NCAAF Game Recap - Michigan State at Rutgers
Sat Nov 23, 2019 12:00 PM EST

Ark
20
LSU
56
F
PSU
17
OSU
28
F
TxAM
13
UGA
19
F
WCU
3
Bama
66
F
Oreg
28
AzSt
31
F
Utah
35
Ariz
7
F
TCU
24
Okla
28
F
MIN
38
NW
22
F
Mich
39
Ind
14
F
Tex
10
Bayl
24
F
Purd
24
Wisc
45
F
BC
7
ND
40
F
Sam
0
Aub
52
F
Temp
13
Cin
15
F
Mem
49
SoFL
10
F
Ill
10
Iowa
19
F
Boise
56
UtSt
21
F
SMU
28
Navy
35
F
OkSt
20
WVU
13
F
TxSt
13
App
35
F
Pitt
0
VaTec
28
F
E Mi
45
NIU
17
F
Ohio
66
BGSU
24
F
Akr
17
MiaOH
20
F
Toled
30
Buff
49
F
NCSt
26
GATec
28
F
ColSt
7
Wyo
17
F
Ball
38
Kent
41
F
JMU
55
URI
21
F
UCF
34
Tul
31
F
ECU
31
UConn
24
F
Kans
31
IASt
41
F
Lib
27
UVA
55
F
MSU
27
Rut
0
F
BYU
56
UMass
24
F
HBU
14
SamHu
37
F
SoAl
15
GASt
28
F
E Ky
29
JacSt
23
F
AF
44
NM
22
F
GaSo
33
ArkSt
38
F
UCLA
35
USC
52
F
ETenn
0
Vand
38
F
LT
14
UAB
20
F
W Ky
28
SMiss
10
F
NorTx
14
Rice
20
F
Mer
7
UNC
56
F
Neb
54
MD
7
F
UT-M
7
KY
50
F
Marsh
13
UNCC
24
F
SJSU
35
UNLV
38
F
Cal
24
Stan
20
F
UTEP
35
NMS
44
F
Syr
34
Lou
56
F
OD
17
MidTN
38
F
CoCar
42
ULMon
45
F
Troy
3
ULLaf
53
F
FlAtl
40
UTSA
26
F
K St
30
TxTch
27
F
MiaFL
24
FLInt
30
F
Hou
24
Tuls
14
F
Tenn
24
MIZ
20
F
Abil
7
MissSt
45
F
Duke
27
Wake
39
F
OreSt
53
WaSt
54
F
Wash
14
Colo
20
F
NEV
35
Fres
28
F
SDSU
11
Hawaii
14
F
Ohio
52
Akr
3
F
WestMI
14
NIU
17
F

Nov 23, 2019, 12:00 PM EST

Final

1

2

3

4

T

Michigan State (5-6)

10

7

3

7

27

Rutgers (2-9)

0

0

0

0

0

Michigan State keeps postseason hopes alive, beats Rutgers
Sat Nov 23, 2019 5:00 PM

PISCATAWAY, N.J. (AP) Cody White and a shutdown defense combined to end a five-game losing streak and to put Michigan State a win away from being bowl eligible for the 12th time 13 years.

White had career-highs with 11 receptions and three touchdowns and the Spartans breathed life back into their season with a 27-0 win over Rutgers on Saturday.

"You put so much into these things you want them to go well," Spartan coach Mark Dantonio said of the season. "Sometimes they don't go so well, but that's football across this country. But it's what are you going to do next. That was the message this week."

Michigan State (5-6, 3-5) ignored the recent adversity and injuries and dominated from start to finish in sending the Scarlet Knights (2-9, 0-8) to their 20th straight conference loss.

White, who entered with two touchdown catches this season, caught scoring passes of 21, 16 and 7 yards from Brian Lewerke.

"The first play of the game I caught an out route and went up and got it," White said. "So right off the bat my confidence was high. I just have to keep grinding and keep pushing into next week."

Lewerke was 21 of 30 for 239 yards, Elijah Collins rushed for 109 yards and Matt Coghlin hit field goals of 46 and 36 yards as Michigan State posted its first shutout since beating Rutgers 49-0 in 2016.

Rutgers thought it had scored midway through the fourth quarter on a 44-yard field goal by Justin Davidovicz. But a holding penalty took the points off the board and forced a punt.

Michigan State can qualify for the bowl game with a win at home over Maryland next weekend.

White has been a pain for Rutgers. He scored the game-winning touchdown on an end around late in the fourth quarter in a 14-10 win last season. The junior's 11 catches tied for the eighth most in a single game for the Spartans and his 136 yards receiving was a season high for him.

Michigan State outgained Rutgers 395-140 in total yards and held the Scarlet Knights without a first down in the first half in taking a 17-0 lead. Rutgers finished with seven first downs.

Rutgers was limited to 57 yards passing, was 0 for 11 on third down and had the ball for 22:09.

"We didn't play really well enough on offense to have a chance," Rutgers interim head coach Nunzio Campanile said.

Lewerke and White were the show on offense in the opening half, combining nine times for 117 yards, including touchdown passes of 21 yards in the first quarter and 16 with 32 seconds left in the half.

The margin could have been a lot worse. The Spartans were stopped on fourth and 1 inside the Rutgers 33 twice and Coghlin hit the left goalpost on a 33-yard field goal attempt after safety Xavier Henderson returned an interception to the Rutgers 15.

Rutgers longest play in the half was a 7-yard yard pass to Aaron Young. The Scarlet Knights got their initial first down on a 13-yard run by quarterback Johnny Langan on the second play of the second half.

The game was the final home game for Rutgers and fifth-year senior offensive tackle Zach Venesky walked the scarlet R in the middle of the field, kissed his hand and put it on letter.

"That was definitely a hard felling there, being the last game I would play on that field," the team captain said. "It was definitely a hard feeling but I created a lot of memories for a lifetime."

ERIC LEGRAND:

The game was called "The Believe Game" as Rutgers honored Eric LeGrand, who was paralyzed in a game against Army in 2010.

LeGrand appeared at halftime and vowed to walk again. He also had a message for the university's board of governor's which will sign off on a new coach soon. LeGrand's former coach, Greg Schiano, is the front-runner.

THE TAKEAWAY

Michigan State: The Spartan kept their postseason hopes alive.

Rutgers: This was their last real chance to win a game. No chance in Happy Valley next week.

UP NEXT

Michigan State: Host Maryland on Saturday.

Rutgers: Finish season at No. 8 Penn State.

---

More AP college football: http://apnews.com/tag/Collegefootball and http://www.twitter.com/AP-Top25

Passing

MSU Att Cmp % TD-Pa Yds-Pa LgPa Int Rat
B. Lewerke 30 21 70.0 3 239 24 1 113.1
Rut Att Cmp % TD-Pa Yds-Pa LgPa Int Rat
J. Langan 20 8 40.0 0 57 16 1 27.1

Rushing

MSU Att Yds-Ru Avg LgRu TDRu
E. Collins 31 109 3.5 23 0
B. Lewerke 7 14 2.0 16 0
Rut Att Yds-Ru Avg LgRu TDRu
J. Langan 14 49 3.5 13 0
I. Pacheco 12 36 3.0 10 0

Receiving

MSU Rec Yds-Rc Avg LgRc TD-Rc
C. White 11 136 12.4 21 3
J. Nailor 5 27 5.4 8 0
Rut Rec Yds-Rc Avg LgRc TD-Rc
I. Pacheco 2 25 12.5 16 0
M. Jabbie 2 9 4.5 5 0

Fumbles

Returning

MSU KR Avg KRTD LgKR PR Avg TD LgPR
B. Sowards 0 0 0 2 4.5 0 6
Rut KR Avg KRTD LgKR PR Avg TD LgPR
A. Young 5 21.6 0 26 1 0.0 0 0

Punting

MSU Punt Yds Avg LgPu
J. Hartbarger 2 79 39.5 43
Rut Punt Yds Avg LgPu
A. Korsak 8 333 41.6 50

Takeaways

MSU Int Yds InTD
X. Henderson 1 32 0
J. Scott 0 0 0
Rut Int Yds InTD
D. Jennings 1 0 0

Team Stats Comparison

MSU Rut
Points For 27 0
Total Yards 395 140
Rushing Yards 156 83
Passing Yards 239 57
Passing Completions / Attempts 21/30 8/20
Turnovers 1 2
Interceptions Thrown 1 1
Fumbles - Lost 0/0 1/1
First Downs 25 7
Penalties - Yards 4/40 7/84
Time Of Possession 51:51 09:09
Third Down Conversions/Attempts 7/16 0/11
Fourth Down Conversions/Attempts 0/2 1/2
Punts - Average Yards 2/40 8/42

Scoring Summary

1st Quarter MSU Rut
MSU 09:57 TD Cody White 21 yd pass from Brian Lewerke (Matt Coghlin kick) 7 0
MSU 13:49 FG Matt Coghlin 46 yd FG 10 0
2nd Quarter MSU Rut
MSU 14:28 TD Cody White 16 yd pass from Brian Lewerke (Matt Coghlin kick) 17 0
3rd Quarter MSU Rut
MSU 14:55 FG Matt Coghlin 36 yd FG 20 0
4th Quarter MSU Rut
MSU 02:21 TD Cody White 7 yd pass from Brian Lewerke (Matt Coghlin kick) 27 0

Game Information

Stadium: SHI Stadium, Piscataway, New Jersey
Attendance: 24,641
Game Time:
Weather: