Michigan State kicker Matt Coghlin earns weekly Big Ten special teams honor

Michigan State kicker Matt Coghlin was named the Big Ten Special Teams Player of the Week on Monday, two days after kicking a pair of field goals in the Spartans’ victory at Indiana.

The sixth-year senior connected from 51 yards in the third quarter, matching a career long and giving the Spartans a 10-9 lead. Coghlin’s 49-yard field goal in the fourth quarter extended Michigan State’s lead to 20-15 as the defense helped seal the victory.

Coghlin, who last week surpassed Brett Swenson for the most field goals in Michigan State history, now has 74 career field goals and ranks second all-time in Big Ten history, trailing only Penn State’s Kevin Kelly, who made 78 field goals from 2005-08.

This is the fourth time Coghlin has earned Special Teams Player of the Week honors, and it’s the second this season for a Michigan State player after Jayden Reed earned the same honor on Sept. 27.

No. 9 Michigan State (7-0, 4-0 Big Ten) is off this week before playing host to No. 6 Michigan on Oct. 30.

Purdue receiver David Bell was named offensive player of the week, while Purdue safety Cam Allen was the conference's defensive player of the week. Wisconsin running back Braelon Allen was the Big Ten's freshman of the week.