Sept. 22, 2001

Recap?|? Final Stats?|? Quotes?|? Photo Gallery

• The crowd of 80,795 is the largest crowd to ever see a game in Notre Dame Stadium. The previous high was 80,653, for the 2000 Boston College game.

• Nick Setta’s 43-yard field goal in the second quarter is the second longest of his career (47-yards vs. Purdue, 2000). Nick Setta’s extra point streak now stands at 34.

• Julius Jones’ 53-yard punt return that setup Notre Dame’s first touchdown is the longest Notre Dame punt return since Joey Getherall returned a West Virginia punt 73 yards for a score in 2000. It was Jones’ second longest career punt return, after his fourth-quarter return of 67 yards against Boston College in 1999.

• Javin Hunter had a career high six receptions.

• Joey Hilbold averaged of 50.1 yards on eight punts. On the season, Hilbold has fifteen punts for 721 yards, an average of 48.1 yards per punt.

• Tony Fisher finished with 103 yards on 17 carries. It was his sixth career hundred-yard game.

• Ron Israel’s 9 tackles (7 solo, 2 assist) matched his career high (2001 Nebraska).

• Courtney Watson had another impressive game, recording his first career quarterback sack in the third quarter and finishing with a game-high ten tackles (4 solo, 6 assisted). Watson now has 28 tackles on the season, which leads the team.

• Omar Jenkins had his first career reception in the fourth quarter on a nine-yard pass for a first down. He followed two plays later with his second career reception, also for a first down. Jenkins finished with four receptions for 39 yards and three first downs..

• Notre Dame’s season point total of 20 points is the lowest two-game total to start a season since 1978, when the Irish scored 3 points and 14 points in losses to Missouri and Michigan, respectively. It is the seventh-lowest two-game total since 1901

• Michigan State notches their fifth consecutive win in the series, becoming the first Notre Dame opponent since USC (1978-82) to take five in a row from the Irish. Notre Dame has not defeated Michigan State since a 21-20 victory in East Lansing, Mich, on Sept. 18, 1993.

• Michigan State ends Notre Dame’s four game home winning streak as well as their own four game road losing streak.

• Notre Dame starts the season 0-2 for only the fifth time in school history (1896, 1963, 1978, 1986).

• MSU wins its third conecutive game at Notre Dame Stadium, matching its road hat trick from 1956, ’60, and ’62. Purdue is the only other Irish opponent to win at least three in a row at Notre Dame, taking five consecutive road victories in 1954, ’56, ’58, ’60 and ’62.

• Michigan State logs its 23rd series win over the Irish, tying Purdue for the second most wins ever by a Notre Dame opponent.

• Michigan State is now 10-5 in its last fifteen games against ranked opponents, dating back to their 1998 vicotry over the Irish.

• Today’s Spartan victory was Michigan State’s third road victory against a ranked opponent since 1990, including their last visit to Notre Dame in 1999 and their upset of then #1 ranked Ohio State in 1998.

• Michigan State improves to 10-3 all-time in games being nationally broadcast by NBC.

• This is the third time Notre Dame has lost back-to-back home openers. It also happened in 1962-1963 (Purdue and Wisconsin) and 1994-1995 (Michigan and Northwestern).

• Michigan State now accounts for three of Coach Davie’s six career home losses, and all three of his home losses by more than a field goal.