RUTGERS (4-7, 3-5) vs. No. 21 MICHIGAN STATE (8-3, 6-2)
November 25, 2017 • 4 p.m. ET • FOX
High Point Solutions Stadium • Piscataway, N.J.

PISCATAWAY, N.J. – Rutgers football will conclude its 2017 season by hosting No. 21 Michigan State Saturday at High Point Solutions Stadium. The game will start at 4 p.m., as the program will honor the senior class in a ceremony prior to kickoff.
 
The contest will broadcast nationally on FOX with Brian Custer (play-by-play), Ben Leber (analyst) and Jen Hale (sideline reporter) on the call. It will be the first RU game on network television since ABC covered the 2015 matchup against No. 1 Ohio State. Chris Carlin (play-by-play), Ray Lucas (analyst), Eric LeGrand (analyst) and Anthony Fucilli (sideline) will deliver the action on the Rutgers IMG Sports Network (WCTC 1450-AM, WOR 710-AM, WENJ 97.3-FM, WNJE 920-AM, Sirius 112, XM 203).
 
SCOUTING RUTGERS
The Scarlet Knights have three Big Ten wins this season (Illinois, Purdue, Maryland) to match the team-high for a campaign since joining the conference. The three Big Ten wins are coming off an 0-9 conference season, as only six of the previous 30 Big Ten teams since 1960 coming off a winless league season have won at least three in conference play the following year. The high mark over that span is four (Minnesota, 1989; Iowa, 1968).
 
Michigan State will mark the fifth RU opponent this season to appear in either the AP or coaches' poll. Rutgers owns nine victories over a ranked foe in program history.
 
Having played its last two games on the road, RU will look to rebound after taking a 41-0 defeat last week at Indiana. Junior Trevor Morris logged a career-high 18 tackles, the most by a Scarlet Knight since Steve Longa totaled 19 in the 2015 game versus Ohio State. In addition, fifth-year senior punter Ryan Anderson averaged 50.7 yards per punt on nine attempts, including a 70-yard effort, which was the fifth-longest punt in the school record books.
 
For the season, RU has progressed statistically in the national rankings in numerous categories, including kickoff return defense (+79), sacks allowed (+79), net punting (+78), passes intercepted (+66), rushing defense (+46), third down defense (+34) and turnover margin (+20). The team has also improved its point differential by nearly two touchdowns (13.5).
 
Junior Giovanni Rescigno has started the last six games at quarterback, while fifth-year senior Kyle Bolin and freshman Johnathan Lewis have also taken snaps this season. Fifth-year senior Gus Edwards leads the team with 703 rushing yards and six touchdowns, while senior Robert Martin owns 2,256 career rushing yards and needs only 14 more to take over ninth place in the program record books. In the passing game, tight ends have combined for 41 receptions this season, as junior Jerome Washington has a team-best 27 catches for 273 yards.
 
Defensively, Morris' 18-tackle outing puts him at 99 for the season. He posted 102 last year, as at least one Scarlet Knight has reached the century mark every season since 2010. Junior Deonte Roberts is second on the roster with 88 stops, with fifth-year senior Kemoko Turay and junior Kevin Wilkins holding the team lead at 5.5 tackles-for-loss. In the secondary, sophomore Jawuan Harris recorded his third interception of the year last week to tie junior Kiy Hester for the team lead. Hester ranks 19^th in the nation with 1.3 passes defended per game.
 
Anderson now leads the Big Ten and is 13^th in the country with 44.6 yards per punt in 2017. That mark is on pace to top Joe Radigan's single-season school record of 44.1 yards per attempt in 2006. In addition, Anderson has 27 boots of at least 50 yards and 48-of-73 kicks have not been returned. Fifth-year senior Andrew Harte has made his last three field goals to improve to 7-for-10 on the season with a long of 50 yards.
 
SCOUTING MICHIGAN STATE
The Spartans are tied for second place in the Big Ten East with a 6-2 conference record, including a 17-7 victory over Maryland last week. The defense ranks seventh in the nation with only 109.2 rushing yards permitted per game. Joe Bachie leads the unit with 92 tackles, while Kenny Willekes has seven sacks. Offensively, quarterback Brian Lewerke has thrown for 2,358 yards and 16 touchdowns on a 58.1 completion percentage. Davis Felton owns eight touchdown receptions. In addition, LJ Scott sparks the running game with 731 rushing yards this season. Head coach Mark Dantonio is in his 11th season leading the program.
 
THE SERIES
Michigan State leads the all-time series over Rutgers, 5-3. The last meeting in Piscataway in 2015 was decided in the final minute as the fourth-ranked Spartans prevailed, 31-24. However, the Scarlet Knights won the 2004 matchup, 19-14, in front of a sellout home crowd behind four field goals by Jeremy Ito and an interception returned for a touchdown by Ryan Neill. Rutgers has beaten Michigan State as a ranked opponent before in the 1988 triumph over 15^th-ranked MSU, who entered as the defending Rose Bowl champions. Eric Young caught nine passes for 124 yards in the 17-13 win.
 
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