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Spartans crush Eastern Michigan

Sep 20, 2014 - 9:09 PM East Lansing, MI (SportsNetwork.com) - Michigan State had a week to think about its loss at Oregon, and Eastern Michigan paid the price on Saturday.

Connor Cook threw a pair of touchdown passes and ran for a score in a dominant first half, as the 11th-ranked Spartans rolled to a 73-14 victory over the Eagles.

Michigan State let a nine-point lead slip away two weeks ago at Oregon and dropped a 46-27 decision when the Ducks scored 28 unanswered points. On Saturday, the Spartans wiped the memory away with a nearly flawless opening 30 minutes.

Eastern Michigan failed to pick up a first down in the first half and managed only one yard offensively while holding the ball for just 8 1/2 minutes. The Spartans (2-1), conversely, had 320 yards of offense and scored 49 points.

"Certainly you are happy anytime you get a win. We still have to clean things up," said Michigan State defensive coordinator Pat Narduzzi. "There is still a little communication that needs to be corrected. There are young guys out there now going in. We still have ways to go here."

The Eagles (1-3), after a victory over Morgan State to open the season, have been outscored 155-17 in dropping their last three games. They'll open Mid-American Conference play next week at Akron.

Delton Williams added three rushing touchdowns, including an 80-yard touchdown sprint in the fourth quarter, for Michigan State. He finished with 103 yards on 10 carries and the Spartans racked up 336 yards on the ground overall.

The 73 points marked the third-most in Spartans history. They scored 76 against Northwestern in 1989 and 75 against Arizona in 1949.

"They were awesome. Obviously I got out-coached in every way," said Eastern Michigan coach Chris Creighton. "But I do want to say this: I believe in our guys and I'm undeterred."

A 43-yard punt return by Macgarrett Kings Jr. gave Michigan State possession for the first time at the Eastern Michigan 37 and Cook scored on a 4-yard run just five plays later for the first touchdown.

Michigan State forced a second straight three-and-out and Jeremy Langford capped a 67-yard drive with a 21-yard touchdown run. A fumble by Eastern Michigan's Darius Jackson on the next play from scrimmage was immediately followed by a 23-yard scoring toss from Cook to Tony Lippett for a 21-0 cushion midway through the opening stanza.

The Eagles again failed to pick up a first down on their next series and the Spartans followed with a 68-yard drive for yet another score, as Lippett hauled in an 8-yard pass from Cook in the end zone.

Tyler O'Connor took over at quarterback for the next Michigan State series and threw a 33-yard touchdown pass to AJ Troup early in the second quarter.

Eastern Michigan, after another three-and-out from its inept offense, finally forced a Michigan State punt, but that also ended in disaster. Tyler Allen failed to handle the punt and Michigan State recovered at the EMU seven. Williams crashed into the end zone from the 1-yard line three plays later to make it 42-0.

After a trade of punts, RJ Williamson picked off Rob Bolden deep in Eastern Michigan territory to set up a first down at the six and R.J. Shelton raced around the left side for a touchdown on the next play.

Nick Hill capped Michigan State's opening series of the third quarter with a 4-yard touchdown run and Eastern Michigan finally moved the football on its initial possession of the second half. The Eagles picked up a pair of first downs, the second on a fourth-down quarterback sneak by Bolden, who then found Allen with a 43-yard scoring pass on the next play.

Michigan State added a 30-yard field goal from Michael Geiger to make it 59-7 and Bolden threw a 9-yard TD pass to Tyreese Russell for Eastern Michigan in the first minute of the fourth quarter after O'Connor was intercepted deep in Michigan State territory to end the third.

Russell fumbled after a catch on Eastern Michigan's next series and Williams capped a short 29-yard drive with a 7-yard TD run. Williams then finished the rout with an 80-yard TD jaunt the next time Michigan State had the ball.

Game Notes

Eastern Michigan finished with just five first downs and 135 yards of total offense ... Michigan State had possession for nearly 43 minutes ... Eastern Michigan was just 1-for-13 on third down ... Michigan State improved to 10-0 all-time against Eastern Michigan ... The Spartans have outscored the Eagles 344-65 in the last seven meetings ... Michigan State remains home next Saturday to play Wyoming before opening the Big Ten schedule with a visit from Nebraska.