Special Teams Summary: Week Two Vs Boston College

The Punter

• Spartans punter Ryan Eckley is one of the best in the nation, and he added to his resume against the Eagles.

• He once again not only landed a punt within the one-yard line once, but twice, making for a two-week streak with two points within the one.

• The second of them came at the best moment, which was near the end of the fourth quarter. The score was tied at 27-27 and MSU could not allow a score of any kind to force Overtime.

• That was the moment Eckley decided to pin it within the one-yard line, and it forced the first overtime of the game.

The Kickers

• Kickers Blake Sislo and Martin Connington combined their forces for ten points across regulation and overtime.

• While Sislo mainly played during the first half, Connington took over during the second half and both overtime’s.

• Sislo also stayed on extra point attempts as his main focus, leaving Connington much of the longer distance work.

• Even though Connington had just come off of an injury, he didn’t let it affect him. He instead kicked a 39-yarder with four minutes left to keep MSU in contention for overtime and their 42-40 win.

The Returners

• The Spartans' return squad spoke little to the outcome other than two huge returns in the second quarter.

• Unfortunately, neither came at a good time, because, when on touchdown drives, MSU’s returners almost always failed to make it past the 25-yard line.

• Yet some of their players, namely Omari Kelly, were still inserted into the offense, making a major difference in the outcome of the game, especially in overtime.

Because of their importance in both week one and two of the 2025 season, Head coach Jonathan Smith’s special teams not only played a crucial role in MSU’s week two victory against Boston College, but also established themselves as a key piece moving forward.