Spartans’ Ezor Scores Six Touchdowns

EAST LANSING, Mich. —  Blake Ezor scored a Big Ten-record six touchdowns to lead Michigan State to a 76-14 victory over Northwestern on Saturday, extending the Wildcats’ winless streak to 11 games.

Ezor’s 36 points was a conference record, surpassing the 32 scored by Indiana’s Anthony Thompson Oct. 7, also against Northwestern. Ezor also set a conference record with his six touchdowns, breaking a record of five shared by four players. Ezor gained 228 yards in 41 carries before leaving the game in the fourth quarter. He had touchdown runs of 36, 18, two one-yarders and two three-yarders.

Jim Brown, then of Syracuse, set the Division I-A record for points in a game with 43 against Colgate on Nov. 17, 1956.

The victory improved the Spartans to 6-4 and 5-2. Northwestern is 0-10 and 0-7.

Michigan State Coach George Perles apologized to Northwestern Coach Francis Peay for the lopsided score.

Michigan State receiver Courtney Hawkins broke the single-season school record in receiving yardage, set by Andre Rison in 1986 with 54 receptions and 966 yards, on an eight-yard touchdown play from quarterback Dan Enos in the first quarter. Hawkins had 135 yards in eight catches in the game, for 1,057 yards in 58 catches for the season.

Other touchdowns for Michigan State came from Tico Duckett, Hyland Hickson, Steve Montgomery and backup quarterback Randy Vanderbush.

The difference clearly came in rushing yardage, with Michigan State rolling up 447 yards to the Wildcats’ 20.

Northwestern scored first with 10:56 left in the first quarter. Tim O’Brien passed 34 yards to Richard Buchanan following a Spartan fumble.