Sports

MIKE HOUSEHOLDER Associated Press Writer

EAST LANSING, Mich. — Michigan State hopes its blowout against Western Michigan will help propel the Spartans to beat Purdue in the coming week and then finish strong to have a chance at a bowl berth.

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Michigan State quarterback Kirk Cousins scrambles against Western Michigan Saturday in East Lansing, Mich.

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Saturday’s 49-14 pounding of the Broncos evened out Michigan State’s record at 5-5. After Purdue, the Spartans will close out the regular season at home against nationally ranked Penn State.

“We just need to continue (to do) the same things we did this week,” wide receiver Mark Dell said. “Just staying motivated, staying hungry and taking it one game at a time and not looking ahead.”

Hungry? Michigan State played like it was starving.

The Spartans scored touchdowns on three of their first four possessions. By the time the teams headed to the locker rooms for halftime, Michigan State led 35-0, had forced seven punts and outgained Western by better than 300 yards.

The 602 yards Michigan State gained for the game was the most in Mark Dantonio’s three seasons as head coach. By contrast, Western Michigan’s normally high-powered offense sputtered to a season-low 211 yards. The Broncos (4-6) didn’t convert a single third down in 13 tries.

“I think this win makes the statement that we were ready to play,” Dantonio said.

The game also may have helped clear up the team’s running back situation.

Ashton Leggett, who was practicing with the scout team two weeks ago and had only one carry coming into the game, exploded for 110 yards and four TDs.

The 235-pound sophomore running back set the tone early with a 71-yard scamper down the left sideline for the game’s opening score.

Leggett is the latest in a long line of backs Michigan State has used in a season-long effort to find someone to help fill the shoes of last year’s workhorse Javon Ringer, who moved on to the NFL.

Thanks to a number of injuries and the dismissal of two of Leggett’s roommates, he and freshman Edwin Baker started out as the featured running backs on Saturday, and Leggett took full advantage. He had 100 yards by halftime and became the first Spartans runner to hit the century mark since Ringer did it a year ago.

Leggett said he never considered leaving the school despite his lack of playing time.

“Coaches have to make the decision, and it wasn’t about transferring,” he said. “It was more that I was disappointed in myself that I wasn’t able to be out there.”

Kirk Cousins also distinguished himself against Western.

The sophomore quarterback threw for a career-high 353 yards and two TDs. None of his passes were intercepted. In fact, only three of the 25 fell incomplete.

On the other end of the spectrum, Western Michigan’s normally reliable Tim Hiller — who owns a number of school passing records — was held in check by the Michigan State defense.

He was 15 of 37 for a season-low 111 yards. The senior wasn’t intercepted, though, and threw one touchdown pass.

“I’m going to put it simply: They are better than us,” Western Michigan coach Bill Cubit said.