Here are five things to know before No. 4-ranked MSU (5-0 overall, 1-0 Big Ten) takes on Rutgers (2-2 overall, 0-1 Big Ten) this Saturday at 8 p.m.
Series is tied
Saturday will be the opportunity for one team to break a 3-3 tie in the all-time series record.
In their first matchup as conference foes MSU defeated Rutgers 45-3 last season.
Sept. 10, 1988 Rutgers 17, MSU 13
Sept. 29, 1990 MSU 34, Rutgers 10
Sept. 28, 1991 Rutgers 14, MSU 7
Sept. 6, 2003 MSU 44, Rutgers 28
Sept. 4, 2004 Rutgers 19, MSU 14
Nov. 22, 2014 MSU 45, Rutgers 3
Quarterback play
The Scarlet Knights haven’t been great this season, but they may have something to build on with the play of their sophomore quarterback Chris Laviano.
Laviano is second in the Big Ten in passing efficiency rating with a 148.5. The sophomore has been fairly accurate completing 72-of-100 passes thus far for 794 yards, six touchdowns and five interceptions.
Coach connections
MSU head coach Mark Dantonio and Rutgers offensive line coach Mitch Browning coached together for four seasons at Kansas from 1991-95.
“Mitch is a friend of mine,” Dantonio said. “Mitch was a graduate assistant at Ohio State, previous to my being there. He’s coached in the Mid-American Conference, Kent State, and was at Kansas for a long time. We were on the defensive staff together. He was the linebacker and I was the secondary coach.”
Browning also spent time on the same staff as MSU co-offensive coordinator and running backs coach Dave Warner. The two were on the same staff at Kent State for four seasons from 1984-87.
“We all know Mitch,” Dantonio said. “He’s an excellent coach. And he’ll have his guys ready to go.”
Dantonio upset Rutgers
Before Dantonio became the head coach at MSU, he was the head coach at Cincinnati. He played Rutgers twice during his three seasons there.
Dantonio went 1-1 against the Scarlet Knights but his win came in the form of a 30-11 upset over a No. 7-ranked Rutgers team in 2006.
Spartans travel well
MSU is 23-9 on the road in Big Ten games under Dantonio and 17-3 since 2010.
Dantonio has won at every other stadium in the Big Ten except Rutgers as this is the first time the game will be in New Jersey since Rutgers joined the Big Ten.
The Spartans have the fourth longest active conference road winning streak in the country with 10 games. Ohio State and Florida State are tied for first with 13 each.
“I think we’re 17-3 right now since 2010 on the road. But who is counting,” Dantonio said. “I just think we try and change things up. We try and stay fresh and we try to go together.”
