Spartans Lost Big to Penn State
Spartans lost their last Game of the Regular Season to JoePa in Happy Valley.
Spartans Lost, and looked as though they really were never up to the level of competition of PSU. It was a crappy cold windy snowy blustery day, which didn’t help…. The Spartan, while improved, and still building are not at the same level as OSU or Penn State. Yet, they are surly better than the rest of the Big Ten.
Penn State is a better team, PERIOD..... and the Spartans made a few mistakes that JoePa capitalized on...
Score by Quarters 1 2 3 4 Score
----------------- -- -- -- -- -----
Michigan State...... 0 7 0 11 - 18
Penn State.......... 7 21 14 7 - 49
MSU PSU
FIRST DOWNS................... 23 19
Rushing..................... 4 4
Passing..................... 17 14
Penalty..................... 2 1
NET YARDS RUSHING............. 35 138
Rushing Attempts............ 24 35
Average Per Rush............ 1.5 3.9
Rushing Touchdowns.......... 1 2
Yards Gained Rushing........ 68 148
Yards Lost Rushing.......... 33 10
NET YARDS PASSING............. 287 419
Completions-Attempts-Int.... 32-49-2 19-31-0
Average Per Attempt......... 5.9 13.5
Average Per Completion...... 9.0 22.1
Passing Touchdowns.......... 1 5
TOTAL OFFENSE YARDS........... 322 557
Total offense plays......... 73 66
Average Gain Per Play....... 4.4 8.4
Fumbles: Number-Lost.......... 2-0 0-0
Penalties: Number-Yards....... 7-51 5-38
PUNTS-YARDS................... 7-287 3-140
Average Yards Per Punt...... 41.0 46.7
Net Yards Per Punt.......... 38.3 47.0
Inside 20................... 2 2
50+ Yards................... 1 1
Touchbacks.................. 0 0
Fair catch.................. 4 1
KICKOFFS-YARDS................ 3-176 8-489
Average Yards Per Kickoff... 58.7 61.1
Net Yards Per Kickoff....... 40.7 39.5
Touchbacks.................. 0 0
Punt returns: Number-Yards-TD. 1--1-0 2-19-0
Average Per Return.......... -1.0 9.5
Kickoff returns: Number-Yds-TD 8-173-0 3-54-0
Average Per Return.......... 21.6 18.0
Interceptions: Number-Yds-TD.. 0-0-0 2-14-0
Fumble Returns: Number-Yds-TD. 0-0-0 0-0-0
Miscellaneous Yards........... 0 0
Possession Time............... 29:12 30:48
1st Quarter................. 6:55 8:05
2nd Quarter................. 8:16 6:44
3rd Quarter................. 7:44 7:16
4th Quarter................. 6:17 8:43
Third-Down Conversions........ 3 of 12 13 of 17
Fourth-Down Conversions....... 1 of 1 0 of 1
Red-Zone Scores-Chances....... 2-2 4-4
Sacks By: Number-Yards........ 1-3 3-24
PAT Kicks..................... 1-1 7-7
Field Goals................... 1-1 0-0
But no disappointment. Spartans are 9 – 3, 6 – 2 in the Big Ten…..and headed to an New Years Day Bowl Game, either the Out Back in Tampa or the Capital One Bowl in Orlando…
The Team, The Staff, Mark Dantonio all exceeded expectations AGAIN ... And makes me want to send in my Check for Season tickets already ....
This year was another step forward to the long term goal of regaining sustained national prominence.
We are always focusing on the Team and Coach Dantonio, but there is an entire group of whos efforts also drive the Spartans to success.
SpartyMSU and the Spartan Nation Appreciates all of the Hard Work, Focus and Effort by:
Head Coach Mark Dantonio
Don Treadwell Offensive coordinator
Mark Staten Tight ends and recruiting coordinator
Harlon Barnett Secondary
Mike Tressel Linebackers/special teams
Dan Enos Running backs
Ted Gill Defensive line
Dave Warner Quarterbacks
Pat Narduzzi Defensive coordinator
Dan Roushar Offensive line
Mike Vollmar Asst AD/Director of Football Opts
Ken Mannie Head Strength & Conditioning Coach
Dino Folino Director of Player Development
Tommy Hoke Associate Head Strength & Conditioning Coach
and all of the support staff under these coaches.....
And the Entire team…!!!
Thank You Spartans..... Thank you for another Great Year !!!
Sparty On ......
Dantonio is one of the most classless coaches I've seen in person. Calling 2 timeouts just to spite the fans right before the last play of the game when hes down by a buckload of touchdowns is simply a junior Big Ten coaching mistake. He was taunted mercilessly after the first one then sent his team out and called the second one leading to a stadium wide response of disapproval. Why would you do that? Extra time to think about a loss?
I can't wait for Joe Paterno to get another piece of him last year. Bret played the same dumb shit when he used the kickoff loophole in 06' TWICE! And this year Joe Pa laid an ass whooping on him so bad, his kids can't sit for a month. What a childish coaching move by Dantonio.
Dear stalin2004 or PSU fan or what ever the hell your name is. I couldn’t disagree with you more. Take a look at the situation from another angle, rather than through the JoePa tinted coke bottle glasses you got on. Spartans have had crappy coaches for a long time, and have had a tendency to not finish and give up in the 4th quarter / waning minutes of games. So this was a lessen being taught to the underclassmen on the team, to continue to coach, focus, and play until the gun goes off.
Sure the game was long over, sure Spartans got our ass kicked, but, we still coached and played for 4 full quarters. Sorry you have to sit in Happy Valley Beaver stadium in the cold for an extra 60 seconds.
Just try to think about from another aspect, its not always about you, Dantonio might as well use the time on the field to further the Spartan resurrection. I appreciate the fact that Dantonio is working to change the culture in East Lansing, we are not to the level of PSU or OSU this year, but given time, we might be.
Relax, don’t be such a hater.
And to add to it.. From a Guy who calls himself XWing...
PSU was classless in the game however. there is no reason they had to run up the score. in the fourth quarter psu passed the ball not once or twice but 5 times in their last scoring drive to to make it 49-7.
in addition they also went for it on a 4th and 2 with 2:36 minutes left in the game.
to add insult to injury psu called a timeout after they didn't convert the 4th down in order to hand out roses to their players on the sideline. i think Dantonio was kind of letting them know (and his team more importantly) that the game wasn't over and niether is the rivalry and that he isn't going to bow down to anyone including penn state.
Well Said XWing....