Mark Dantonio’s Spartans Rebound and Leave the East Coast with a 37-15 Thumping of the Terrapins

Byrd Stadium College Park, Maryland After being demolished by Ohio State last week in front of a nationwide audience the Spartans boarded their charter jet

Byrd Stadium

College Park, Maryland

After being demolished by Ohio State last week in front of a nationwide audience the Spartans boarded their charter jet and flew to College Park, Maryland to recover this weekend. They did. The #12 Spartans improved their record to 8-2 (4-1) with a clear path to a 10-2 season and a major post season bowl game.

Perhaps the most surprising thing was the massive crowd. That was highlighted by an enormous Spartan crowd. Spartan Nation was loud and proud.

Spartan head man Mark Dantonio said afterward that, “I told our football team that we were going east and when we go east, every Spartan on the east coast is going to be there. They were. We have a great following, we have great fans that are passionate…We are one of the have, not the have not’s in college football.”

It wasn’t pretty of offense, but the Spartans got the job done. Maryland held Michigan State without a TD in the first quarter and it was the first time since the Spartans played in Eugene that it had occurred. Connor Cook struggled tonight going 14 of 31 for 240 yards. The Spartans had to wear the Terps down. Cook said afterward that, “I think a little bit. (Wearing them down) You saw us keep getting more yards on ever each carry. That was our goal and that’s what we wanted to do in a situation like that and just burn up some clock.”

The Spartans finished with 242 rushing yards compared to only six (6) for the Terps. Spartan star LT Jack Conklin said, “We didn’t get the running game going as quickly as we needed to. We were able to finish strong, but we’ve got to come out hard.”

The Spartans stellar defense showed up again after taking the week off last week. As previously stated they only allowed Maryland six rushing yards and they even got a pick six touchdown by S R.J. Williamson. Terp QB C.J. Brown said of the Spartans defensive score that, “I threw it to the wrong guy. I misread the coverage and I should have threw it to the flat, not the slant.”

Terrapin head coach Rand Edsall said of the beating his team took from the Spartans that, “That’s the think that is frustrating about it. It’s disappointing. To know that we had opportunities it we executed and did the things that were there for us to take, then we could have put ourselves in a better position to win.”

Needless to say after the low point of last week, Mark Dantonio’s emotion was slightly more upbeat that his counterpart. He said of the amazing environment here after I asked him that, “I think it was unique and a great environment. It gave an opportunity for Spartans across the east coast to come to a football game. I think it was a great crowd. “

It was a great crowd, but they also got to see a much better MSU defense than last week. The offense was anemic at time, but they found a way to put 30 points on the board and with the defensive score match last week’s 37.

The Spartans return to action next week at the High Cathedral of the Spartan Nation for a noon kickoff against Rutgers. It is senior day. The Spartans will find out if they move back into the top ten soon after a wacky weekend in college football.