After defeating Western Kentucky at Spartan Stadium last Saturday night to remain undefeated on the season at 5-0, Michigan State returns to Big Ten action at Rutgers on Saturday, Oct. 9 at SHI Stadium in Piscataway, New Jersey.
Kickoff is set for noon and the game will be televised on the Big Ten Network, with Brandon Gaudin (play-by-play), James Laurinaitis (analyst) and Rick Pizzo (sideline) on the call.
The Spartans jumped six spots to No. 11 in this week's Associated Press Poll, the highest ranking for MSU in the AP Poll since 2018 (preseason, No. 11). MSU also moved up five spots to No. 11 in the USA TODAY/AFCA Coaches Poll.
Rutgers enters Saturday's contest at 3-2 overall and 0-2 in the Big Ten. The Scarlet Knights started the season 3-0 with nonconference victories over Temple, Syracuse and Delaware and have lost to Michigan and Ohio State the past two weeks in conference play.
Michigan State is 5-0 for the first time since 2015 and for the 13th time overall in school history (1913, 1934, 1944, 1951, 1952, 1961, 1965, 1966, 1997, 1999, 2010, 2015, 2021). Mel Tucker is just the second coach in school history to begin his second season at MSU 5-0 (Charlie Bachman started 5-0 in 1934). The Spartans are looking to start 6-0 for the first time since 2015 and 3-0 in Big Ten play for the first time since 2017.
Saturday's game marks the 13th meeting between Michigan State and Rutgers. The Spartans lead the overall series, 8-4, including a 6-1 mark in Big Ten play. MSU is 4-1 against Rutgers in Piscataway, including a 3-0 record in Big Ten games. Last season, the Scarlet Knights beat the Spartans, 38-27, on Oct. 24 in Spartan Stadium in the 2020 season opener.
Michigan State features two players leading the FBS in major statistical categories, as junior running back Kenneth Walker III is No. 1 in rushing (136.0 ypg) and redshirt junior Jayden Reed is No. 1 in all-purpose yards (176.6 ypg). In addition, Walker ranks among the nation's leaders in scoring (fourth at 10.8 ppg), total touchdowns (fourth with 9), rushing TDs (sixth with 8), yards per carry (13th with 6.8 avg.) and all-purpose yards (16th with 139.4 ypg). Reed is tied for the FBS lead with two punt returns for touchdowns, which already ties a school single-season record; he returned back-to-back punts for scores with a game-tying 62-yarder in the fourth quarter vs. Nebraska and an 88-yarder on his first attempt vs. Western Kentucky, tying the fourth-longest punt return in MSU history.
Reed was recognized on the Paul Hornung Award Honor Roll this week for the third time of the season after collecting a career-high 285 all-purpose yards (127 receiving, 88 punt return, 63 kick return, 7 rushing), the seventh-most single-game total in school history, in the win over Western Kentucky. Reed scored the first time he touched the ball against the Hilltoppers with an 88-yard punt return, marking his second consecutive punt return for a touchdown (62 yards vs. Nebraska in fourth quarter). He also had his second 100-yard receiving effort of the season with four catches for 127 yards vs. WKU, including a 46-yard TD in the first quarter. Reed leads the FBS in all-purpose yards (176.6 ypg) and also ranks among the nation's leaders in yards per reception (fifth with 23.2 avg.), kickoff returns (eighth with 30.7 avg.), TD catches (12th with 5), total touchdowns (15th with 8) and receiving yards per game (24th with 92.6 ypg).
In his first season as the starting quarterback, redshirt sophomore quarterback Payton Thorne has completed 63 percent of his passes (82-of-130) for 1,236 yards, 11 touchdowns and just one interception. He ranks among the Big Ten leaders in passing efficiency (second with 169.3 rating), passing TDs (third with 11), passing (fourth with 247.2 ypg) and total offense (fifth with 262.6 ypg). Thorne threw for a career-high 327 yards in the victory over Western Kentucky while completing 20-of-30 throws. The Naperville, Illinois, product was named the Big Ten Co-Offensive Player of the Week and the Manning Award National Quarterback of the Week for his performance in the win at No. 24 Miami in Week 3. He became just the second Spartan quarterback in school history, joining Connor Cook, to throw for four touchdowns in back-to-back games during MSU's 38-17 victory against the Hurricanes at Hard Rock Stadium. Thorne also threw for a career-high four TDs in the Week 2 win over Youngstown State, and matched that effort against the Hurricanes by completing 18-of-31 passes for 261 yards and four more touchdowns. Cook threw for four TDs in consecutive games against Indiana and Nebraska in 2015.
Fifth-year graduate senior Jacub Panasiuk has recorded four sacks the past two games (two each vs. Nebraska and Western Kentucky) and leads the Big Ten in tackles for loss with 1.4 per game (7 TFLs for 35 yards). His team-best four sacks are sixth most in the league (0.88 per game). Panasiuk ranks among the school's all-time leaders in sacks (tied for 13th with 13) and tackles for loss (tied for 20th with 28). He has started a total of 35 games, most of any active Spartan.
Sixth-year graduate senior Matt Coghlin needs just one field goal to become the school's all-time leader in field goals made. Coghlin kicked two field goals vs. Western Kentucky to tie Brett Swenson (2006-09) with 71 career field goals. Coghlin is also closing in on becoming MSU's all-time leading scorer. Swenson also holds that record with 377 career points; Coghlin is currently third in school history with 350 points. Coghlin needs eight points to surpass Michael Geiger (357 points from 2013-16) for second place on the MSU all-time scoring list.
