With the Spartans’ bowl eligibility in head coach Mark Dantonio’s first season, the program has improved compared to previous seasons.

“Our focus has been there throughout the season,” Dantonio said. “In winter workouts, in spring ball, everything that we’ve done, they’ve bought in. We’re establishing a foundation, a base.”

Hoyer overcame a subpar performance last week against Michigan to control the Spartans offense. If Hoyer didn’t take charge, the game could have been much different.

While the running game has been MSU’s offensive backbone this season, the Boilermakers held running backs junior Javon Ringer to 3.7 yards per carry and senior Jehuu Caulcrick to 3.2 yards per carry.

Ringer averaged 6.4 yards per carry and Caulcrick averaged four yards per carry before Saturday’s game.

With the team’s primary offensive weapons reeling, Hoyer stepped up.

“I took the most relaxed approach I’ve taken all year long,” Hoyer, who threw two touchdown passes, said of his game mentality. “I just came out and just tried to be loose, not try to get too jacked up. I think that helped me out a little bit. I was a little more focused out there.”

The Spartans offense also got help from the team’s defense. Senior linebacker SirDarean Adams intercepted two passes that went for scores and senior free safety Travis Key returned a fumble 20 yards for a touchdown.

Adams is the first player to record two interceptions in
the same game since Duron Bryan did it against U-M in 2001.

Without those defensive interruptions, Saturday’s contest would have been closer, as Purdue answered MSU’s first three touchdowns with touchdowns of its own.

But after exchanging touchdowns three times, MSU pulled away and never relinquished its lead.

Caulcrick scored a one-yard touchdown