MICHIGAN STATE FOOTBALL CHAMPS SPORTS BOWL POST GAME NOTES

Michigan State vs. No. 14 Boston College

Champs Sports Bowl – Florida Citrus Bowl Stadium – Orlando, Fla.

Dec. 28, 2007

In the sixth meeting between the two schools, No. 14 Boston College defeated Michigan State, 24-21, before a crowd of 46,554 at Florida Citrus Bowl Stadium…it marks the highest attendance since the bowl relocated to Orlando…BC now leads the overall series, 4-1-1.

Michigan State’s six losses this season were by a combined total of 31 points, including two in overtime (Northwestern and Iowa)…all six losses were decided by seven points or less.

The three-point defeat ties the closest game in Champs Sports Bowl history (1995 Carquest Bowl – South Carolina 24, West Virginia 21).

Michigan State is now 7-11 all-time in its 18 bowl appearances.

OFFENSE:

Devin Thomas returned the opening kickoff 79 yards to set up MSU’s first TD…with the return, he became the all-time single-season Big Ten leader in kickoff return yards…for the game, he had 178 kickoff return yards, a career high and the second most kickoff returns yards in school history (record: Derrick Mason, 186 yards)…the 178 yards also represent a Champs Sports Bowl game record…Thomas, who finishes the season with 1,135 kickoff return yards, passed Dorien Bryant of Purdue for the Big Ten record… Bryant had 1,007 kickoff return yards this season…Thomas is the second Big Ten player to record more than 1,000 kickoff return yards in a single season along with Bryant…the 79-yard return was a career long for Thomas…his previous career long was a 70-yarder earlier this season against Northwestern.

Thomas, who already owned the school record for receptions in a season entering the game, caught four passes for 34 yards against Boston College to increase his total to 79 for the season…he finished the season with 1,260 receiving yards, the third-highest mark in an MSU single-season.

Thomas had 220 all-purpose yards against the Eagles (178 kickoff; 34 receiving; 8 punt return), marking the seventh time this season he has collected more than 200 all-purpose yards in a game…the 220 all-purpose yards are the fourth most in MSU bowl game history and Champs Sports Bowl game history…Thomas’ 2,590 all-purpose yards this season is an MSU record.

With 21 points against Boston College, Michigan State scored 430 points for the 2007 season, the most points scored in a Spartan season…the previous record was 411 points, set during the 1978 season…the 5,418 yards of total offense rank third best in an MSU season.

Javon Ringer rushed for his seventh 100-yard game of the season with 101 yards on 21 carries (4.8 avg.)…Ringer became just the second player to rush for more than 100 yards against Boston College this season (Maryland’s Lance Ball rushed for 109 yards)…Ringer’s seven 100-yard rushing games this season is tied for the second most in school history (accomplished four other times; record is Lorenzo White’s 11 in 1985)…Ringer now has 12 career 100-yard rushing games, seventh most in school history.

Ringer finished the season with a career-high 1,447 yards (111.3 avg.)…the 1,447 yards rank fifth best in an MSU single-season…his 2,761 career yards move him into seventh place all-time at MSU.

Michigan State rushed for 172 yards, the most by a Boston College opponent this season.

Brian Hoyer finished the season ranked among the MSU single-season leaders in pass attempts (376 – second), pass completions (223 – third), passing yards (2,725 – third), total offense (2,620 – third) and touchdown passes (20 – tied for fourth).

Deon Curry caught his first career TD pass with a 14-yard catch in the fourth quarter.

DEFENSE:

Boston College was held to 27 yards rushing, a season low…BC’s 276 yards of total offense was also a season low…MSU’s defense allowed less than 50 yards rushing in four games this season (UAB, Bowling Green, Indiana, Boston College).

Ervin Baldwin recorded a 15-yard sack in the first quarter, giving him 8.5 sacks for the year…his 18.5 tackles for loss on the year ranks second best in MSU single-season history.

Greg Jones finished the season with a team-high 78 tackles…he tied for the team lead with five against Boston College…he recorded a 10-yard sack and forced a fumble on the same play in the fourth quarter, leading to MSU’s touchdown that cut the Boston College lead to 24-21.

Rob Tabatchnick tied for the team lead with five tackles…he also had two tackles for losses, two pass break-ups and one sack…his first career sack was a 14-yard loss in the second quarter.

Eric Gordon recorded his first career interception in the second quarter…he returned it 16 yards…he tied for the team lead with five tackles.

MSU’s three sacks tied for second best in Spartan bowl game history (2001 Silicon Valley; 1996 Sun; 1995 Independence).

SPECIAL TEAMS:

Brett Swenson became MSU’s single-season record holder in extra points as he kicked one in the game…he finished the season with 53 extra points…he passed Morten Anderson, who had 52 extra points in 1978.

Swenson kicked two field goals, a 39-yarder in the second quarter and a 23-yarder in the third quarter…he finished the season with 15 field goals, tying for the ninth most in MSU single-season history…Swenson also had 15 field goals last season…he finished the season connecting on seven of his last eight field-goal attempts…he was 15-of-22 for the season.