Spartans Cap Impressive 2-year Stretch With Win
NOAH TRISTER,AP Sports Writer
Kirk Cousins finished his college career on a high note. Now Michigan State will try to stay among the Big Ten's elite without him.
Cousins capped an impressive two-year run for the Spartans by leading them to a 33-30, triple-overtime win over Georgia in the Outback Bowl on Monday. The 12th-ranked Spartans trailed 16-0 at halftime but rallied in dramatic fashion, shaking off the sting of both their loss to Wisconsin in the Big Ten title game and last season's 49-7 embarrassment against Alabama in the Capital One Bowl.
Michigan State (11-3) went 22-5 over the last two seasons, including the program's first bowl victory since 2001.
"I'm excited to have been a part of a program that was down and fighting to make a bowl game to now leave with two straight 11-win seasons and finish in the top 10 of the country hopefully," Cousins said. "I think it shows what our seniors, and what our program has done over the past five years."
Now those seniors are leaving. Cousins, wide receiver B.J. Cunningham and safety Trenton Robinson are just a few of the players Michigan State will have to replace in 2012.
"We're continuing to build a foundation," coach Mark Dantonio told The Associated Press on Tuesday. "I don't know if anything's ever finished."
The departing senior class won a school-record 37 games, shared the conference title in 2010 and won four games in a row over rival Michigan. Only the Rose Bowl remained elusive. The Spartans lost a three-way tiebreaker for the trip to Pasadena in 2010 and fell just short in a 42-39 loss to Wisconsin in last month's Big Ten title game.
Michigan State seemed to take a step back in the first half against Georgia. For the second straight season, the Spartans looked unable to move the ball against a Southeastern Conference opponent, but after halftime, Michigan State clicked just enough offensively to force overtime.
Cousins finished the game with 300 yards passing, including a touchdown. He also threw three interceptions, but the Spartans were able to bear down defensively when they needed to.
Backup quarterback Andrew Maxwell has thrown 51 passes in two seasons for Michigan State. Connor Cook, who signed with the Spartans last year, could also compete for the job of filling Cousins' shoes.
"Maxwell has a great feel for our system," Dantonio said. "He's been patient and the leadership will fall to him."
Cunningham, the school's career leader in receptions, also departs, and fellow wide receivers Keith Nichol and Keshawn Martin were seniors too. Michigan State should have some stability on the offensive line, and sophomore running back Le'Veon Bell was impressive down the stretch this season.
Defensively, the Spartans were at their bruising best in the Outback Bowl. Georgia had a few big plays but finished with only 15 first downs and couldn't move the ball at all during the overtimes. Darqueze Dennard intercepted two passes, one of which he returned for a touchdown in the second half.
Defensive tackle Jerel Worthy was an All-American as a junior. He'll have to decide whether to go to the NFL or return for his final year of eligibility. Even if he leaves, Michigan State should have strength up front with defensive ends William Gholston and Marcus Rush, as well as nose tackle Anthony Rashad White, whose blocked field goal sealed the win over Georgia.
Last offseason, Dantonio had to replace offensive coordinator Don Treadwell, who left to become the head coach at Miami of Ohio. Dantonio seems optimistic all his assistants will be back this time.
"You certainly can never say never," he said. "Right now my sense of it is we'll be together as a staff."
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