Central Michigan Chippewas vs Michigan State Spartans Match Player Stats On Sep 26, 2015

The Sports Xchange
Sep 26, 2015

EAST LANSING, Mich. -- Gerald Holmes scored two rushing touchdowns and Madre London added another as No. 2 Michigan State overcame a sluggish performance to down Central Michigan 30-10 on Saturday at Spartan Stadium.

London, a redshirt freshman tailback, gained 73 yards on 15 carries for the Spartans (4-0) in their final non-conference game.

Michigan State senior defensive end Shilique Calhoun led the defensive effort with 2 1/2 sacks and also blocked a field goal attempt.

Senior quarterback Connor Cook had a quiet afternoon, completing 11-of-19 passes for 143 yards and a touchdown.

Junior quarterback Cooper Rush connected on 26-of-39 passes for 285 yards and a touchdown for Central Michigan (3-1), which trailed by only seven points entering the fourth quarter.

Junior receiver Anthony Rice caught eight passes for 78 yards and a touchdown for the Chippewas.

Special teams helped the Spartans build a 17-7 halftime lead.

Sophomore defensive end Demetrius Cooper and Calhoun blocked field-goal attempts by Central Michigan junior Brian Eavey during the first quarter.

In between, London scored on a six-yard run to cap off the Spartans' opening drive.

Junior Michael Geiger's 47-yard field goal made it 10-0.

An 18-yard Chippewas punt gave Michigan State the ball at its 48-yard-line midway through the second quarter. Freshman tailback LJ Scott's 29-yard run set up Cook's five-yard scoring pass to Josiah Price.

Price's 14th career touchdown reception broke Chris Baker's school record for most scoring catches by a tight end.

The Chippewas broke through with eight seconds left in the half on Rush's one-yard scoring pass to Rice, capping an 80-yard drive aided by two defensive penalties.

Eavey's 42-yard field goal provided the only points during the third quarter.

Holmes, a sophomore, scored from three yards with 8:37 remaining to give Michigan State some breathing room. He added a six-yard scoring run with 3:21 left.

NOTES: Michigan State senior Connor Cook tied Kirk Cousins' school record with his 27th win as a starting quarterback. ... The Spartans are 40-6 against Mid-American Conference opponents and lead the all-time series against the Chippewas, 7-3. ... The Spartans have won 30 of their last 33 games. ... The last time Central Michigan faced an opponent ranked as high as No. 2 was 2008, when it lost to No. 2 Georgia, 56-17. The only time it defeated a ranked team was 1991, when it upset No. 18 Michigan State, 20-3. ... Chippewas junior QB Cooper Rush has started 27 consecutive games.