015) and three Big Ten Division titles (2011, 2013, 2015) during this decade (2010s). MSU's .695 winning percentage this decade is fourth best in school history. MSU was the only school to finish in the top-six of the national polls from 2013-15 (No. 3 in 2013, No. 5 in 2014, No. 6 in 2015) and the 36 wins from 2013-15 marked the winningest three-year stretch in the history of the program.

• Michigan State is playing just its fourth-ever game in New York City, with the previous three games also held in baseball stadiums. The Spartans' first trip to the Big Apple came on Oct. 22, 1932, in New York's Polo Grounds against Fordham. Jim Crowley, one of Notre Dame's immortal Four Horsemen, was Michigan State's head coach during the Spartans' 19-13 upset win over the previously unbeaten Rams in what would be his fourth and final season in East Lansing. He left to become Fordham's head coach in 1933, becoming the architect of the "Seven Blocks of Granite," and compiled a 56-13-7 record in nine seasons for the Rams from 1933-41. Crowley was 22-8-3 (.712) during his tenure at Michigan State (1929-32). The Spartans returned to New York on Oct. 20, 1934, to defeat Manhattan College, 39-0, at Ebbets Field, home of the Brooklyn Dodgers. Michigan State also played Manhattan College in Ebbets Field on Oct. 9, 1937, but fell, 3-0.

• Fifth-year senior Brian Lewerke is slated to start his 38th and final game at quarterback for the Spartans in the New Era Pinstripe Bowl (21-16 career record). Lewerke is looking to become just the third Spartan starting QB, along with Dan Enos and Connor Cook, to win two bowl games for MSU; he led the Spartans to a 42-17 win over Washington State in the 2017 Holiday Bowl. Lewerke needs just 27 passing yards to become the fourth Spartan QB in school history to throw for more than 8,000 career yards, and needs 29 completions to become the school's all-time leader in that category (currently second with 695 behind Kirk Cousins' 723 completions). Lewerke, who is one of only three Spartan QB to amass 9,000 total yards in his career, needs 222 total yards of offense to break the school record, currently held by Connor Cook (9,403 yards from 2012-15; Lewerke with 9,182 yards from 2016-19).

• Two-time All-American defensive end and fifth-year senior Kenny Willekes won the 2019 Burlsworth Trophy, an annual award which is given to the nation's most outstanding player who began his career as a walk-on. A year after earning first-team All-America honors from The Athletic, Willekes was a repeat selection to the Walter Camp All-America Second Team this season and also became just the third Spartan defensive end to earn first-team All-Big Ten honors twice. Last season, he was named the 2018 Big Ten Defensive Lineman of the Year after leading the conference with 20.5 tackles for loss. Willekes ranks first among all active FBS players with 1.27 tackles for loss per game and has a school-record 49.5 career tackles for loss overall. He set the school's all-time tackles for loss record on Senior Day vs. Maryland on Nov. 30 when he recorded 2.5 TFLs against the Terrapins. Willekes is also the first Spartan defensive player in program history to win the Governor's Award (team MVP) twice.

• Fifth-year senior defensive tackle Raequan Williams is slated to start his 42nd consecutive game in the New Era Pinstripe Bowl, which would set a record for the most starts in a row under MSU head coach Mark Dantonio. Williams is one of six players in the Mark Dantonio era to start 40 consecutive games or more (DE Shilique Calhoun with 41 straight from 2013-15; LB Max Bullough, LB Denicos Allen, LB Eric Gordon and LB Greg Jones with 40 straight). Williams has 28.5 tackles for loss and 11.5 sacks in 49 career games, including 7.0 TFLs and 5.0 sacks this season.

• Michigan State played one of the most difficult schedules in the nation during the regular season, playing four AP Top 25 teams (No. 2 Ohio State, No. 11 Wisconsin, No. 13 Penn State, No. 17 Michigan) and eight bowl teams (Western Michigan, Arizona State, Indiana, Ohio State, Wisconsin, Penn State, Illinois, Michigan).

STAT LEADERS –
Michigan State:
Rushing – R-Fr. Elijah Collins (201 carries for 892 yards, 4.4 avg., 5 TDs)
Passing – Sr.-5 Brian Lewerke (234-of-399, .586, 2,759 yards, 16 TDs, 12 INTs)
Receiving – Jr. Cody White (58 catches for 825 yards, 14.2 avg., 5 TDs)
Tackles – Jr. Antjuan Simmons (81 tackles, 42 solos, 39 assists, 15.0 TFLs, 3.5 sacks, 3 PBUs, 1 INT)

Wake Forest:
Rushing – Sr. Cade Carney (143 carries for 556 yards, 3.9 avg., 5 TDs)
Passing – Jr. Jamie Newman (208-of-334, .623, 2,693 yards, 23 TDs, 10 INTs)
Receiving – Sr. Kendall Hinton (70 catches for 953 yards, 13.6 avg., 3 TDs)
Tackles – So. Ryan Smenda (72 tackles, 33 solos, 39 assists, 6.0 TFLs, 2.5 sacks, 3 PBUs, 1 FR)

A QUICK GLANCE AT WAKE FOREST (8-4, 4-4 ACC) –
• The Demon Deacons ended regular-season action with an 8-4 overall record and a 4-4 ACC ledger, finishing third in the ACC Coastal Division. Wake Forest was receiving votes in the polls as recent as Week 14 after ranked as high as No. 20 in the coaches poll in Week 6 after opening the season 5-0, before losing four of its last seven, including three of the last four.

• In its last game, Wake Forest lost at Syracuse, 39-30 in OT. After the Orange took a 30-27 lead with 44 seconds left on a 49-yard field goal, Demon Deacon placekicker Nick Sciba drilled a 43-yard field goal as time expired to send the game to overtime. Syracuse scored a field goal on its opening possession in the extra period, then returned a fumble 94-yards to seal the win.

• On the season, Wake Forest was second in the ACC and 39th in the FBS in scoring offense (32.8 ppg) and ninth in the ACC in scoring defense (29.3 ppg).

• Wake Forest is second in the ACC and 12th in the FBS in total offense (473.4 ypg), as well as leading the ACC and ranking 18th in the FBS in passing offense (297.8 ypg) and fifth in the ACC and 47th in the FBS in rushing offense (175.7 ypg).

• The Demon Deacon defense is ninth in the ACC in total defense (409.8 ypg), ranking ninth in rushing defense (162.6 ypg) and 10th in passing defense (247.2 ypg).

• Individually, Newman is fourth in the ACC and 39th in FBS in passing efficiency (146.7), as well as fourth in the ACC and 35th in the FBS in passing yards (244.8 ypg) and third in the conference and 28th in the nation in passing TDs (23). Newman was 208-of-334 (.623) passing for 2,693 yards with 23 TDs and 10 INTs. Newman adds 487 rushing yards on 163 carries (44.3 ypg/3.0 ypc) with six TDs.

• Sam Hartman is 55-of-95 for 830 yards (276.7 ypg) with four TDs and two INTs. He also 27 rushes for 89 yards (3.3 ypc) with one TD.

• Cade Carney leads the WF rushing attack, ranking 14th in the ACC in rushing yards per game (55.6) on 143 carries for 556 yards with five TDs. Carney adds seven catches for 28 yards (4.0 ypc).

• Sophomore wide receiver Sage Surratt tied a school record by becoming the fastest to reach the 1,000-yard receiving total in his ninth game, before suffering a season-ending injury in that ninth game of the season. Surratt finished his season with 66 receptions for 1,001 yards and 11 TDs. Only five Wake Forest players had previously reached 1,000 yards receiving in a season before Surratt reached the feat this season. Surratt still leads the ACC and is fifth in FBS in receiving yards (111.2 ypg), as well as third in the league and 13th in the nation in TDs (11).

• Kendall Hinton tops the active Demon Deacon receiving corps with 70 receptions, totaling 953 yards with three TDs, ranking second in the ACC and 16th in the FBS in receiving yards per game (95.3), along with third in the conference and 12th in the country in receptions per game (7.0).

• Sophomore linebacker Ryan Smenda Jr. spearheads the Demon Deacon defense with 72 total tackles (33 solo, 39 assists) adding 6.0 TFLs, 2.5 sacks, three pass break-ups and one fumble recovery. Smenda is 29th in the ACC in tackles with 6.0 per game.

• Junior defensive end Carlos Basham Jr. is second in the ACC and 16th in the FBS in tackles for loss with 1.4 per game, totaling 17.0 overall, adding 10.0 sacks, which ranks third in the conference and 16th in the country.

• Senior cornerback Amari Henderson is third in the ACC and 28th in the FBS in passes defended with 1.2 per game, with 14 total on 10 pass break-ups and four interceptions.

• Nick Sciba is second in the ACC and 11th in scoring (9.7 ppg), making 44-of-44 PATs and 24-of-25 FGs. Sciba's lone miss came from 48 yards in the regular-season finale at Syracuse, as he had made his first 23 FGs in a row, before the game-tying FG as time expired. Sciba also hit his season-long of 45 yards earlier in the Syracuse game, as he was 5-of-6 from 40-49 yards, 6-of-6 from 30-39 yards and 13-of-13 from 20-29 yards.

• Senior punter Dom Maggio is second in the ACC and seventh in the FBS in punting (46.8 ypg) on 68 punts, with a long of 66 yards, one of 27 punts of 50+ yards. Maggio' had 27 inside the 20 with 13 fair catches.

• Wake Forest head coach Dave Clawson has a 36-39 record in his sixth season guiding the Demon Deacons. Overall, Clawson has a head coaching record of 126-119 in his 20th season as a head coach, with stops at Fordham, Richmond and Bowling Green.

MSU/WAKE FOREST SERIES NOTES –
• The New Era Pinstripe Bowl marks the first-ever meeting between Michigan State and Wake Forest.

MSU/ACC NOTES –
• The Spartans have only played two previous ACC teams in bowl games, falling to Georgia Tech in the 1985 All-American Bowl and Boston College in the 2007 Champs Sports Bowl. It's also just the second time Dantonio has faced an ACC team during his tenure at Michigan State (2007 Champs Sports Bowl).

SPARTAN BOWL HISTORY –
• Michigan State is making its 29th bowl appearance overall and 12th under 13th-year head coach Mark Dantonio. The Spartans are 12-16 overall (.429) in bowl games and 5-6 under Dantonio. Dantonio's five bowl wins and 12 bowl appearances are both school records. MSU has won five of its last seven bowl games.

• Michigan State is playing in a bowl game for the 12th time in the past 13 seasons. MSU played in a school record nine consecutive bowl games from 2007-15 (2007 Champs Sports Bowl, 2009 Capital One Bowl, 2010 Alamo Bowl, 2011 Capital One Bowl, 2012 Outback Bowl, 2012 Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl, 2014 Rose Bowl, 2015 Cotton Bowl Classic, 2015 College Football Playoff Semifinal at Cotton Bowl Classic). The Spartans won their fifth bowl game under Dantonio with a 42-17 victory over Washington State in the 2017 Holiday Bowl.

• The Spartans tied a Big Ten record and set a school record with their four-game bowl winning streak (2011 Outback Bowl over No. 18 Georgia; 2012 Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl over TCU; 2014 Rose Bowl over No. 5 Stanford; 2015 Cotton Bowl over No. 4 Baylor).

• Wisconsin (13) and Ohio State (12) are the only other Big Ten teams to play in at least 12 bowl games since 2007, Dantonio's first season in East Lansing.

Dantonio 2015 Cotton Bowl Baylor

DANTONIO NO STRANGER TO POSTSEASON PLAY –
• Mark Dantonio is making his 27th appearance in postseason play (as a graduate assistant, assistant coach or head coach), including four NCAA I-AA playoffs and 22 bowl games. Dantonio has compiled an 11-11 record in bowl games, including a 6-6 mark as head coach (5-6 at MSU, 1-0 at Cincinnati).

• Dantonio will be making his 12th bowl appearance at MSU, extending his school record for most bowl appearances by a head coach (previous record: George Perles with seven from 1983-94). Dantonio is 5-6 in bowl games at Michigan State, including a school-record four-game winning streak (2012 Outback, 2012 Buffalo Wild Wings, 2014 Rose; 2015 Cotton). Dantonio has led his teams to 14 bowl appearances in 16 seasons as a head coach (12 at MSU, two at Cincinnati; did not coach in 2007 International Bowl with UC).

• Dantonio will be coaching in the 23rd bowl game of his career in the New Era Pinstripe Bowl.

SPARTANS IN THE BIG APPLE –
• The Spartans have an all-time record of 2-1 in games played in New York City, but those three previous appearances all came in the 1930s. Those games were also played in baseball stadiums.

• The Spartans' first trip to the Big Apple came on Oct. 22, 1932, in New York's Polo Grounds against Fordham. Jim Crowley, one of Notre Dame's immortal Four Horsemen, was Michigan State's head coach during the Spartans' 19-13 upset win over the previously unbeaten Rams in what would be his fourth and final season in East Lansing. He left to become Fordham's head coach in 1933, becoming the architect of the "Seven Blocks of Granite," and compiled a 56-13-7 record in nine seasons for the Rams from 1933-41. Crowley was 22-8-3 (.712) during his tenure at Michigan State (1929-32).

• Here's an account from that game from the Spartan Sports Encyclopedia: "In their fifth game of the season, the Spartans played the previously unbeaten and unscored-upon Fordham Rams at New York City's Polo Grounds. Bobby Monnett's opening play, an 80-yard touchdown dash, furnished the winning inspiration for his teammates in what would be a 19-13 upset victory. In an unimaginable maneuver by today's standards, Coach Crowley used only 16 players during the entire afternoon. The visit to New York City would prove costly. Enamored by Crowley's style, Fordham officials began a relentless and ultimately successful campaign of luring the popular coach to the Bronx school."

• Under Coach Charlie Bachman, the Spartans returned to New York on Oct. 20, 1934, to defeat Manhattan College, 39-0, at Ebbets Field, home of the Brooklyn Dodgers. Michigan State also played Manhattan College in Ebbets Field on Oct. 9, 1937, but fell, 3-0.

PLENTY OF SPARTAN CONNECTIONS IN NEW YORK CITY –
• There are numerous Michigan State football connections in New York. Former Spartan All-American running back Le'Veon Bell, who led the Big Ten in rushing in 2012 with 137.9 yards per game, is in his first year with the Jets after spending five years with the Steelers (2013-17). Bell is a three-time Pro Bowl and two-time All-Pro selection. He ranks fourth in MSU history with 3,346 rushing yards and his 1,793 yards in 2012 was the second-highest single-season total in Spartan history.

• New York Giants second-year head coach Pat Shurmur was a four-year letterwinner (1983, 1985-87) at Michigan State under Coach George Perles. Shurmur was a first-team All-Big Ten selection at center as a senior in 1987, when the co-captain helped lead the Spartans to the Big Ten Championship and a win in the Rose Bowl over USC. He served as an assistant coach at MSU from 1990-97, and spent three years on the same staff as current Spartan head coach Mark Dantonio (1995-97) under Nick Saban.

• A graduate of Michigan State University, New York Jets first-year head coach Adam Gase was a student assistant coach at MSU in 1999 under former Spartan head coach Nick Saban.

• Former Spartan All-Americans Carl Banks and Brad Van Pelt were both inducted into the New York Giants Ring of Honor in 2011. Banks and Van Pelt are also both members of the Michigan State Athletics Hall of Fame.

• Banks is one of three Spartan linebackers to earn first-team All-Big Ten honors three times (1981-83) and was a first-team All-American as a senior in 1983. He was the No. 3 overall draft pick by the Giants in the 1984 NFL Draft and won two Super Bowls (XXI and XXV) and recorded over 500 tackles in New York; he was named to the NFL's All-Decade Team of the 1980s and was a Pro Bowl selection in 1987. He currently serves on the Giants radio broadcast team.

• Van Pelt won the 1972 Maxwell Award and was a two-time All-American safety at MSU in 1971-72. Van Pelt spent 11 seasons with the Giants (1973-83) and was a five-time Pro-Bowl selection (1976-80).

• Former Spartan wide receiver Plaxico Burress caught the game-winning touchdown pass in Super Bowl XLII with just 35 seconds remaining as the New York Giants handed the New England Patriots their first loss of the season.

• Former Spartans Greg Jones (LB) and Devin Thomas (WR), who both lettered under Mark Dantonio, won Super Bowl rings with the Giants (XLVI over New England).

Kenny Willekes Burlsworth Trophy winner

KENNY WILLEKES NAMED ALL-AMERICAN, WINS BURLSWORTH TROPHY –
• Two-time All-American defensive end and fifth-year senior Kenny Willekes won the 2019 Burlsworth Trophy, an annual award which is given to the nation's most outstanding player who began his career as a walk-on.

• The Burlsworth Trophy is named in honor of Brandon Burlsworth. Without one Division I scholarship offer, Burlsworth walked on to the Arkansas Razorback team in 1994, worked his way to being a three-year starter and was eventually named an All-American in 1998. Burlsworth was selected as the 63rd overall pick by the Indianapolis Colts in the 1999 NFL draft, but was tragically killed in a car accident 11 days later. The Burlsworth Foundation was created in his memory and supports the physical and spiritual needs of children, in particular those children who have limited opportunities. MSU head coach Mark Dantonio joined Willekes at the award ceremony in Springdale, Arkansas, on Dec. 9.

• A year after earning first-team All-America honors from The Athletic, Willekes was a repeat selection to the Walter Camp All-America Second Team this season and also became just the third Spartan defensive end to earn first-team All-Big Ten honors twice. Last season, he was named the 2018 Big Ten Defensive Lineman of the Year after leading the conference with 20.5 tackles for loss.

• Willekes ranks first among all active FBS players with 1.27 tackles for loss per game and has a school-record 49.5 career tackles for loss overall. He set the school's all-time tackles for loss record on Senior Day vs. Maryland on Nov. 30 when he recorded 2.5 TFLs against the Terrapins.

• Willekes is also the first Spartan defensive player in program history to win the Governor's Award (team MVP) twice. Last season, he became the first defensive end to win team MVP at MSU.

• A chemistry major, Willekes earned a scholarship in the spring of 2017 and hasn't looked back since. He entered the program as a walk-on linebacker for the 2015 season but has emerged as one of the top pass rushers in the nation during his career. He earned his undergraduate degree in December.

• Willekes leads MSU and ranks tied for fourth in the Big Ten with a career-high nine sacks and is fourth overall in school history with 24.5 sacks. He also ranks first among all Big Ten defensive linemen with 69 tackles and has 14.5 tackles for loss this season. In 39 career games, including 37 starts, he has 220 tackles overall.

• Willekes was named the National Defensive Player of the Week by the Walter Camp Football Foundation and also the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week for his impressive performance in the season opener vs. Tulsa. Willekes scored his first career touchdown after teaming up on a sack with Raequan Williams and pouncing on the fumble in the end zone to give MSU a 22-0 lead with 4:49 left in the second quarter. Earlier in the second quarter, he recovered a fumble after a bad Tulsa snap to set up an MSU field goal. He also had a 1-yard tackle for loss in the second quarter and a 2-yard sack in the fourth quarter. Overall, Willekes led the Spartans with seven tackles, including 2.5 TFLs (6 yards) and 1.5 sacks (5 yards).

• After leading the Big Ten with 20.5 tackles for loss as a junior, Willekes was named the 2018 Smith-Brown Big Ten Defensive Lineman of the Year and a first-team All-American by The Athletic. Willekes became the second Spartan to win the award (Shilique Calhoun in 2013), which is named after MSU's Bubba Smith and Penn State's Courtney Brown and given to the Big Ten's most outstanding defensive lineman, and was the first Spartan defensive end to earn first-team All-America honors since Robaire Smith in 1998. Willekes was also named to the All-Big Ten First Team by the coaches, media, Associated Press, Athlon Sports, ESPN. com, Phil Steele and Pro Football Focus, and earned second-team All-America honors from the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA), Phil Steele, Sporting News and Walter Camp Football Foundation. Unfortunately, Willekes suffered a broken fibula in the 2018 Redbox Bowl against Oregon, but he fully recovered in time for the 2019 season to once again earn first-team All-Big Ten honors.

• A 6-4, 260-pound native of Rockford, Michigan, Willekes collected a league-best 20.5 tackles for loss in 2018, good for second most in a Spartan single season and eighth most in the FBS in 2018. He also led the Spartans with 8.5 sacks, which ranked tied for fifth in the Big Ten. He registered a career-high 78 tackles to rank first among all defensive lineman in the nation, including a career-high 13 against Ohio State on Nov. 3.

• After playing in just one game as a redshirt freshman in 2016, Willekes earned third-team All-Big Ten honors in 2017 with a team-leading 14.5 tackles for loss and seven sacks.

• Willekes has recorded two sacks in a game six times in his career (2017: Michigan, Minnesota, Maryland; 2018: Utah State, Maryland; 2019: Western Michigan).

MIKE PANASIUK & RAEQUAN WILLIAMS CONSISTENT IN THE MIDDLE OF SPARTAN D-LINE –
• Defensive tackles Mike Panasiuk and Raequan Williams have started alongside each other on the interior of the defensive line for 40 games during their careers. The duo had their streak of 37 straight starts snapped against Illinois on Nov. 9 as Panasiuk missed the opening series; the streak dated back to the Ohio State game on Nov. 19, 2016. Williams and Panasiuk are a big reason why MSU ranked No. 1 in the FBS in rushing defense in 2018 and ranked No. 2 in 2017.

• Williams is slated to start his 42nd consecutive game in the New Era Pinstripe Bowl, which would set a record for the most starts in a row under MSU head coach Mark Dantonio. Williams is one of six players in the Mark Dantonio era to start 40 consecutive games or more (DE Shilique Calhoun with 41 straight from 2013-15; LB Max Bullough, LB Denicos Allen, LB Eric Gordon and LB Greg Jones with 40 straight).

• Williams, a first-team All-Big Ten selection by The Associated Press the past two seasons (2018-19), recorded career bests in tackles (53), tackles for loss (10.5) and pass break-ups (5) as a junior. The Chicago native ranks second among active Spartans with 28.5 career tackles for loss, including 11.5 career sacks, in 49 career games (41 consecutive starts).

• Panasiuk, a stalwart on the Spartan defensive line with 40 starts at defensive tackle, was named honorable mention All-Big Ten for the third year in a row in 2019. Panasiuk's numbers are hard to measure in terms of impact, but the Roselle, Illinois, native is a big reason why MSU ranked No. 1 in the FBS in rushing defense in 2018, allowing just 77.9 yards per game. Panasiuk had 6.0 tackles for loss and two pass break-ups, and led the Spartan defensive tackles unit in production points last year. He recorded an interception and blocked a field goal in the fourth quarter in the victory over Purdue.

• In 50 career games, Panasiuk has 97 tackles, including 18.0 for losses with four sacks. This season, Panasiuk has recorded career highs in tackles (33), tackles for loss (9.0) and sacks (2.0). He posted a career-high 3.5 tackles for loss, including a sack and forced fumble, at No. 4 Ohio State on Oct. 5.

ANTJUAN SIMMONS MAKING THE MOST OUT OF HIS STARTING OPPORTUNITY –
• Junior linebacker Antjuan Simmons has burst onto the scene in his first year as a starter for the Spartans, leading the team and ranking tied for sixth in the Big Ten in tackles for loss (15.0 for 57 yards). He also leads the team with 81 tackles overall (42 solo, 39 assists) and is tied for fourth on the team with 3.5 sacks (24 yards) to go along with three pass break-ups and one interception.

• Simmons started the first eight games at Star (weakside) linebacker, then started twice at middle linebacker before returning to the Star position at Rutgers. He led the team in production points (unofficial team stat) during the regular season.

• Simmons played behind former three-year starting Star linebacker Andrew Dowell in 2017 and 2018. Simmons has 147 career tackles, including 17.0 for losses, in 38 games of action.

Michigan State quarterback Brian Lewerke looks to throw against Maryland during the first half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Nov. 30, 2019, in East Lansing, Mich. (AP Photo/Al Goldis)

Michigan State quarterback Brian Lewerke looks to throw against Maryland during the first half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Nov. 30, 2019, in East Lansing, Mich. (AP Photo/Al Goldis)

BRIAN LEWERKE STARTING HIS 38TH AND FINAL COLLEGIATE GAME IN PINSTRIPE BOWL –
•Fifth-year senior Brian Lewerke is slated to start his 38th and final game at quarterback for the Spartans in the New Era Pinstripe Bowl (21-16 career record). Lewerke is looking to become just the third Spartan starting QB, along with Dan Enos and Connor Cook, to win two bowl games for MSU; he led the Spartans to a 42-17 win over Washington State in the 2017 Holiday Bowl.

• Lewerke needs just 27 passing yards to become the fourth Spartan QB in school history to throw for more than 8,000 career yards, and needs 29 completions to become the school's all-time leader in that category (currently second with 695 behind Kirk Cousins' 723 completions).

• Lewerke, who is one of only three Spartan QB to amass 9,000 total yards in his career, needs 222 total yards of offense to break the school record, currently held by Connor Cook (9,403 yards from 2012-15; Lewerke with 9,182 yards from 2016-19).

• Lewerke is in his third season as the starting quarterback for the Spartans. He is just the second Spartan quarterback under Mark Dantonio to be named a captain twice (Kirk Cousins, three times, 2009-11). After a record-setting sophomore season in 2017, Lewerke's junior year was hampered by a shoulder injury he suffered in the win at No. 8 Penn State on Oct. 13, but he bounced back for his senior season and ranks among the Big Ten leaders in pass attempts (first with 399), pass completions (first with 234), passing (third with 229.9 ypg), total offense (fourth with 256.3 ypg), total passing yards (fourth with 2,759) and TD passes (seventh with 16). He was named one of 20 finalists for the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award, which is presented annually to the nation's top senior college quarterback. The Phoenix, Arizona, native has completed 234-of-399 passes (.586) for 2,759 yards, 16 touchdowns and 12 interceptions.

• Against Illinois on Nov. 9, Lewerke became the first Spartan quarterback to eclipse 7,000 yards passing and 1,000 yards rushing in his career. Lewerke currently ranks fourth at MSU with 7,973 yards passing and third among QBs with 1,209 yards rushing.

• Lewerke is one of three Spartan QBs in school history to throw for 2,000 yards in three consecutive seasons, joining Kirk Cousins and Connor Cook. Lewerke threw for a career-best 2,793 yards as a sophomore in 2017, 2,040 yards as a junior in 2018, and is at 2,759 yards as a senior in 2019.

• Lewerke also ranks among the school leaders in pass attempts (first with 1,212), total offense (second with 9,182 yards), pass completions (second with 695), passing yards (fourth with 7,973), passing TDs (tied for fourth with 46) and passing yards per game (fifth with 199.3 ypg).

• Lewerke had a season-high 378 total yards of offense against Indiana (300 passing, 78 rushing) on Sept. 28, the ninth-highest single-game total in school history and fourth highest of his career (475 vs. Northwestern in 2017; 425 vs. Penn State in 2017; 396 vs. Notre Dame in 2017).

• Lewerke has thrown for more than 300 yards passing eight times in his career (third in MSU history) and more than 200 yards passing 20 times (fourth in MSU history).

• In his first full year as the starter in 2017, Brian Lewerke became the first quarterback in school history to throw for more than 2,500 yards and rush for more than 500 yards in the same season. Lewerke finished 2017 with the second-most yards of total offense in an MSU season with 3,352 (Drew Stanton with 3,415 in 2005). He also finished the 2017 campaign ranked among MSU's single-season leaders in passing completions (third with 246), passing attempts (fourth with 417), passing yards (seventh with 2,793) and touchdown passes (tied for eighth with 20). He rushed for 559 yards on 124 carries with five TDs.

• In 2017, Lewerke set MSU sophomore records for total offense (3,352 yards), passing yards (2,793), passing attempts (417) and passing completions (246). He also finished the season with 559 yards rushing on 124 carries, the fourth most by a Spartan quarterback in a single season and the most since Drew Stanton had 687 in 2004.

• Lewerke was named the 2017 Holiday Bowl Offensive MVP after finishing with 286 yards of total offense against Washington State. He was 13-of-21 passing for 213 yards and three touchdowns, and set a Spartan bowl record for most rushing yards by a quarterback (14 carries for 73 yards). Lewerke was 9-of-10 passing for 162 yards and two TDs in the second quarter alone. Lewerke's three touchdown passes tied a Spartan bowl record (accomplished three previous times).

• Lewerke set school single-game records for passing yards (445), total offense (475) and completions (39) in the triple-overtime loss at Northwestern on Oct. 28, 2017. His 57 passing attempts also marked a career high and tied for the second most in school history (record: 61 by Brian Hoyer vs. Penn State in 2006); MSU's previous single-game records were 400 passing yards (Bill Burke vs. Michigan, 1999), 416 yards of total offense (Connor Cook vs. Indiana, 2015) and 35 completions (Jeff Smoker vs. Ohio State, 2003). Lewerke also threw a career-high four touchdowns against the Wildcats, tied for the second most in school history (accomplished 13 previous times). Lewerke's 445 yards passing and 475 total yards against Northwestern were both the most by a Big Ten quarterback in a single game in 2017.

• A week after setting numerous school records at Northwestern on Oct. 28, 2017, Lewerke had another impressive game against Penn State on Nov. 4, becoming the first Spartan quarterback to throw for 400 yards in back-to-back games. He threw for a school-record 445 yards at Northwestern, and for 400 against Penn State; the 400 yards tied for the second-most yards by a Spartan QB in a single game (Bill Burke with 400 in win over Michigan in 1999). Lewerke became one of just three Big Ten quarterbacks in the last 20 years to throw for 400 yards in two consecutive games (Drew Brees, Purdue, 1998; C.J. Bacher, Northwestern, 2007).

• Lewerke played in four games and started twice (Northwestern, Maryland) as a redshirt freshman in 2016 before suffering a season-ending injury (broken tibia) in the fourth quarter of the Michigan game on Oct. 29. He bounced back quickly from the injury and fully participated in all of spring practice in 2017. In 2016, Lewerke became the first Spartan freshman quarterback to start a game (Northwestern) since 2004 (Stephen Reaves vs. Central Michigan).

ELIJAH COLLINS EMERGING AS ONE OF THE TOP FRESHMAN TAILBACKS IN THE FBS –
• Redshirt freshman Elijah Collins, a third-team All-Big Ten selection by the media and Pro Football Focus, is averaging a team-best 74.3 yards rushing per game (201 carries for 946 yards; 4.4 avg.), which ranks fifth in the Big Ten. His 74.3 ypg also ranks first in the conference and ninth in the country for freshman running backs. Collins leads the team with five rushing touchdowns.

• In his first career start at tailback on Sept. 7 against Western Michigan, Collins recorded 192 rushing yards on 17 carries, the second most by a Spartan freshman in a single game (Javon Ringer had 194 yards at Illinois in 2005). In addition, Collins' 192 rushing yards were the most by a freshman starting running back in school history. Collins had three rushes of 20-plus yards (career-long 58-yarder in third quarter; 29-yarder on second play from scrimmage; 24-yarder in second quarter).

• Collins recorded his second career 100-yard rushing game with 170 yards on 28 carries against Illinois on Nov. 9. The 170 rushing yards were the second most by a Spartan against Illinois (Ringer with 194 in 2005). Collins also scored two TDs for the first time in his career.

• Collins carried the ball a career-high 31 times for 109 yards in the victory at Rutgers on Nov. 23, becoming the first Spartan since Jeremy Langford in 2014 (35 vs. Michigan) to carry the ball 30 times in a game.

• Collins' 892 rushing yards are the most by a Spartan freshman since Sedrick Irvin had 1,067 as a true freshman in 1996. Collins is also seeking to become MSU's first 1,000-yard rusher since Jeremy Langford in 2014. In addition, Collins is the first Spartan freshman to record three 100-yard rushing games (192 vs Western Michigan, 170 vs. Illinois, 109 vs. Rutgers) since Ringer in 2005. Collins redshirted in 2018 and played a total of six offensive snaps in three games.

Cody White at Rutgers

CODY WHITE STEPPING UP IN THE SECOND HALF OF THE SEASON –
• With senior Darrell Stewart missing the last four games due to injury, junior wide receiver Cody White had a big second half of the season to emerge as the team's leading receiver. White had 28 catches for 426 yards in the last month of the regular season (7 for 128 vs. Illinois; 6 for 78 at Michigan; 11 for 136 at Rutgers; 4 for 84 vs. Maryland) to finish with a career high and team-best 58 receptions for 825 yards and five touchdowns. He earned honorable mention All-Big Ten accolades by the coaches and media.

• The Novi, Michigan, native tied an MSU single-game record with three TD catches at Rutgers to go along with a career-high 11 receptions for 136 yards. He ranks among the Big Ten leaders in receptions (fifth with 58), receptions per game (tied for fifth with 4.8), receiving yards (eighth with 825) and receiving yards per game (eighth with 68.8 ypg).

• White has five career 100-yard receiving games (11 catches for 136 yards and three TDs at Rutgers in 2019; seven for 128 vs. Illinois in 2019; nine for 113 yards and one TD at Arizona State in 2018; eight for 115 vs. Ohio State in 2018; nine for 165 at Northwestern in 2017).

• White was having a sensational start to his second season in the Green and White with 20 catches for 300 yards in the first four games of the 2018 season, but unfortunately White suffered a broken left hand in the second quarter of the Central Michigan game on Sept. 29 while diving for a catch in the end zone. White was forced to sit out four games but returned to action on Nov. 3 at Maryland; although he missed four games, he still led the Spartans in receiving yards (555; 61.7 ypg) and ranked second in receptions (42).

• A BTN All-Freshman Team selection in 2017, White closed his first year in the Green and White with the most receiving yards by a true freshman in school history with 490. His 35 catches were second most by a true freshman (Sedrick Irvin with 40 in 1996) and most by a true freshman wide receiver (B.J. Cunningham had 41 catches for 528 yards as a redshirt freshman in 2008). White recorded 30 of his 35 catches in the second half of the season.

• In his first career start, White was named the Big Ten Co-Freshman of the Week after setting a Spartan freshman single-game record with 165 receiving yards at Northwestern on Oct. 28, 2017. That total was also the 20th-most overall by an MSU player in a single game and the third most by a Spartan against Northwestern.

• In 34 career games, including 25 starts, White has 135 catches for 1,870 yards and 11 touchdowns. He ranks among MSU's all-time leaders in receptions (eighth with 135), receiving yards (14th with 1,870) and TD catches (tied for 19th with 11).

SPARTANS HAVE USED SIX DIFFERENT STARTING O-LINE COMBINATIONS IN 12 GAMES –
• Due to a rash of injuries, Michigan State has used six different starting offensive line combinations in 12 games, including four of the last five games.

• The Spartans have started 11 different offensive linemen this season (C Matt Allen, LT AJ Arcuri, LG Blake Bueter, OG Luke Campbell, RG Matt Carrick, LT Devontae Dobbs, LG J.D. Duplain, LT Kevin Jarvis, LT Tyler Higby, RT Jordan Reid, C Nick Samac), including three true freshmen (Dobbs, Duplain, Samac) and four left tackles (Jarvis, Higby, Arcuri, Dobbs).

• Junior right tackle Jordan Reid is the only Spartan offensive lineman to start all 12 games. He has started 25 consecutive games at right tackle for MSU.

• For the first time under Mark Dantonio, three true freshmen started on the offensive line in a game, as center Nick Samac, left guard J.D. Duplain and left tackle Devontae Dobbs started at Rutgers on Nov. 23. The Spartans also started wide receiver Julian Barnett against the Scarlet Knights. Michigan State and Stanford are the only teams in the FBS this season to start three true freshmen on the offensive line in the same game.

MARK DANTONIO ONE OF THE MOST SUCCESSFUL COACHES IN BIG TEN HISTORY –
• Now in his 13th season as head coach of the Spartans, Mark Dantonio owns a 113-57 (.665) record. Dantonio has won the most Big Ten Championships (three) and bowl games (five) of any Spartan head coach and also ranks first with 11 bowl appearances. He is the only active Big Ten coach to win multiple Big Ten Championships (2010, 2013, 2015), claim a victory in the Rose Bowl (2014), and coach in the College Football Playoff (2015).

• The winningest coach in school history with 113 victories, Dantonio also ranks first in program history in conference winning percentage (.639, 69-39 record, minimum 10 games); tied for first in AP Top 25 finishes (seven); second in Big Ten wins (69), home wins (67) and AP Top 25 wins (21); and fifth in overall winning percentage (.665). Dantonio has 10 winning seasons in his 12 years in East Lansing, including a school-record 12 bowl bids (Daugherty owns school record with 11 winning seasons from 1954-72).

• With the triumph over Northwestern on Sept. 21, Dantonio became Michigan State's all-time winningest coach, passing Hall of Famer Duffy Daugherty, who collected a 109-69-5 record in East Lansing from 1954-72 (19 seasons). Daugherty won four National Championships (1955, 1957, 1965, 1966), two Big Ten Championships (1965, 1966) and the 1956 Rose Bowl. A two-time National Coach of the Year (1955, 1965), Daugherty coached 29 different players to first-team All-America honors and was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1984.

• Dantonio's incredible run at Michigan State ranks among the best in Big Ten history. Dantonio is one of just six Big Ten coaches to have at least six 10-win seasons on their resume (Bo Schembechler, Michigan; Jim Tressel, Ohio State; Joe Paterno, Penn State; Lloyd Carr, Michigan; Urban Meyer, Ohio State) and one of four to have at least five 11-win seasons (Tressel, Paterno, Meyer).

• Dantonio is one of just 14 coaches in Big Ten history to record 100 victories. He is currently tied for 11th in Big Ten history with 113 wins.

• Overall, Dantonio owns a 131-74 (.639) record in his 15-plus seasons as a head coach (18-17 in three seasons at Cincinnati; 113-57 in 12-plus seasons at MSU). Dantonio's 131 career wins rank 12th among active FBS coaches and second most in the Big Ten (Kirk Ferentz; 173).

• Dantonio won his 71st game at MSU on Oct. 25, 2014, against Michigan to move into second place all-time in victories in school history. Dantonio won his 100th career game as a head coach on Oct. 17, 2015, at Michigan Stadium as the Spartans rallied to defeat the Wolverines, 27-23, on a 38-yard fumble return as time expired. His career record stands at 131-74 (.639) in 15-plus seasons.

• Dantonio's .639 winning percentage (69-39) in Big Ten games ranks first in MSU history (minimum 10 Big Ten games). He ranks second in school history in conference wins (record: Duffy Daugherty, 72), which also ranks 11th in Big Ten history.

• Dantonio led the Spartans to the 2015 Big Ten Championship with a 16-13 victory over previously undefeated and fourth-ranked Iowa. It marked Dantonio's third Big Ten Championship (2010, 2013, 2015), establishing a school record (previous: Daugherty and George Perles with two each).

• Dantonio became the first coach in Big Ten history to record five 11-win seasons in a six-year span (11 in 2010; 11 in 2011; 13 in 2013, 11 in 2014; 12 in 2015), and his five 11-win seasons are tied with Joe Paterno of Penn State for third most in Big Ten history (Urban Meyer of Ohio State with seven; Jim Tressel of Ohio State with six; Paterno with five at Penn State as Big Ten member). Prior to Dantonio's arrival, MSU had not recorded an 11-win season in its history, and had just two 10-win seasons (1965, 1999).

• A two-time Big Ten Coach of the Year (2010, 2013), Dantonio has led Michigan State to Top 25 finishes seven times (2008: No. 24 in both polls; 2010: No. 14 in both polls; 2011: No. 10 USA TODAY/No. 11 AP; 2013: No. 3 in both polls; 2014: No. 5 in both polls; 2015: No. 6 in both polls; 2017: No. 15 AP/No. 16 USA TODAY). His seven AP Top-25 finishes are tied for the most in school history. Duffy Daugherty's teams posted seven Top-25 finishes during his 19-year tenure from 1954-72.

• Michigan State extended its school record by playing in a bowl game for the ninth consecutive season in 2015 (2007 Champs Sports Bowl, 2009 Capital One Bowl, 2010 Alamo Bowl, 2011 Capital One Bowl, 2012 Outback Bowl, 2012 Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl, 2014 Rose Bowl, 2015 Cotton Bowl, 2015 College Football Playoff Semifinal at Cotton Bowl).

• Dantonio also ranks first in school history with 12 bowl appearances, including a school-record streak of nine straight bowl games from 2007-15. He is 5-6 in bowl games at Michigan State, including a school-record four-game winning streak (2012 Outback, 2012 Buffalo Wild Wings, 2014 Rose, 2015 Cotton). Dantonio has led his teams to 14 bowl berths in 16 seasons as a head coach (12 at MSU, two at Cincinnati).

• Dantonio is one of just four Spartan head coaches to coach in at least 100 games at MSU and ranks second in Spartan history with 170 games coached at Michigan State (Duffy Daugherty: 183; Dantonio: 170; George Perles: 139; Charlie Bachman: 114).

• Dantonio is the third-longest tenured coach in the Big Ten (Kirk Ferentz, Iowa: 21st season; Pat Fitzgerald, Northwestern: 14th season) and eighth-longest in the FBS at the same school.

DECADE OF SUSTAINED EXCELLENCE –
• Michigan State is in the midst of its winningest decade in school history based on total wins, as the Spartans are 91-40 (.695) since the beginning of the 2010 season. The 91 wins this decade are third most in the Big Ten and tied for 13th most in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision. In addition, Michigan State is the fifth Big Ten program to win at least 90 games in a decade (Ohio State, Penn State, Michigan, Wisconsin) and the 91 wins are tied for the seventh-most ever by any Big Ten team in a decade.

• During that span, MSU has won five bowl games (2012 Outback, 2012 Buffalo Wild Wings, 2014 Rose, 2015 Cotton, 2017 Holiday), three Big Ten Championships (2010, 2013, 2015) and three Big Ten Division titles (2011, 2013, 2015). MSU's .695 winning percentage this decade is fourth best in school history. MSU was the only school to finish in the top-six of the national polls from 2013-15 (No. 3 in 2013, No. 5 in 2014, No. 6 in 2015) and the 36 wins from 2013-15 marked the winningest three-year stretch in the history of the program.

• In addition, the Spartans have earned 12 bowl bids since 2007, including a school-record four consecutive bowl victories (2012 Outback against No. 18 Georgia, 2012 Buffalo Wild Wings against TCU, 2014 Rose Bowl Game against No. 5 Stanford, 2015 Cotton Bowl Classic against No. 4 Baylor), which also tied a Big Ten record.

• MSU's highest winning percentage by decade is currently the 1950s (.766, 70-21-1 record), but the 91 wins this current decade are already the most of any previous decade in school history (previous: 70 in 1950s).

• The Spartans have had sustained success in the Big Ten Conference under Dantonio. MSU has won two of the past six Big Ten Championships (2013, 2015) and three overall this decade, also claiming a championship in 2010. Dantonio is second in school history and 11th in Big Ten his

Michigan State (6-6) vs. Wake Forest (8-4)

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Players Mentioned

Matt Allen

AJ Arcuri

Julian Barnett

Blake Bueter

Luke Campbell

Matt Carrick

Elijah Collins

Devontae Dobbs

Andrew Dowell

J.D. Duplain

Tyler Higby

Kevin Jarvis

Brian Lewerke

Mike Panasiuk

Jordan Reid

Nick Samac

Antjuan Simmons

Cody White

Kenny Willekes

Raequan Williams