Cunningham didn’t take long to show he was listening to his coach’s advice. On the Spartans’ opening drive, Cunningham slipped but still made that record-breaking 149th catch on his back.

“We were punting if he had not made that catch,” Dantonio said. “It was a very difficult catch — a circus catch — and I thought it was one of the finer plays of the game. It sort of set the tone.”

Following the play, Cunningham said the response he got from the crowd and his teammates gave him goosebumps.

“It means a lot just to be in position to make that play and be on that list of (great MSU receivers),” Cunningham said. “It’s amazing.”

The moment was a culmination of the Westerville, Ohio, native’s four-year career at MSU, which he joked felt like 20 years.

Although he might not be the flashiest receiver with the out-of-this-world numbers, Cunningham has been a model of consistency.

With no more than 50 catches in one season, which he had in 2010, Cunningham was able to move past Matt Trannon in the second game of his senior year.

He had 48 grabs in 2009 and 41 as a redshirt freshman in 2008.

He also has recorded at least one catch in 36 consecutive games that he has played.

“He is just a guy that makes plays,” Dantonio said.

“You can have him covered, and he is still going to make the play. That is the kind of receiver you need out there.”

Cunningham has spent the last week talking about his long journey in his time as a Spartan. Once a three-star recruit with offers only from smaller schools such as Akron, Cincinnati and Marshall, Cunningham quickly accepted his offer to MSU.

Cunningham credited his days of playing basketball and soccer, which he said gave him better jumping ability and footwork, with making him as successful as he is today.

Now, four years later, he can be mentioned with the likes of former Spartans Plaxico Burress, Charles Rogers, Gene Washington and Kirk Gibson.

“It’s a blessing,” Cunningham said.

“I thank everybody. I thank God. I thank Kirk (Cousins) and coaches for putting me in this position.”
Cousins took the media through the record-breaking play. It was a play designed for Cunningham to slant and try to slide past the cornerback.

So, Cousins threw it to him, he said. However, Cunningham slipped and Cousins had to adjust midthrow.

“It’s very fitting he made the final catch that way,” Cousins said. “It’s a testament to how good his hands are. He’s one of the few guys who can make a catch like that.”

Cunningham replayed the moment in his head hundreds of times but still was in disbelief how it went down.

“Never in my life did I think it would happen like that,” he said.