Senior running back Jeremy Langford ran for 126 yards on 16 carries and two touchdowns in sloppy conditions. Senior running back Nick Hill added 59 yards on 12 carries and two touchdowns of his own.

“This is a class of unexpected players that have filled big roles,” Hill said. “The legacy that we want to leave is that this is a class of hard workers.”

Hill said earlier in the week he might get emotional during the ceremony, and he said after the game it was the final drive that almost got him.

“It was more emotional coming off the field,” he said. “The first time I got on this field it was the 2010 spring game, so I was just trying to soak everything up.”

Langford broke a game that was never very close wide open when he broke off touchdown runs of 18 and 38 yards in the first quarter to put MSU up 21-0.

Senior wide receiver Tony Lippett was the main story. A player who played some defense during his time at MSU started at cornerback and wide receiver, playing most of the game at both positions.

Lippett broke up a few passes and added five catches for 72 yards and one touchdown.

“He fit right in with the no fly zone,” senior safety Kurtis Drummond said.

Head coach Mark Dantonio said Lippett starting at cornerback wasn’t a tribute.

“You’ve got to earn your way out onto that field,” Dantonio said. “He’s got great ball skills, and he’s a big. tall guy.”

Dantonio said MSU will look at potentially playing Lippett on both sides of the ball next week against Penn State.

Junior quarterback Connor Cook had a good game, passing for 16 completions on 24 attempts for 254 yards. He also threw for two touchdowns.

In the minds of many fans the biggest play of the game offensively was a one yard run by offensive lineman Connor Kruse. The play was similar to a play run in 2011 by Joel Foreman.

“It’s a lineman’s dream to touch the ball even for a little while,” sophomore lineman Jack Conklin said. “I was jealous, I’ve been writing up plays for the coaches but they haven’t gone for it yet.”

“It was fun,” Kruse said. “I don’t think I get a yard anywhere else.”

The play was originally designed for senior lineman Travis Jackson, but Jackson went down in the first quarter with a knee injury.

“He’s been here for four years and he deserves it,” Kruse said. “I love the kid, and he loves me and he was very happy for me.”

MSU’s defense was able to force three interceptions by Kurtis Drummond, Riley Bullough and Arjen Colquhoun. The Rutgers offense was only able to amass 234 yards of total offense.

MSU moves to 9-2 and will play Penn State (6-4 overall, 3-4 Big Ten) next Saturday in State College, PA.