Senior cornerback Chris L. Rucker was reinstated to the MSU football team Thursday and will have the option of traveling to Saturday’s game against No. 18 Iowa if he chooses, MSU football head coach Mark Dantonio said Thursday.
Five years since making the decision to become a Spartan, Gordon has put together a career that easily would make him the star player of many defenses throughout the country. But no matter what Gordon has been able to accomplish in his four years as a starter at MSU, he always has played in the shadow of fellow senior linebacker and All-American Greg Jones.
A little more than two weeks ago, when MSU head coach Mark Dantonio suspended senior cornerback Chris L. Rucker for being charged with operating a vehicle while intoxicated, or OWI, I had an immediate gut reaction: It was nice watching you in a Spartan uniform, Chris, good luck at the next level.
For MSU senior safety Marcus Hyde and junior quarterback Kirk Cousins, Saturday’s highly anticipated game between No. 5 MSU and No. 18 Iowa is even more significant as the two have personal connections to the Hawkeyes.
Ricky Stanzi’s 7-yard touchdown pass to Marvin McNutt as time expired last season lifted undefeated Iowa to a 15-13 victory on Oct. 24 at Spartan Stadium and an appearance in a BCS bowl last year. This year, the No. 5 MSU football team would like to return the favor.
The No. 5 MSU football team will face its toughest remaining challenge and likely its biggest obstacle to an undefeated season when it visits No. 18 Iowa on Saturday. Here’s a look at four individual matchups that will determine Saturday’s game.
Accustomed to being the hunter looking to knock a higher ranked team off its pedestal, the No. 5 MSU football team will be the hunted Saturday when it travels to Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa, to take on the No. 18 Hawkeyes.
Through seven games this season, the MSU defensive line had struggled to generate pressure on the opposing quarterback, accounting for only 7.5 sacks. But in the No. 5 Spartans’ 35-27 victory against Northwestern on Saturday, the defensive front sacked quarterback Dan Persa six times in the unit’s best showing of the season.
Through the first six games of the season, MSU’s fortune was earned on the backs of its linemen and running backs, gritted out in convincing victories against stout opponents. But after back-to-back games where the Spartans looked flat then responded by crushing their opponents, it’s clear there’s some luck on the Spartans’ side, too.
Throughout the early portion of the season, junior quarterback Kirk Cousins took a back seat to a dominant MSU rushing attack that made throwing the ball seemingly unnecessary. On Saturday against Northwestern, the roles were reversed when the running game struggled for the second week in a row, and Cousins responded with one of the best performances of his Spartan career.
Senior punter Aaron Bates took the snap and delivered a 23-yard pass to redshirt freshman wide receiver Bennie Fowler, who broke open for a first down at the Northwestern 13-yard line and caught the Northwestern return team off guard for a big gain.
Evanston, Ill. – Two touchdowns in the final two minutes lifted No. 8 MSU to a thrilling 35-27 win against Northwestern on Saturday, keeping MSU undefeated.
Without a home football game to celebrate, many MSU students are headed home for the weekend. But for Adam Nelligan, home is only a 25-minute drive from Northwestern’s Ryan Field, where he will spend his Saturday afternoon in the stands cheering on the Spartans.
Jon Misch is a man of many talents. The fifth-year senior’s list of off-the-field accomplishments would impress most people. But it’s his on-the-field play and excitement that’s made him stand out for the No. 8 MSU football team en route to a 7-0 start.
Growing up a lifelong MSU fan, sophomore Dan Conroy had a goal to one day be the Spartans’ kicker. After redshirting in 2008 and sitting behind now-graduated Brett Swenson last season, Conroy finally got his chance to shine and has been perfect this season.
The football series between MSU and Northwestern has provided some exciting games in recent history, from the Spartans’ 48-41 overtime loss in 2007 to their 35-point comeback win the year before.
With a 7-0 record, MSU is off to its best start since 1966. For the first time since the same era (1965-67), the Spartans have beaten rival Michigan three consecutive times.
The No. 8 MSU football team faces its first out-of-state trip of the season Saturday when it visits Northwestern. Here are four key matchups to watch in Saturday’s game.
Adding another marquee name to an impressive list of future nonconference opponents, the MSU football team will play a home-and-home series with Miami (Fla.) in 2020 and 2021.
Senior cornerback Chris L. Rucker waived his right for an arraignment Wednesday in East Lansing’s 54-B District Court, according to a court clerk.