Darqueze Dennard's 3 best performances with Michigan State football

Former defensive back Darqueze Dennard has officially been elected to the Michigan State Athletics Hall of Fame. Dennard was the embodiment of the "No Fly Zone" that led Michigan State football's elite defense.

Just a two-star recruit, Dennard went on to be a first-team All-Big Ten selection twice, unanimous first-team All-American, the Big Ten's Defensive Back of the Year, , and was awarded the Jim Thorpe Award for the best defensive back in the nation. He ended up being drafted in the first round by the Cincinnati Bengals and played a total of eight seasons in the NFL.

A playmaker in every sense of the word, Dennard could cover, tackle, and be an elite leader.

Here are his three best performances as a Spartan.

3. vs. Michigan (2013)

The defense as a whole was the MVP of this game, famously holding Michigan to -48 yards rushing. Dennard was a big part of that, coming up to tackle a mobile quarterback in Devin Gardner and finishing with four tackles, a forced fumble, and a beauty of an interception.

While the game was pretty much out of reach for the Wolverines, they were driving the ball down the field and made it all the way to the Spartans 20-yard line. It was a rare occurrence where Gardner had time to throw but Dennard's coverage was step for step with Jeremy Gallon and Dennard could not have been in a better spot. The ball was secured and Michigan State's streak of 11-plus quarters and 30 consecutive possessions without allowing a touchdown held strong.

The pick iced the game, and set up an eight-play, 97-yard drive that finished with a Jeremy Langford touchdown.