Week 1: Montana State at Michigan State Recap

East Lansing Michigan- Quarterbacks Kirk Cousins and Keith Nichol set the stage for the rest of the season for the Michigan State Spartans, defeating the Montana State Bobcats 44-3. Cousins and Nichol both threw for a pair of touchdowns in the first half. Line backer Greg Jones and defensive end Trevor Anderson created chaos on the defensive side of the ball. Wide receiver Blair White should be the Spartan player of the game finishing with nine catches for one hundred sixty two yards.

Both Spartan quarterbacks started off slow with their first couple pass attempts. Head coach Mark Dantonio expressed in spring training that he would like for his quarterbacks to get into a rhythm. Cousins played very well once he got into rhythm, and it didn’t take him very long. Kirk Cousins is not much of a scrambler but that didn’t stop him from rolling right out of the pocket to throw his first touchdown of the 2009 season to B.J. Cunningham with 8:24 left in the first quarter.

Kirk Cousins started off the second quarter with a great touchdown pass to receiver Blair White for fifteen yards given the Spartans a two touchdown lead over the Bobcats with 15:54 left in the second quarter. The Spartan defense was all over the ball, and didn’t allow the Bobcats to be much of a threat in Spartan territory. Line backer Greg Jones led the defense with fourteen tackles. The Spartan defense allowed the Montana Bobcats 160 yards of total offense.

The Bobcats talent just didn’t match up well with the Spartan Defense. They had a couple drives that looked good but just not good enough against an experienced Spartan defense. Line backer Greg Jones and defensive end Trevor Anderson shared a sack. This fierce combo will cause problems for all quarterbacks whether they play in the Big Sky Conference or the Big Ten Conference.

Backup quarterback Keith Nichol came into the game on the Spartans next possession. Nichol struggled with his first pass attempt but after the butterflies left, he keeps the offense moving. Nichol threw a nice nineteen yard pass to B.J. Cunningham. The next throw was over the middle to a wide open Dion Sims who drops the ball. Sims thought about running before catching the ball. Running back Caulton Ray takes the handoff to the left outside for a nice eight yard gain. A few plays later Keith Nichol scrambles up the middle and throws a twenty six yard touchdown pass to tight end Dion Sims given the Spartans a 21-0 lead with 10:50 left in the first half. Nichol ends the first half with a three yard touchdown pass to his other tight end Brian Linthicum give the Spartans a 28-0 lead.

The Bobcats defense adjusted in the third quarter holding the Spartans to only two Brett Swenson field goals. Two Swenson field goals gave the Spartans a 34-0 lead with 6:53 left in the third quarter.

The Montana Bobcats get some life in their offense and move the ball into the red zone after going for it on fourth down. Line backer Greg Jones stuffs the play in the backfield on the next play. The Spartans secondary stop the Bobcats from getting a first down. Montana State kicker Jason Cunningham hits a 33- yard field goal with 1:34 left in the third quarter. Michigan State Spartans end the third quarter with a 34-3 lead over the Montana State Bobcats.

Quarterback Kirk Cousins and leading receiver Blair White start off the fourth quarter like they did the second quarter. Cousins with a straight drop back threaded the needle between two defenders throwing a 24- yard touchdown pass to Blair White giving the Spartans a 41-3 lead with 14:53 left in the fourth quarter.

The Spartans red shirt freshman kicker Dan Conroy scores the last points of the game with a 43- yard field goal with 5:51 remaining in the game.

The Michigan State Spartans defeat the Montana Bobcats 44-3 at Spartan Stadium in front of seventy four thousand excited Spartan fans.

Next Game: East Lansing- Michigan State (1-0) vs. Central Michigan (0-1)

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