MSU 24, Northwestern 14: Afterglow Thread

by LVS on Oct 17, 2009 2:54 PM CDT in Football Comment 18 comments

The Spartans beat the Wildcats on homecoming, 24-14. MSU played a miserable first half, and was lucky to be down only 7-0 at halftime, but the team somehow got energized, and the 17 points MSU scored in the third quarter turned out to be enough. The Spartans capitalized on turnovers, scoring 14 points off of 2 Wildcat fumbles.

Your three (well, maybe four) stars of the game:

Blair White had the best game of his career: 12 catches for 186 yards and two touchdowns. Additionally, whenever MSU needed a big third down conversion, White was there: by my count, he converted three third downs and came very close on two others. A remarkable performance.
Kirk Cousins started slowly (to steal from mgoblog, Tacopants was quite busy in the first half), but he put it together in the second half and finished with excellent numbers: 21/31 for 281 yards, 2 touchdowns and no interceptions.
Greg Jones/Eric Gordon: 29 tackles, 3 sacks, and several clutch second half plays (including hurrying Mike Kafka in key situations) indicates a highly productive day at the office for the heart of our linebacking corps.

Spartans win, and losses by Ohio State (!) and Wisconsin mean that next Saturday night's tilt against Iowa, amazingly, is for the conference lead. Your thoughts on the State game, or any of the day's other games, go below.

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Initial two thoughts

1) Has there ever been a more fundamentally sound receiver than Blair White? Like in the history of football?

2) I really need to find a ticket for next week’s game.

Cheer for The Only Colors: Green and White!

by KJ@theonlycolors on Oct 17, 2009 3:02 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

He should be the B10 offensive player of the week. The only other guy I could justify is Joey Elliott . . . but White was spectacular.

"Do not cheat your team or your teammates. Know your plays. Block. Protect. Add to what we are trying to do."
The Only Colors

by LVS on Oct 17, 2009 9:06 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

He's up for the "AT&T All-American Player of the Week"

http://scores.espn.go.com/video/clip?id=4574608

by Arro on Oct 18, 2009 11:53 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

choices

Not only Blair White but 2 others with MSU connections are among the 4 choices: Mark Ingram and Nick Foles.

by mikegostate on Oct 18, 2009 1:12 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I hate to compare us to the rodents, but...

This season feels a lot like Michigan’s 2007 campaign. Started off losing to Appalachian State and then getting ripped by Oregon, but Lloyd rallied his troops around the Big Ten stretch and the players responded, being in the race until the last game where they lost to Ohio State.

Dantonio seems to have at least started the Big Ten schedule (save that dirty-ass Wisconsin game) in a similar manner. Let’s hope the Spartans finish it just the same.

by cwel87 on Oct 17, 2009 3:14 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

The Iowa game

Next week is sort of what one could term a “big game”. Hopefully MSU shows up for this one. Keep it close, and Spartan Stadium will be going crazy.

by Ozymandias on Oct 17, 2009 4:03 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

I'm here, I'm here, wha'd I miss?

Sorry I’m late, it’s my wife’s [REDACTED] birthday.

Seriously, though, that was a much better 2nd half by the offense. MSU needs two of those, though, to beat Iowa. I think MSU’s defense matches up well against Iowa, so next week should be interesting.

by CPT Hoolie on Oct 17, 2009 4:18 PM CDT via mobile reply actions 0 recs

Nice 2nd Half

after a brutal 1st half. HUGE game next week. Hopefully we get a rowdy crowd at Spartan Stadium for the night game.

by Stones1981 on Oct 17, 2009 4:34 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

I hope

the MSU coaches are watching the USC vs. ND game. USC has killed ND twice with play action passes on 3rd and short….HINT…HINT

by Stones1981 on Oct 17, 2009 5:19 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

TC Boy!!!!

Gordon had a great game

by BennieBladesFan on Oct 17, 2009 5:22 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Syaye beats Iowa......

…….1st PLACE!!!!

by BennieBladesFan on Oct 17, 2009 5:23 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

State I Mean

by BennieBladesFan on Oct 17, 2009 5:23 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Another Rodent Thought

Do you think Ryan Mallett would have preferred playing Delaware State today to taking the #1 team in the country down to the last 9 seconds? Running him off is looking more and more like a major mistake by Rodriquez with every game he plays. Maybe the Wolverines will qualify for a bowl and come up against the Razorbacks in something like the Peach Bowl sponsored by Chik-Fil-A brought to you by Poulan Weedeater. That would be a game to see.

by Uncle Omar on Oct 17, 2009 9:24 PM CDT reply actions 1 recs

On a side note

Every time Mark Ingram has a great run (which is pretty much every time he touches the damned ball), my heart gets the stake driven just a little bit further into it.

by cwel87 on Oct 17, 2009 9:54 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

yes, yes, yes

It kills me. He’s so good.

"Do not cheat your team or your teammates. Know your plays. Block. Protect. Add to what we are trying to do."
The Only Colors

by LVS on Oct 18, 2009 10:27 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Nice Recovery Spartans

Our fate is in our hands. Who would have thought that after the loss to the Chips, Penguin and Bucky?

Over the years, we have played Iowa tough and they have to come to the Woodshed,
again. Stanzi is no better that Cousins and we have better receivers. Dell has to end the invisible man routine.

Note to Treadwell – it is legal to use play action pass and quick slants the entire game.

We can pass from the jumbo package (Gantt, Linthicum and Sims), and need that
against the Hawkeyes.

by MSU1978 on Oct 18, 2009 9:53 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Your site is really hard to log into. Go Green!

That said, the best moment of the game for me was Larry Caper returning and rumbling to a touchdown after what looked like a very bad injury. Sure would love to be at Spartan Stadium next Saturday, but I at least have the Big Ten Network here in DC as part of my sports cable package. I will be watching. They can do it; look for Cousins to be the difference.

by Faygo Kid on Oct 18, 2009 10:23 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Cousins and our receivers

may be better than Stanzi and co but I think I’d take their D over ours. Maybe their O line as well. I give them an edge but think we can win the game, which is something I would not have thought a few weeks ago.

by TheCrestedHelm on Oct 19, 2009 3:25 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs