Nov. 10, 2007
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WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Brian Hoyer passed for 266 yards and two touchdowns, and Michigan State beat Purdue 48-31 on Saturday to end a three-game losing streak and become bowl eligible.
Michigan State's Devin Thomas caught 10 passes for 116 yards to set a school record for catches in a season with 68, and Jehuu Caulcrick ran for 77 yards and two touchdowns. Caulcrick's 20 rushing scores make him the school's all-time single-season leader.
SirDean Adams led Michigan State's defense with two interceptions.
Purdue gained 517 yards, but had three costly turnovers. Curtis Painter passed for 344 yards, but he threw the picks to Adams, which led to 10 points.
Purdue's Kory Sheets caught a touchdown pass, ran for a score and finished with 121 total yards.
Purdue stumbled with representatives from the Capital One, Outback, Champs Sports, Alamo, Motor City and Insight Bowls present.
Michigan State led 31-21 at halftime.
Purdue kicker Chris Summers made a 32-yard field goal to cut Michigan State's lead to 31-24 with 7:05 left in the third quarter.
Michigan State ran a fake field goal late in the third quarter. Purdue got the stop, but Mike Neal was called for a 15-yard facemask penalty, giving the Spartans a first down at the Purdue 12. Brett Swenson kicked a 23-yard field goal to make it a 34-24 lead six seconds into the fourth quarter.
Michigan State's Otis Wiley hit Purdue's Dorien Bryant after a catch and forced a fumble. Travis Key recovered and ran 20 yards for a touchdown to give the Spartans a 41-24 lead.
Painter threw a screen pass to Sheets, and he turned it into a 41-yard touchdown that cut the Spartans' lead to 41-31 with 13:05 to play.
Purdue appeared to have the Spartans stopped, but Caulcrick took the snap on a fake punt and ran for a first down. Hoyer's 3-yard touchdown pass to backup tight end Eric Andino made it 48-31, Michigan State with 7:36 to play.
Michigan State finished the first half strong. With the score tied at 21 in the second quarter, Caulcrick scored his second touchdown, a 1-yard run with 1:13 left in the first half, to give Michigan State a 28-21 lead.
Painter threw his second interception in the closing seconds of the first half. Adams returned it to the Purdue 23, and Swenson made a 39-yard field goal to give the Spartans a 31-21 lead at the break.
There were 45 points scored and 377 yards gained in the second quarter.