Oct. 31, 1998
By HARRY ATKINS
AP Sports Writer
EAST LANSING, Mich. - Sedrick Irvin ran for 140 and two touchdowns and Michigan State came up with six sacks and four turnovers in a 29-5 victory over Northwestern on Saturday.
Paul Edinger added field goals of 39, 46, 38, 21 and 30 yards for Michigan State (4-4, 2-2 Big Ten), playing its 400th game in Spartan Stadium.
Edinger's five field goals tied the school record set by John Langeloh against Wisconsin in 1988. A record-setting 36-yarder was wiped out by a face-mask penalty in the third quarter.
Brian Gowins kicked a 48-yard field goal for the Wildcats (2-7, 0-6), who also tackled Irvin in the end zone for a safety.
Northwestern wide receiver D'Wayne Bates, the Big Ten's leading receiver, had eight receptions for 97 yards, giving him 3,013 yards in his career.
Northwestern, which gained only six yards rushing, was held to seven first downs. Three quarterbacks combined to complete just 11-of-26 passes for 109 yards with three interceptions. Michigan State, which had 22 first downs, rushed for 217 yards and passed for 222.
The Spartans, perhaps still smarting from a 19-18 upset a week earlier at Minnesota, dominated the first half while building a 20-0 lead. It could have been even more one-sided, but Irvin lost a fumble while crossing the goal line with what would have been Michigan State's second touchdown early in the second quarter.
Bill Burke, who was knocked out with a mild concussion and missed the last three quarters a week ago, completed 3-of-5 for 33 yards on the Spartans' first drive, helping to set up Irvin's 2-yard touchdown run.
Mistakes by both teams helped set up Michigan State's second score.
A pass by Michigan State freshman Ryan Van Dyke was tipped by Salem Simons and picked off by defensive tackle Darryl Hodge. On Northwestern's first play after the turnover, Gavin Huffman's pass was intercepted by the Spartans' Renaldo Hill, one of Hill's two interceptions during the game.
Six plays later, Irvin scampered the final 13 yards to cap a six-play, 59-yard drive for a 14-0 lead.
Edinger kicked field goals on Michigan's next two possessions, added another in the third quarter and two in the fourth.
At halftime, Northwestern had just two first downs and 43 yards. The Spartans had 13 first downs and 272.