A Spartan For All Seasons

The Game: MSU at Michigan

2008-10-25T14:31:00.002-04:00

Okay.. Things have been quiet this week, despite it being Michigan/Michigan State week.. MSU got waxed by Ohio State at home last week, while Michigan looked good for a half at Penn State before getting crushed.

So which of these teams will show up? The U-M team that lost to Toledo? Or the one who was playing well against Penn State? Can MSU shake off what happened last week to battle against their arch rivals?

Depsite Michigan's poor record, MSU will need an all-around great effor to beat Michigan in Ann Arbor for the first time since 1990. They will need Ringer and Hoyer to play well, as well as get some turnovers on defense.

If there is a year for it to happen, THIS is the year.

MSU 24, U-M 14

Game 8 Prediction: OSU at MSU

2008-10-18T15:23:00.002-04:00

Okay.. This is going to be ugly.. Both offenses will want to run the ball and then run it some more.. So this game will be won by the quarterbacks of both teams.. Can Brian Hoyer make enough plays for MSU? Can the freshman Terelle Pryor handle another tough road environment? With OSU play senior QB Todd Boekman?

Hoyer has shown he can make the plays.. Pryors stats have gone down in recent games..

MSU wins this one in old-chool Big Ten style: 20-17

The Biggest Game Since Last Week

2008-10-17T16:20:00.003-04:00

Here it is.. The biggest game of the year since last week when MSU battled undefeated Northwestern.

If MSU wins this brawl against the Buckeyes, they are in the driver's seat for a 10-win season, a New Years Day bowl and possibly the Rose Bowl. Sure, sure that sounds like crazy talk, but a win vs. OSU puts them in a spot to defeat Michigan and Purdue and possibly Wisconsin. If Penn State is a good as everyone thinks they are, they could be in line for the National Championship game, putting MSU in the Rose Bowl.

Just saying...

Stay tuned for the prediction tomorrow..

Game 7 - MSU at Northwestern

2008-10-11T15:28:00.002-04:00

This is a game which can make or break the season for the Spartans. They have not handled Northwestern very well over the last few years, including last year's home loss to the Wildcats in overtime.

The good news for the Spartans is that the road team has won the last three games in this series, including MSU's record-setting comeback victory in 2006 under the "legendary" John L. Smith.

MSU needs their secondary back healthy to defend the spread attack of the Wildcats. CJ Bacher will throw the ball all over the field, but will also dish the ball to Sutton on the ground.

However, Northwestern had a tough time with Iowa's running attack two weeks ago, so get ready for Ringer, Ringer and then some more Ringer.

MSU 28, Northwestern 27

Prediction: Iowa at MSU

2008-10-04T12:03:00.001-04:00

Old school Big Ten game between the two top rushers in the conference. 24-21 MSU

Prediction: MSU at Indiana

2008-09-27T11:43:00.002-04:00

Michigan State has had experience with mobile quarterback from Indiana. Does the name Antwaan Randle-El ring a bell with anyone? Never thought he'd stop running against MSU.

Kellen Lewis has already superseded Randle-El's career stats in rushing, passing, completions, touchdowns, etc.

MSU is also coming off a nice win last week and as all Spartan fans know, the team has not always handles success well. But THAT is the difference with a Dantonio coached team. They could have folded the tent last year after blowing the game to Michigan, but they didn't. I don't think they will let the Notre Dame game get to their heads either.

MSU 34-17

Game Notes: Indiana

2008-09-26T16:11:00.001-04:00

As usual, here's everything you need to know about MSU vs. Indiana - click here

Game 4: MSU 23, Notre Dame 7

2008-09-24T21:57:00.002-04:00

Sorry I didn't get a prediction in on time. I went up to East Lansing and as we all know, that requires an early start.

This one was not fancy. It was not a beautiful game by any means. It was very much a methodical dismantling of the Irish. They were going to see Ringer, then they were going to see Ringer and then they were going to see Ringer some more.

201 yards against the Irish for his second 200-yard game in a row. That will get the Spartans some wins.

But the thing that was most impressive in this game was the defense. They got to Jimmy Clausen for the first time all year (neither San Diego State nor Michigan had any sacks against the Irish). Otis Wiley (quickly becoming my favorite player not named Ringer) was all over the field, including some picks and near picks.

If the defense plays like that for the rest of the year, this team will be in position to win games. Plenty of them.

Izzo an MSU lifer

2008-09-18T16:55:00.002-04:00

For those who can't wait for basketball season - here is a must read from Eric Lacy in today's Detroit News. Comments like this from Izzo have to excite every Spartan fan.

Check out there story here.

Game 3: MSU 17, Florida Atlantic 0

2008-09-16T10:38:00.002-04:00

So, the weather may have been a factor (and I should have taken that into account when I made my 35-17 prediction), but a win is a win - especially against a team which some outsiders said could have been scary for MSU (ala Louisiana Tech from a few years ago).

That said, Javon Ringer was put on display - since neither quarterback could throw the ball - and racked up 284 rushing yards against the Owls, which is the 4th most for a single game in Michigan State history.

Some have questioned why Ringer was still in the game with four minutes remaining with a 17-0 lead. Dantonio's answer was that he didn't think it was fair (or wise) to ask a rookie running back to get in the game and try to get used to a wet ball, when a turnover could make the game a heck of a lot tighter than it was.

Now the fun part of the season begins - Notre Dame and then the Big Ten. Stay tuned.

Prediction: MSU vs. Florida Atlantic

2008-09-13T12:03:00.000-04:00

Quick prediction: MSU 35, Florida Atlantic 17

Here come the Owls

2008-09-12T15:40:00.001-04:00

So there are not many people out there who know anything about Florida Atlantic University. Do some pre-game reading of the game notes. More analysis and a prediction are on their way!

Game Two: MSU 42, EMU 10

2008-09-12T15:35:00.002-04:00

Sometimes it is better to be lucky than good.. Somehow I predicted the score exactly right for this game.

As expected the Spartans were fully intent on running the ball, which lead to Javon Ringer's five touchdowns, just one shy of Blake Ezor's single-game record.

Check out the stats, quotes and game notes here.

Prediction: Game Two: Eastern Michigan at MSU

2008-09-06T10:14:00.003-04:00

Sorry, I have been traveling this week and have not had too much time to blog or even catch up on this week's game. However, here are some thoughts for you. And as always, the game notes for this week's game are available here.

The Eastern Michigan Eagles (1-0) are on a winning streak - well at least a streak as far as Eastern is concerned. They've won two games in a row, going back to the win over Central in the final game of last season to last week's 52-0 pasting of Indiana State.

That ends this week however. We don't know too much about the Eagles, but the Spartans have never lost to the Eagles and will come out swinging to get the bad taste from last week's game against Cal out of their mouth.

EMU has 13 returning starters, including their quarterback. They also run a spread offense which can give defensive teams grief (see Utah or Appalachian State against Michigan0>

MSU will work on a few things from last week.

I would not have wanted to be an offensive lineman for the Spartans at practice this week. You can be sure the coaching staff laid into them about their performance both in run blocking and pass protection. I think MSU will recommit to the run to get Javon Ringer off early and often. There is no way Brian Hoyer should throw the ball as much as he did last week, so opening of the running game more this week will take some of the pressure of him.

I think Ringer goes for 100+ and Hoyer throws for another 200+ today in the home opener.

MSU takes down the Eagles 42-10 to get their first win of the year.

Game One thoughts

2008-09-02T15:58:00.002-04:00

Okay, as you know, I expected MSU to lose that game against Cal. It is just a tough thing to ask a team to do - fly to the West Coast and play a quality team in the opener (just ask Tennessee which lost to UCLA over the weekend as well!).

What I didn't expect is to have MSU leave so many points on the field. The Spartans had at least three touchdowns called back - Mark Dell's catch which was reviewed and overturned, BJ Cunningham's offensive pass interference on MSU's first drive and the Javon Ringer run in the second half. Too many times the Spartans had a chance to take the lead but they shot themselves in the foot.

So there are some things to take away from this game...

On the positive side - MSU put up some points, even without a steady running game; they kept fighting back when pre-Dantonio teams would have folded up their tents in the first quarter; and Mark Dell looks like he could be the replacement for Devin Thomas.

On the negative - Brian Hoyer did not look good at all, but how much was on him and how much was on the young receiver is unknown; the offensive line needs some work, MSU needs to run the ball to be successful and Hoyer cannot be forced to throw the ball that much; and the defense needs some work, there were a few nice plays (Otis Wiley's two interceptions) but Cal got yards in big chunks in the second half.

I think MSU is a better team for having played this game and they'll be better prepared for hostile Big Ten environments. Let's face it, Cal is a better team than MSU right now. Behind USC, they might just be the second best team in the Pac-10 and MSU had some chances to take them out.

The schedule is light for the next six weeks and MSU will be favored in all of them, so the Cal game is certainly not the end of the season.

Game One: Cal 38, MSU 31

2008-08-31T09:59:00.002-04:00

Okay, I'll be honest, I had a family commitment last night, so I couldn't watch the game live, but have no fear, I have it taped.

In the meantime, here are the press release, final stats, post-game quotes, and post-game notes from yesterday's game.

There is also a podcast of Coach Dantonio's post-game press conference here.

Now I am going to watch the game, so more analysis later.

Prediction: Game 1 - MSU at Cal

2008-08-30T17:27:00.002-04:00

For the first game of the season, MSU and its young players have to handle several different things right out of the chute. They need to play the game, they have to play it on the road and they have to handle traveling to the West Coast.

This is a tough task for any team, especially one where several key skill players have to be replaced (Kellen Davis at tight end, Jehuu Caulcrick at running back and Devin Thomas at wide receiver.) MSU also has to deal with replacing several key players on the defensive line.

Of course Cal has their own issues. They have an inexperienced quarterback and lost their all-everything speedster Desean Jackson. However, they do not have to deal with playing three time zones away in front of a hostile crowd.

I expect MSU to play will, Javon Ringer and Brian Hoyer will carry the load on offense. And defensive players like Trevor Anderson and Brandon Long will play well on the defensive line.

But MSU will have too much to overcome and will fall just short 27-21.

If I am wrong, buckle up for one heck of a season.

Season Standing Prediction Time!

2008-08-30T10:24:00.002-04:00

Alright, here are the final Big Ten standings as I see them unfolding..

Ohio State 12-0 (8-0)
Wisconsin 11-1 (7-1)
Penn State 10-2 (5-3)
MSU 8-4 (5-3)
Purdue 7-5 (5-3)
Michigan 7-5 (4-4)
Illinois 7-5 (4-4)
Iowa 6-6 (3-5)
N'Western 5-7 (1-7)
Indiana 5-7 (1-7)
Minnesota 4-8 (1-7)

Let's check back at the end of the year and see how close I was.

Listen to the Coach Dantonio Show

2008-08-29T21:45:00.002-04:00

After (or maybe before, whichever you'd like) click here to listen to this week's Coach Dantonio Show. It was recorded on Wednesday live at Reno's East in East Lansing.

Enjoy what the Coach has to say about his team and the upcoming season.

Everything you need to know for Game One

2008-08-29T21:28:00.002-04:00

Members of the media are given tons of information prior to each game. That's how broadcasters can give you all those wacky stats about how a certain team hasn't won a game on a Wednesday in months ending in "y" in 23 years.

One of the tools media members use is available to the general public and those are the pre-game notes. They list everything anyone needs to know about both teams - home record, away records, records in the series, records against that conference, etc.

The game notes for the MSU/Cal game can be found here.

I mean the game is not until 8 p.m. ET, take some time to catch up on the Spartans' matchup before the game.

Virtual reality bites?

2008-08-29T09:06:00.003-04:00

So, I picked up the newest NCAA football game by EA Sports for the XBox 360 earlier this summer. Of course I chose to control the Spartans though the 2008 season.

Well, lets just say I hope the real Spartans fare better than I did!

I finished with a 5-7 record and missed out on the bowls. I finished with wins against Cal, FAU, Eastern Michigan, Iowa and Michigan, but that was it.

I trust Dantonio is a better coach/playcaller than I am.

Let's go!

The Free Press' Drew Sharp uses the 'S' word

2008-08-27T09:22:00.003-04:00

In general, Spartan fans tend not to agree with our friendly columnist at the Detroit Free Press, Drew Sharp. He is, after all, a graduate of the University of Michigan, and in many Spartans' minds, that maize and blue stain can never be washed away.

However, Spartan fans should take a look at today's column regarding MSU's football team under second-year head coach Mark Dantonio.

While he does not heap tons of praise the Spartans' way, he simply says what Spartan fans have hoped to hear for years: this is the beginning of something good.

There have been many debates among MSU fans regarding how thi upcoming season could be classified as a success. Some have said a repeat of last year's 7-5 season would be a failure.

I disagree, and from the sounds of it, Mr. Sharp disagrees. This season cannot be classified as a failure or a success simply by winning or losing one more game than they did a year ago. It is about laying the foundation for the future and building a program from the bottom up - because let's face it, under John L. Smith, this program did hit the bottom.

The Spartans need stability. Remember, this is a program which has not had back-to-back winning seasons since 1989-90 (there were a few .500 seasons in there, but those are not winning.)

Let's hope Dantonio keeps his level head this season and we see the stability that Drew Sharp talked about and we all have been craving.

Spartans scheduling gets credit

2008-08-25T09:12:00.002-04:00

I wrote about this at the start of last season. I wrote that schools like Michigan and Ohio State should be embarrassed by their schedules. No teams of their caliber (or frankly of the caliber of MOST Big Ten Teams) should have Division I-AA teams on their schedules.

(Of course Michigan ended up losing that game to Appalachian State, but that's another story completely.)

As much as I don't like our friends from Ann Arbor or Columbus, I respect them for what they are - traditional football powerhouses. And as a fan of the Big Ten, its embarrassing to have so many of our teams playing I-AA opponents. And yes, I know plenty of programs from other conferences do the same thing, but we are in the Big Ten, and we should be different.

Now, the Wall Street Journal agrees, while giving Michigan State credit for playing at Cal to start the season. I thought it was a good read about the state of college football which has lead to so many of those lopsided matchups to start the season... Well, lopsided in the wrong way if you're a Wolverine.

You can read the full Wall Street Journal story here.

A new gem on campus

2008-08-24T17:30:00.004-04:00

Well, I cannot wait to see this in person.

We know MSU has prided itself in some of the best basketball facilities in the Big Ten, if not the country - just ask Coach Tom Izzo about how top notch facilities have helped him succeed and build the Spartans into one of the premiere programs in the country.

The new Skandalaris Football Center , a $15.5 million addition to the Duffy Daugherty football building, was dedicated last week just in time for the 2008 season. The addition was made possible through the generous donation of MSU alumni Robert and Julie Skandalaris of Bloomfield Hills, Mich., who donated $5 million as the lead gift. Former head coach and current MSU trustee George Perles donated $500,00 to the project and has "Perles Plaza" named in his honor.

My favorite part of the new gallery has to be the NFL display. On the wall are helmets of every NFL team and a list of all of the Spartans who have played for that team posted underneath. You have to takepride in the players going on to the next level. Of course near this display is a huge picture of Plaxico Burress's Super Bowl winning catch from last year.

See the photo gallery of the new center here. And read more about the center here.

A new season getting underway with a "new" blog

2008-08-23T17:32:00.002-04:00

I'll be the first to admit I have slacked off in keeping this blog up and running. But what can I say? Last fall was a bit hectic, so the blog slipped down a few pegs in terms of importance of things that needed to be accomplished.

That said, I am refocusing on this as the new football season gets underway and hope to keep it going through basketball and hockey season as well.

Here we go.. A season preview and predictions soon to follow.

Game 9 - MSU at Iowa

2007-10-27T12:01:00.000-04:00

Real quick prediction - MSU 28, Iowa 17

I still believe the Spartans are a different team than under John L.. They will win today and go bowling

Game 8 - MSU @ Ohio State

2007-10-20T12:05:00.000-04:00

Bring on Number One!

The collective sigh you heard from East Lansing last week, was from the Spartans imposing their will on the visiting Hoosiers and showing that this is not the same MSU team as in years past. This team showed they will not fold like a tent after two tough losses to Wisconsin and Northwestern.

Now comes the real test - Ohio State was bumped up to Number One after both LSU and Cal lost last week.

Without being too much of a slappy, I believe MSU has a shot at the Buckeyes. Sure it happened nine years ago. There has been no shortage of stories about that game this week.

But I believe MSU has a shot because the coaching staff learned its lesson after the Northwestern game and it showed last week. They will win games this season by running the ball, running it again and then running it some more. Last week, MSU ran the ball, Javon Ringer had over 200 yards as the Spartans kept the ball for over 40 minutes.,

The OSU defense is solid, no doubt about it, but MSU needs to pound the ball again and again to slow the game down, move the chains and keep the Buckeye offense off the field.

I have been correct with the vast majority of my predictions this season, this one may be the wildest.

Prediction: MSU 34, OSU 31

Game 7 - Indiana at MSU

2007-10-13T18:11:00.000-04:00

It's homecoming in East Lansing, and its a night game. That should lead to a Michigan State victory tonight against the Indiana Hoosiers - and Michigan State needs it badly.

Tonight is the night the Spartans have to prove they are different from the teams of the past few years when they imploded under John L. Smith. They blew their first opportunity to prove that last week against lowly Northwestern.

I expect Coach Dantonio to run the ball and continue running the ball, even if the game gets tight. Indiana leads the nation in sacks, so the Spartans can avoid that issue altogether be handing the ball to Javon Ringer and Jehuu Caulcrick time and time again. Last week, in overtime, MSU chose to throw the ball four straight times despite Ringer running all over the Wildcats. It didn't work, and I believe the coaching staff will have learned its lesson.

The MSU secondary will have to play MUCH better than it did last week as well to control the IU passing attack led by Kellen Lewis and James Hardy. Lewis will also run the ball, they have plenty of options to go to.

However, when it is all said and done, MSU will learn from its mistakes from a week ago. They will be able to run the ball and the defense will tackle better and the Spartans will earn their first Big Ten win.

Prediction: MSU 34, Indiana 31

Homecoming: Season on the Brink

2007-10-12T14:42:00.000-04:00

Alright, so I did not offer any predictions prior to last weeks game against Northwestern. If I would have done so, I would have been absolutely incorrect, because the idea of a debacle like that did not cross my mind once as I was thinking about that game.

So this is it. It is the seventh game of the Mark Dantonio era and the team has hit a crossroads. All of the talk leading into the Northwestern game was about how this team was different than teams of the past. It was about how they would not fold up like a lawn chair after the tough loss at Wisconsin.

They folded. They gave up 600+ yards to a Northwestern team which lost to Duke earlier in the year.

This is where Dantonio has to make his mark. It is Homecoming. It is a night game. It is a game the Spartans need to win if they have hopes of making a bowl and getting the critics off their back.

The last five games of this season are not as winnable as the first seven have been. This is a must win.

Game 5 - MSU at Wisconsin

2007-09-29T14:02:00.000-04:00

In the biggest conference game of the weekend, MSU (4-0) travels to Wisconsin (4-0) to take on the Badgers.

These two teams have not met since 2004 when MSU waxed 4th-ranked Wisconsin 49-14. Wisconsin came into that game 9-0 while MSU was only 4-5. Overall, Michigan State leads the series 26-19, but Wisconsin has taken seven of the last 10 meetings.

This game will be an old-school smashmouth Big Ten game as both teams will focus on the run, counting on their quarterback to manage the game and not make too many mistakes. P.J. Hill leads the Badger rushing attack with 512 yards and seven TDs on the season so far.

MSU, of course, features Jehuu Caulcrick and Javon Ringer in the backfield.

This is will a big test for the Spartans in a what will be a low scoring affair. Things have gone well so far, but I am not sure if they can handle that atmosphere and running attack.

Prediction:

Wisconsin 24, MSU 20

MSU 31, ND 14

2007-09-29T14:00:00.000-04:00

The Spartans kept the streak going and are the only team in history to have won six consecutive games at Notre Dame Stadium. Also, Coach Dantonio has become the only coach in MSU history to begin his coaching career with the Spartans 4-0.

The Big Ten season starts on Saturday at Wisconsin. We'll see how "for real" the Spartans are on that road trip.

Game 4 - MSU at Notre Dame

2007-09-21T21:07:00.000-04:00

My oh my, how things have changed. The Spartans are undefeated and are nearly a two-touchdown favorite against the winless Fighting Irish of Notre Dame.

Let's face it, this is the kind of game that should have MSU fans shaking in their boots. In the past, the Spartans have not handles success very well. Last year, after a 3-0 start, they blew a seemingly insurmountable 19-point fourth quarter lead against the Irish. They then went on to lose six of their next seven games to stay home during bowl season for the third straight year and sent coach John L. Smith packing.

So far, Coach Dantonio has been saying the right things. He has spoken about earning the respect of the fans once again. The team has lost so much respect over recent years that they have yet to sell out a home game in 2007.

MSU, including first-year coaches, has had a tremendous amount of success against Notre Dame. MSU has won seven of the last ten matchups, including five in a row in South Bend. No other team can claim such a streak in that stadium.

Luckily, this year's Notre Dame team is just that bad. They rank dead last in the nation in most offensive categories. Over they games they have yet to score an offensive touchdown. But everyone has heard those numbers in the media this week.

Here is the deal - The Spartans will face some adversity in this game. It is their first road trip of the year against a team desperate not to fall to 0-4 for the first time in their storied history. MSU should be able to run the ball at will and the Spartan defensive line should be able to keep Jimmy Clausen on his back for most of the day. MSU will run for over 200 yards in this game and register at least five sacks.

Prediction: MSU 24, Notre Dame 14.

Week Three - Pitt at MSU

2007-09-13T16:31:00.000-04:00

We have a baby on the way, so no analysis, we'll just go with the prediction..

MSU 31, Pitt 24

Game Two - MSU 28, BGSU 17

2007-09-08T17:47:00.000-04:00

Well it wasn't always pretty, but Michigan State got the job done, defeating Bowling Green 28-17 in Spartan Stadium.

The Spartans could not get the running game on track and the passing game had its hits and missed as quarterback Brian Hoyer connected on 17-of-29 passed for 250 yards. Junior wide receiver Devin Thomas broke the 100-yards mark for the second game in a row, catching four passes for 156 yards and a touchdown.

MSU (2-0) rushed for 164 yards in the game, led by Javon Ringers 94 yards on 22 carries. Jehuu Caulcrick totaled 55 yards and scored a touchdown. That touchdown moved Ringer into the all-time MSU rushing TD list.

The thing to take away from this game is that the defense stepped when it needed to, causing a few key turnovers - including one which would have resulted in a touchdown if the officials were not so quick on the whistle.

The defense surrendered 47 yards on the ground and 295 through the air to Bowling Green (1-1). Safety Nehemiah Warrick was injured in the first half, so that will be key going forward.

More analysis when we get to sift through the stats and other events from Saturday.

Halftime - BGSU 14, MSU 14

2007-09-08T13:52:00.000-04:00

Thoughts on the first half:

This game should be 28-14, but its not thanks to a terrible call on a BGSU fumble that MSU would have returned for a score if not for an "inadvertent whistle" and a bad interception by Brian Hoyer towards the end of the first half.

For some reason, the MSU running attack is not on track like it should be, only rushing for 59 yards in the half (led by Javon Ringer's 46 yards). The Spartans really need to have the running game fired up to be successful in this game. With the running game, MSU will wear down the smaller Falcons.

As expected the MSU secondary is being tested by the BGSU passing game, led by Tyler Sheehan's 214 yards, one TD and one interception.

Look for the defense to continue to play well and MSU to pound the ball more to wear down Bowling Green.

Week 2 - Bowling Green at MSU

2007-09-08T11:19:00.000-04:00

After last week's debacle in Ann Arbor, coaches around the country are warning their teams not to overlook their lesser opponents.

While Bowling Green comes to East Lansing from the Mid-American Conference, they took down Big Ten rival Minnesota in Minnesota last week, 32-31. Let's hope Coach Dantonio has the troops ready for the Falcons, we all know the Spartans have not handled success well in the past.

Things to look for:

- MSU's running game: BGSU gave up 246 rushing yards to the Gophers last week. The running game is the strength of MSU, so look for Jehuu Caulcrick and Javon Ringer to get the ball early and often.

- MSU's secondary: They will be tested againt Bowling Green's air attack, which rang up 412 yards through the air against Minnesota.Look for Nehemiah Warrick and Otis Wiley to step up their game at the safety position while Kendall Davis-Clark and Ross Weaver will have to play big at the corners.

Prediction: MSU 45-17

Fallout from Ann Arbor

2007-09-07T20:52:00.000-04:00

As much as it didn't hurt Michigan State fans' feelings that their cousins from down the road in Ann Arbor suffered the biggest upset defeat in college football history last week, one has to admit the game has been a little overblown.

Yes, the loss by Michigan to Appalachian State was the first time a ranked 1A team lost to a 1AA team. And yes, the game really was not as close as the score indicated (Michigan actually had to rally to beat the Mountaineers, after Appy State missed a field goal and dropped a wide-open touchdown).

But to have stories in national papers even into Wednesday and Thursday of this week is a little bit too much. How about we take a look at the games that are going to take place this weekend, not the shocker from last weekend. I can understand papers like the Detroit News and Detroit Free Press covering the fallout, but not national publications.

The biggest joke of this week it the fact that the Associated Press has decided to make 1AA teams eligible for its weekly poll. Really? They do realize that this is the first time a ranked 1A team has lost to a 1AA team, right? I don't think it is common enough for 1AA teams to be considered for a vote in the AP poll. If there is a sportswriter out there who believes Appalachian State deserves one vote in the AP poll, he or she should have his or her credentials revoked immediately.

That said, it was a shocker and as much as MSU fans basked in the Mountaineers glory (because it immediately replaced the Spartans' losses to Central Michigan in 1991 and 1992 as the most embarrassing losses on the state's history), it was a bit of an embarrassment for the Big Ten.

I said before the season started that teams like U-M and OSU should not be playing teams out of Division 1AA. I would be embarrassed if MSU had a team like that on its schedule. Of course it just gets worse when you lose to them.

U-M has some work to do to make this season anything close to a success, but it is up to the rest of the Big Ten to help restore the glory of the conference.

1987 Game 2 - Notre Dame 31, MSU 8

2007-09-07T20:34:00.000-04:00

As we celebrate the 20th anniversary of Michigan State's 1987 Big Ten and Rose Bowl championship season, we will look back at the games of that magical season week by week. This week, we'll take a look at the second game as the Spartans took on the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame.

After taking the season opener against USC in East Lansing, the game on September 19 in South Bend started off on the wrong "foot" and didn't get any better.

As MSU running back Blake Ezor fielded the opening kickoff, his foot hit the back line of the end zone for a safety and a 2-0 Irish lead. The Irish never looked back. After two punt returns for touchdowns by the eventual Heisman Trophy winner, Tim Brown, Notre Dame had a 19-0 first quarter lead. Following another safety and field goal, the Irish took a 24-0 halftime lead.

The Irish barely had the advantage in total yards for the game (252-229) but MSU (1-1) could only gain 21 yards on the ground. Lorenzo White gained a season-low 51 rushing yards, but MSU lost 59 yards on eight Notre Dame sacks.

Sunday Morning Quarterback - Week One

2007-09-02T08:38:00.000-04:00

MSU 55, UAB 18

By scoring six touchdowns on their first six possessions, the Mark Dantonio era in East Lansing started off on the right foot as MSU (1-0) crushed the undersized and undermanned Blazers from UAB (0-1).

Who said the Spartans needed the wacky John L. Smith offense to score points? MSU put up nearly 600 yards of offense on the day. And talk about balance, MSU totalled 298 yards on the ground and 295 yards through the air. See the full stats and box score here.

Senior captain Jehuu Caulcrick led the effort on the ground with 93 yards on 10 carries and four touchdowns. Brian Hoyer connected on 14 out of 17 passes for 201 yards and a touchdown. Freshman Devin Thomas was the leading receiver with five catches for 106 yards and a touchdown.

The offense was also 6-for-6 in the red zone and the team committed just four penalties, both of which were problems during the last regime. The defense held the Blazers to just 12 yards rushing.

Upcoming Opponents Update

Out of Conference:

(1-0) Bowling Green 32, Minnesota 31

Georgia Tech 33, (0-1) Notre Dame 3

(1-0) Pittsburgh 27, Eastern Michigan

Big Ten:

(1-0) Northwestern 27, Northeastern 0

Appalachian State 34, (0-1) Michigan 32

(1-0) Ohio State 38, Youngstown State 6

(1-0) Penn State 59, Florida International 0

(1-0) Wisconsin 42, Washington State 21

(1-0) Iowa 16, Northern Illinois 3

(1-0) Purdue 52, Toledo 24

(1-0) Indiana 55, Indiana State 7

Bowling Green 32, (0-1) Minnesota 31

MSU 55, UAB 18

2007-09-01T22:47:00.000-04:00

The Spartans rolled in the opener against UAB, 55-18. Led by Jehuu Caulcrick, Javon Ringer and Brian Hoyer, MSU pounced on the Blazers early and often.

Stay tuned on Sunday for analysis and a look ahead to the next game

Fourth Quarter Game Log - UAB at MSU

2007-09-01T16:03:00.001-04:00

FOURTH QUARTER
2:43 – Touchdown UAB. A little too late for the Blazers. MSU leads 48-12

2:48 – Nick Foles in at quarterback with just over 12 minutes to go in the game. Good to get some game experience for the young man.

3:06 – Another UAB field goal. 48-15 with 7:15 left

3:16 – 55-15 MSU with a nice run by the freshman. Time to tune into the U-M/App. State game

Third Quarter Game Log - UAB at MSU

2007-09-01T14:38:00.001-04:00

THIRD QUARTER
2:11 – Safety for UAB after MSU was pinned back. 45-5 MSU with 11:20 left in the third.

2:19 – Brian Hoyer is back in at quarterback for the third quarter. It will be interesting to see what Dantonio has to say about that.

2:26 – A smile from Dantonio, I think that is the first time he has smiled since he has been the head coach. I think a 45-5 lead will do that for you.

2:27 – Another field goal, this one from 38 yards for a 48-5 lead. Feeling good in East Lansing boys.

UAB at MSU - Second Quarter Log

2007-09-01T13:43:00.000-04:00

SECOND QUARTER
12:50 – Just saw MSU outgained UAB 227-43 in the first quarter. Nice!

12:51 – TOUCHDOWN MSU! Hoyer airs it out off play action to Devin Thomas for a 44-yard TD with 14:29 left in the second quarter and a 28-0 lead.

1:01 – CAULCRICK AGAIN! 35-0 MSU with 12:36 left in the half. No punts yet, always good. Caulcrick has 93 yards on 10 carries and 4 TDs. Not a bad game thus far.

1:15 – Connor Dixon in at quarterback. I think Hoyer was perfect today.

1:16 – Dixon to the fullback Andrew Hauken for a touchdown. 42-0 MSU with 7:36 left in the first half.

1:23 – UAB on the board with a field goal after a long kick-off return. 42-3 MSU with 7:01 left in the half.

1:27 – We have more and more subs coming. Nice luxury to have to get them som game experience. We all know depth is key as the Big Ten season continues.

1:34 – I am intrigued by what is going on in Ann Arbor. 28-14 Appalachian State. Amazing.

1:35 – Finally a turn over (interception and then fumble). Looking good boys.

1:40 – And a 45-yard field goal as time expires to finish off the half with a 45-3 lead. Things could not be going any better for the Spartans.

UAB at MSU - First Quarter Log

2007-09-01T12:48:00.000-04:00

11:58 a.m. – Just watched the tribute at Virginia Tech. People in tears. Pretty awesome to see all the fans with signs thanking other universities for their help and thoughts after the shootings last April.

11:59 – Two brats, some chips and a beer in front of me waiting for the MSU coverage to start. Feels good to have the season starting again, let’s hope we don’t have to give up hope after three games again.

Noon – Here is it. Spartan Stadium looks great as usual. What a great day for kickoff.

12:03 p.m. – Not a good start for the Blazers with the kickoff going out of bounds. Hopefully it is a sign of things to come

12:04 – A pass on first down? Thought we got rid of John L.

12:04 – Caulcrick bruising through the line for 14 yards. I like the way that sounds

12:06 – Ringer looking good so far. Has some power but can still outrun people after that injury

12:07 – TOUCHDOWN MSU! 7-0 lead for the Spartans. With 12:45 left in the quarter Caulcrick takes it in for the score from two yards out. UAB will not be able to hang with MSU’s offensive line. Drive – 6 plays for 65 yards

12:09 – Quick check of the Big Ten Network… I LOVE that I can see all the other Big Ten games. But I thought it was supposed to be in HD. Didn’t appear to be.

12:13 - Defense gives up a third and 14 conversion… Not what we wanted to see

12:19 – Thornhill with a near interception on third down during a 10 play UAB drive. Would have been nice to get the turnover, but the Blazers are held and need to punt. They have one of those crazy punters when they roll out to punt the ball. MSU will block one before the day is through.

12:22 – Another check of the Big Ten Network. U-M and Appalachian State are tied at seven? Seriously?

12:28 – With 4:46 left in the quarter, Caulcrick takes it in for another touchdown and a 14-0 MSU lead. Hoyer showed some arm strength too, with a rifle to Devin Thomas on the previous play. So far so good.

12:36 – Just as I was thinking how nice it is to see a traditional offense with a fullback, the run an end around with Devin Thomas for 22 yards. I like where this is going so far.

12:38 – ANOTHER TOUCHDOWN FOR CAULCRICK! 21-0 MSU with 1:41 left in the first. Nice blocking as the big guy tip-toed down the sideline. He needed five TDs to crack the all-time TD list at MSU and he might get that today. Terry Love, who was in the Dantonio Doghouse for a while took out two players with one block to spring Jehuu down the sideline. Good to see some heart.

12:47 – 21-0 MSU at the end of the first quarter. I am still trying to find out why I don’t have the BTN in HD.

Game Day! UAB at MSU

2007-09-01T10:12:00.000-04:00

It is finally here, the dawning of a new era of MSU football - again. Coach Mark Dantonio will lead his Spartans on the field in East Lansing to face the Blazers of the University of Alabama - Birmingham.

Stay tuned for a game blog updated throughout today's contest.

Things to look for:

- Look for MSU to run the ball - a lot - with Javon Ringer and Jehuu Caulcrick. Ringer has the moves and speed to break a long run at any time, while Caulcrick is the bruiser with speed in his own right. UAB is lacking some experience on the defensive line, so the Spartans should be able to run the ball at will.

- UAB will be platooning quarterbacks today. They will be flipping between senior Sam Hunt and sophomore Joseph Webb to lead the passing attach. It could be a good opportunity for the MSU secondary to get some experience playing together befare facing some of the monsters coming up on the schedule.

Prediction: MSU 34, UAB 10

Official Big Ten Predictions

2007-08-31T17:45:00.000-04:00

Here they are, the official predictions.. Lock them down, write them down and remember to look back in November.

1. U-M 11-1 (7-1)

Wisconsin 11-1 (7-1)

3. Penn State 10-2 (6-2)

Iowa 10-2 (6-2)

5. Ohio State 9-3 (5-3)

6. MSU 7-5 (3-5)

Indiana 7-5 (3-5)

8. Purdue 6-6 (3-5)

Illinois 6-6 (2-6)

10. Minnesota 5-7 (1-7)

11. N'western 4-8 (1-7)

1987 Game One - MSU 27, USC 13

2007-08-29T23:13:00.000-04:00

Twenty years ago, Michigan State began its march to the Rose Bowl..... the last Rose Bowl the Spartans played in. Ironically, their season began against which it ended - the University of Southern California Trojans.

In the first night game ever played in Spartan Stadium, MSU ended USC's 17-game winning streak against Big Ten teams with a 27-13 win over the 19th-ranked Trojans. Lorenzo White lead the ground attack, piling up 111 yards and two touchdowns, which quarterback Bobby McAllister accounted for 163 total yards including a 9-yard touchdown run.

The game, billed as the "Great American Football Celebration" was Michigan State's first prime time appearance.

1987 Big Ten Champs - 20 Year Anniversary

2007-08-29T22:52:00.000-04:00

It has been 20 years since the Michigan State Spartans made it to the Rose Bowl. It is hard to believe it has been that long.

However, as we go through this season, we will take a look back at that season, game by game, highlighting the players who made that season such a success.

Strap yourselves into your time machines and enjoy the look back.

Game One - UAB at MSU

2007-08-29T09:31:00.000-04:00

It is finally time for the changing of the guard to be complete and have Coach Dantonio lead the 2007 version of the Spartans onto the field for the first time at noon on Saturday to take on the Blazers of the University of Alabama-Birmingham.

Last season opener against Idaho, while a win, should have served notice to Spartan fans as to what kind of season to expect from MSU. MSU defeated Idaho 27-17, but the game was certainly much closer than that.

In this game, I would look for the Spartans to pound the ball with Ringer and Caulcrick early behind an offensive line which outweighs the UAB defensive line by 35 pounds per man.

With that, the first depth chart of the season was released and I think there are a few things worth noting:
- Senior wideout Terry Love is listed as a backup to junior Devin Thomas. Thomas started one game last season, but played in 10 catching just six passes for 90 yards in those games. Love on the other hand played in 12 games and caught 18 balls for 234 yards in 2006. Love, who had some academic issues he needed to work out before joining the team for fall practice, still looks like he needs to earn his time from Coach Dantonio.
- The other wide receiver slot will be filled by true freshman Mark Dell out of Farmington Harrison. Dell will be backed up by junior Deon Curry who has played in seven games in his one-year MSU career, but only has one catch for seven yards. Another reason MSU will be a running team this season.
- Senior linebacker SirDarean Adams is listed as a backup behind redshirt freshman Jon Misch. Misch is undersized for the Big Ten, but has a big heart and plays over his head according to reports. SirDarean had played the famous "bandit" position under former coach John L. Smith and can certainly hit. Have to keep a look out to see how long he stays behind Misch.
- Dantonio has not decided on a backup to junior quarterback Brian Hoyer. The battle has been between redshirt freshman Connor Dixon and true freshman Nick Foles. Let's hope Hoyer is durable this season.

For the record:
- MSU and UAB have never faced each other in football
- MSU is 4-1 against current members of Conference USA, defeating Marshall (9/00), Memphis (9/97), Rice (9/02) and SMU while losing to Houston (9/67).
- MSU has won nine of its last 10 home openers, including eight in a row. The Spartans' last loss in a home opener came in 1998 when MSU lost to Colorado State, 23-16.

Spartans Choose 2007 Captains

2007-08-26T10:28:00.000-04:00

Experience was the name of the game as the Spartans players and coaches chose the team's 2007 captains. Four seniors will assume the title of captain as MSU heads into the first game week of the season.

They are: running back Jehuu Caulcrick; offensive tackle Pete Clifford; strong safety Travis Key, and; linebacker Kaleb Thornhill.

All four players started a number of games last year and had signifiact roles with the 2006 version of the Spartans.

Caulcrick scored six touchdowns in '06 and needs just five this season to claim a spot in the Top Ten touchdown leaders in MSU history. Clifford had nine starts in 2006 and consistently graded out as one of the team's top lineman. Key's biggest play of the year was his first career interception which led to the game-winning field goal against Northwestern capping the biggest comeback in NCAA history. Thornhill, a name well-known in MSU circles, ranked third on the team in tackles in 2006. His father, Charlie, played on MSU's back-to-back Big Ten and National Championship teams.

One week to go before the Spartans take the field and as we have seen in years past, leadership plays a key role, especially if this team runs into some adversity.

Big Ten Champs?

2007-08-25T11:55:00.000-04:00

The season preview on ESPN's "College Gameday" just wrapped up and all four "experts" picked their Heisman Trophy winners and the champions of the major conferences.

Not only did Lou Holtz pick Michigan's Chad Henne to win the Heisman, but none of them picked Michigan or Ohio State to win the conference. Here is how they broke it down:
Lee Corso - Penn State
Mark May - Wisconsin
Lou Holtz - Iowa
Kirk Herbstreit - Penn State

I can't say I agree with them, but we'll see how it turns out as we head into the season.

Big Ten Scheduling Ripped on Gameday

2007-08-25T11:22:00.000-04:00

You know it is almost game week when you turn on ESPN and you see Reese, Lee and Kirk and hear the familiar "College Gameday" theme song.

As I sit hear watching the "College Gameday" season preview, there is not much discussion of the Spartans, but there is much discussion of the Big Ten.
The Big Ten just got ripped for some of the scheduled going on this season - Michigan playing Division I-AA Appalachian State; Ohio State playing Youngstown State, and; Wisconsin playing The Citadel - and I could not agree more.

As much as MSU fans dislike Michigan and other programs in the Big Ten, you have to respect them for what they do year in and year out. And it is an absolute shame to see these top tier programs playing I-AA teams.

That is why I believe strength of schedule must play a role in determining who plays in the BCS Championship game. When Auburn was left out of the mix a few years ago, I had no problem with it because they played a terrible out-of-conference schedule. These schedules are determined years in advance, so some of it is the luck of the draw as to which teams are stronger during the year you play them, but Michigan and Ohio State should never scheduled I-AA teams. I would much rather see the Big Ten teams schedule MAC teams from their states or region than I-AA teams.

We all should be Big Ten fans, but that doesn't mean building bloated records against teams my high school could beat.

Score "300" for Creativity

2007-08-18T22:17:00.000-04:00

If you give Spartan football fans credit for one thing, it has to be for creativity.

Thanks to our friends at SpartanTailgate.com, there is a "300"-themed wallpaper for your computer floating around out there, featuring the Spartan army trouncing some Wolverines, Nittany Lions, Fighting Irish and Hoosiers while some other opponents flee.

Of course, it would be better for Spartan fans if dominance like that takes place on the field instead of in the parking lot on the south side of the stadium.

Tough Schedule? Don't Believe the Hype

2007-08-18T14:37:00.000-04:00

Fans all around Spartan Country - and even those on surrounding communities - have mentioned one thing when discussing MSU's 2007 schedule. They all talk about how tough it is and how difficult it will be for MSU to become bowl eligible for the first time since 2003.

Isn't the schedule always tough? Last I checked, MSU was a member of the Big Ten and plays teams like Michigan, Ohio State and Penn State consistently, not to mention the out-of-conference battle with Notre Dame every year (actually MSU wins that one more often than it takes care of the Nittany Lions, Buckeyes or Wolverines).

Also, the Spartans are not lucky enough to play themselves each year either. You can be sure, especially with MSU's lack of success of the past six or seven years, every team in the conference is looking at the MSU game as a very winnable contest for their program. Remember last year? MSU gave Illinois its first Big Ten win in years - at Spartan Stadium. Indiana manhandled MSU. Of course we don't have to mention what happened in the games against U-M, OSU and PSU.

The bottom line is, MSU needs to start looking at itself and how it can improve into a consistent and winning program not how tough the schedule is, because the schedule will never get easier - not should it.

Returning for (another) new era

2007-08-09T10:37:00.000-04:00

And we are back!

I suppose its a good thing we took the end last season off. I mean, the team did, so why can't we, right?

When I last joined you, our Spartans were in the process of melting down. They had just lost to lowly Illinois at home after blowing a seemingly insurmountable lead against Notre Dame at Spartan Stadium the week before.

After that Illinois game, MSU went 1-6 t finish the year - the only win being the largest comeback in NCAA football history against Northwestern. It was indeed another lost season. It also signaled the end of Drew Stanton's career. He played in only one bowl game during his stay at MSU and that was on special teams and led to a knee injury which still haunts him to this day with the Detroit Lions.

So, as we all hoped, John L. Smith was fired after the season. He was.

Enter Mark Dantonio. Dantonio compiled an 18-17 record while serving as the head coach at the University of Cincinnati, taking the Bearcats to bowl games in his final two seasons.

While the 18-17 record at UC may not be all that impressive, Dantonio certainly has the pedigree for him to be successful, including a history at MSU. Prior to coaching at UC, he worked under Jim Tressel as defensive coordinator - including for the 2002 national championship team. He also was the defensive secondary coach associate head coach under Nick Saban at MSU - including during MSU's most successful season in years, the 10-2 run in 1999.

He has a no-nonsense style and will look to taking MSU football back to its roots of a powerful running game and a defense which hits people in the mouth. Luckily for Spartan fans, the offensive line and stable of running backs are the most talented and experienced units on the team.

After going 9-14 over the last two years, MSU fans should expect - demand - improvement this season. I think Dantonio will deliver thanks to his straightforward approach. It may take some time to bring MSU back towards the top of the conference, but we should certainly see some signs this year.

I will return - 08/01/07

2007-06-24T00:55:00.000-04:00

I know I disappeared during the last football season and a lot has transpired since then. But I will return in all of my glory on August 1.
Stay tuned.....

I'm back... What did I miss?

2006-10-29T10:25:00.000-05:00

Okay, so I took a few weeks off. I was distracted by starting a new job and a little thing called the Major League Baseball playoffs and the World Series.

Who would have thought the World Series would have interfered with paying close attention to Spartan football?

Turns out, it was a good thing this year.

We last left off before the Michigan State/Michigan game in Ann Arbor. Michigan State lost that as expected, then got blown out by Number One Ohio State at home the following week.

Last week, many people thought MSU turned the corner after the amazing comeback against Northwestern. MSU was down 38-3 in the third quarter and rallied for a 41-38 win, evening their record at 4-4 and 1-3 in conference.

They turned the corner right? They had shaken out of the post-Notre Dame funk, right?

Not so much.

The Spartans were crushed by Indiana (Indiana?) this weekend 46-21. They now stand at 4-5, 1-4 in conference.

If only the World Series could have gone on a few weeks longer, we could have avoided the end of the season all together.

"Spartan Bob" - Five years later

2006-10-04T17:28:00.000-04:00

A villain, at least in the eyes of Michigan fans,
was born in East Lansing five years ago during the Michigan/Michigan State game, but he was not on the field.

He was not a player. He was not a coach. And he was not a referee.
"Spartan Bob," as he was named after the game, was the timekeeper in Spartan Stadium on November 3, 2001 as he had been for games year in and year out - but this game would be talked about for years.

As MSU trailed the Wolverines 24-20 with time running out in the fourth-quarter and no times-out remaining, Spartan quarterback Jeff Smoker scrambled towards the goal line. He didn't make it to the end zone, he was down at the two.

With the clock still running, Smoker rushed everyone back to the line of scrimmage so he could spike the ball.

5....

4....

3...

2...

1...

Spike.

The clock stopped.

The Wolverines thought the game was over, but the clock still showed :01 remaining.

"That's criminal!" shouted the play-by-play voice of the Wolverines.

The crowed went wild. "The Spartans are still alive!" they thought.

There was one play left.

Smoker got the ball, drifted to his right and floated a pass across his body to the back of the endzone over the outstretched arms of Michigan defenders and into the arms of a wide open T.J. Duckett.

"Touchdown MSU!" And a 26-24 Spartan victory over their rivals from Ann Arbor.

Michigan fans have never forgotten this game and they have never forgiven "Spartan Bob" for stopping the clock with :01 remaining for that final play.

There are some things, however, that Michigan fans have forgotten which really put the Wolverines in position to lose the game aside from what "Spartan Bob" may have done wrong. Such as:

A 15-yard penalty against U-M's Jeremy Leseur for pulling Charles Rogers down by his face mask on a fourth-and-16 play with 1:18 remaining. No penalty means a U-M victory.
Another penalty for having too many men on the field, giving the Spartans more yardage and keeping them alive.

The worst of all, and this somehow slips the Wolverine fans' minds.

The flag for too many men on the field came out late. Before the flag was thrown, MSU called its last timeout.

But the flag was thrown, the clock was stopped and MSU should have gotten its timeout back. And then Smoker would have been able to use it when he was at the two instead of hurrying to spike the ball and having "Spartan Bob" stop the clock.

No such luck.

As it happened, things still worked out well for MSU in that game, but not the rest of the season.

After the win over Michigan, MSU went on to lose its next three games before downing Missouri to become bowl-eligible. MSU then went on to defeat Fresno State 44-35 in the Silicon Valley Bowl.

Of all the stories and people who have been involved in this rivalry over the years, "Spartan Bob" will be one who is not easily forgotten.

2006 = 2002?

2006-10-03T13:37:00.000-04:00

So here the Spartans are again. Didn't they just go through this four years ago?

An embattled coach, coming off some embarrassing losses including a homecoming loss to an inferior opponent, facing a tremendous amount of heat from the media, alumni and fans and heading into Ann Arbor to face a strong Michigan team.

In 2002, Bobby Williams was 3-5, 1-3 and headed into Michigan with a backup quarterback leading his Spartans due to some off-the-field issues with his star starter. After taking a 3-0 lead to start the game, U-M then went on a 49-0 run to wax the Spartans. It was Bobby Williams' last game as MSU's coach, especially when he responded "I don't know" to a question about whether or not he has "lost" his team. He finished with a 17-18 overall record with MSU.

This season, John L. Smith is heading into Ann Arbor to face undefeated and sixth-ranked Michigan while hearing from the critics after blowing a 16-point lead to Notre Dame in the fourth quarter and losing 23-20 to an Illinois team that had gone 1-25 in its last 26 Big Ten games.

Also, like Williams, Smith had trouble coming up with answers for why his team failed to perform against the Illini. He said he couldn't get them to practice hard all week and didn't have the answer as to how to get them motivated.

Will John L. suffer the same post-Michigan fate as his predecessor?

Smith needs one, if not both, of the next two games. Both will pose a stiff challenge to MSU, heading to Ann Arbor and then bringing in #1-ranked Ohio State the following week.

We'll see if 2006 still has a chance to be a special season.

Sorry John L., we are on the other side now

2006-09-30T20:29:00.000-04:00

We can't do it anymore Coach. There were still some holdouts. We gave you the benefit of the doubt - until today.

Your seat was warm before the season, now it is on fire and you should be fired right along with it.

Losing to Illinois was inexcusable.

Not only did they have a 10-game Big Ten losing streak coming into the game, but the game was at home, it was homecoming and they beat you from start to finish running the same play time and time again.

The beat you with the same zone-read play with Juice Williams. His name is not Vince Young, he is a true freshman named Juice Williams who put up 103 yards against you running the ball.

The thing is, your offense runs that play, so the defense has seen in plenty of times before in practice. Yet you still could not stop it.

True, both Javon Ringer and Drew Stanton left the game with injuries. But last I checked they don't play on defense and they weren't producing offensively when they were on the field.

You said it. You said it is the coaches job to get the team ready and prepared to play. If your team was not prepared enough to play Illinois for homecoming, when will they be ready to play?

It's over. The team has derailed and so has the season. This will be the first time the Spartans have stayed home three consecutive years during bowl season since the 18-year stretch between 1966 and 1984 when their simply weren't many bowls to go to.

We suffered through Louisiana Tech, Rutgers and Hawaii and now back-to-back homecoming losses to Northwestern and Illinois.

It is unfortunately obvious you are not the man to turn the Spartans around. Instead, we are seeing similarities between you and Bobby Williams and the 2002 season. A bowl win in your first year, experts suggesting you have lost your team and now a team ready to implode before playing Michigan in Ann Arbor.

Bobby and his team lost 49-3 that season, will you fare any better?

The new wagon I am on got awfully full today, will you or Ron Mason notice?

The loss that was more than a loss

2006-09-30T16:02:00.000-04:00

If it wasn't bad enough that MSU choked away a 16-point fourth quarter lead at home against Notre Dame and followed that up by helping Illinois break their 10-game Big Ten losing streak by not showing up at Spartan Stadium on Saturday, it got worse.

Both quarterback Drew Stanton and running back Javon Ringer were knocked out of the game with injuries. Stanton looked just shaken up after a near fumble, but Ringer's injury looked much worse after taking a shot to his right knee in the first half.

Redshirt sophomore quarterback Brian Hoyer came in to lead the Spartans to two scoring drives to tie the game and Jehuu Caulcrick and A.J. Jimmerson are capable backups for Ringer, but those injuries did not come at a good time with Michigan and Ohio State next on the schedule.

We will have to wait and see how extensive the injuries are.

Illinois 23, MSU 20

2006-09-30T15:22:00.000-04:00

And the collapse is on!

After blowing a 16-point fourth quarter lead last week against Notre Dame, many wondered how Michigan State would respond. Would the Spartans (3-2, 0-1) fold like a cheap tent as they did in 2005 after losing to Michigan? Or would they respond well and trounce one of the Big Ten doormats.

Now we know. And with games against Michigan and Ohio State looming in the next two weeks, the future of the Spartans 2006 campaign is a bleak as ever.

After letting Notre Dame chase Drew Stanton all over the field last week, Illinois (2-3, 1-1) was able to pressure Stanton all afternoon leading to five sacks and eventually knocking him out for the game in the fourth quarter.

Redshirt sophomore quarterback Brian Hoyer did lead two scoring drives to tie the game, but this game was on the defense.

Defensive coordinator Chris Smeland and his defensive crew gave up 252 yards rushing to the Ilini who came into the game averaging just 160 on the ground.

Meanwhile, the Spartan offense, put up just 259 yards and only 82 of those came on the ground (MSU had been averaging 255 rushing yards per game).

In the past five quarters, MSU has been outscored 42-20 and has put its season on the brink.

The house of cards that is Spartan football is coming down yet again.

Illinois - A fine way to get healthy

2006-09-29T21:41:00.000-04:00

After collapsing against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish last Saturday, the Spartans could not have asked for a better teal to play against to regain their confidence.

Not only is it Homecoming in East Lansing, but Illinois is just 1-3 overall and 0-1 in the Big Ten so far this season. The Illini were defeated 24-7 by Iowa last week at home in the Big Ten opener for both teams.

Illinois has also provided a way for the Spartans to get healthy plenty of times over the last decade or so. MSU (3-1, 0-0) has defeated Illinois nine consecutive times and 10 out the last 11 - including four consecutive in games played in East Lansing.

Meanwhile, Michigan State blew a sure-fire win against Notre Dame last week, but still boast the top offense in the Big Ten and 5th ranked offense in the country. MSU's rushing attack is tops in the conference and 5th in the nation and it is ranked 5th in the conference and 45th in the nation in passing.

Defensively, the Spartans have the 7th rated defense in the conference and 54th in the nation.

Illinois brings in Juice Williams at quarterback who has completed just 22-of-62 passes for 427 yards, three touchdowns and three interceptions. They are led on the ground by Pierre Thomas who has rushed 40 times for 239 yards and two touchdowns.

This season, Illinois has been outscored 105-70, defeating Eastern Illinois and losing to Rutgers, Syracuse and Iowa. Of the Illinois 70 points, 42 of them came against Eastern Illinois and they were completely shutout by Rutgers, 3-0.

As I said, a perfect team to play to get healthy.

For the record: MSU leads the all-time series with Illinois 23-16-2 and leads 12-7-1 in East Lansing.

In last year's game (to put the Spartans to 4-0 on the season before the collapse of 2005), MSU waxed Illinois 61-14 in Champaign. Drew Stanton was 20-of-26 for 259 yards and a school record five touchdowns while Javon Ringer rushed 13 times for a MSU-freshman record 194 yards.

The Valenti meltdown

2006-09-29T18:23:00.000-04:00

Alright, so this is a little old and you might not want to re-live ANY aspect of the MSU/Notre Dame debacle, but this is a classic bit of radio.

Normally, I am not into big time rants and raves on talk shows, I think most of the time they are phony. I just think it is impossible to go SO worked up about something, no matter how passionate you are about.

But this is special.

It comes to us from Mike Valenti, an MSU grad, who co-hosts "The Sports Inferno" with Detroit News columnist Terry Foster on 1270 WXYT The Sports Station in Detroit. Maybe I enjoy it so much because Valenti has a way with words and this show certainly has become a favorite of mine over the past few months.

Click here to relive those moments from Monday: http://media.putfile.com/Valenti-rant

MSU fans have seen this movie before

2006-09-24T12:25:00.000-04:00

MSU takes a big lead, dominating its competition, running them up and down the field.
Then mistakes and penalties pile up.
MSU loses the lead and then the game.

Sound familiar?

Unfortunately for MSU fans, this scenario has played out far too often - especially in the past few years.

2006 - MSU leads Notre Dame 31-14 at half, loses 40-37
2005 - MSU leads at Ohio State 17-7 before a major special teams gaffe on the last play of the first half and subsequent second-half collapse to lose 35-24.
2005 - MSU leads at Notre Dame 38-24 going into the fourth quarter, gives up 14 fourth quarter points and hang on for a 44-41 win in overtime.
2004 - MSU leads at Michigan 27-10 and loses 45-37 in triple overtime.

As Spartan fans know all to well, the loss to Michigan in 2004 and the loss to Ohio State in 2005 were the starting points to humiliating season-ending meltdowns.

This season, after Saturday's collapse against the Irish, MSU has a home game against Illinois before taking on the Wolverines and Buckeyes in the following two weeks.

These Spartans need to show they can withstand the adversity they inflicted on themselves against the Irish and continue to battle as the Big Ten season begins - and after Illinois, it begins with a bang.

Notre Dame 40, Michigan State 37

2006-09-24T02:15:00.000-04:00

Notre Dame scored 19 fourth quarter points to cap its come-from-behind 40-37 win over the Spartans on Saturday night in East Lansing.

The Spartans (3-1) led 31-14 at halftime, but faltered both on offense and on defense in the second half, allowing the Fighting Irish (3-1) to stay in and then ultimately win the game.

More analysis to come later when it sinks in.

R.I.P. Frank "Muddy" Waters

2006-09-21T10:42:00.000-04:00

Former Michigan State head football coach Frank "Muddy" Waters died at his home in Saginaw on Wednesday at the age of 83.

Waters coached MSU from 1980-82 and had a record of 10-23 during that span. Waters also was a fullback for the Spartans from 1946-49.

Waters also coached at Hillsdale College and Saginaw Valley State University.

1966 Michigan State-Notre Dame revisited

2006-09-20T10:47:00.000-04:00

When Michigan State and Notre Dame meet on Saturday night in Spartan Stadium in front of a national television audience, both teams will be honoring the teams who played in one of the greatest games of all time - the 1966 10-10 tie between No. 1 Notre Dame and No. 2 Michigan State.

The game ended in a tie because of the strategy employed by Notre Dame coach Ara Parseghian which is still debated today.

After being down to the Big Ten Champion Spartans 10-0 in the first half, Notre Dame came back to tie the game in the second half.

Then with 1:10 left in the game and possessing the ball on the Michigan State 30-yard line, Parseghian elected to run out the clock and settle for the tie instead of trying to work down the field for a game winning touchdown or field goal.

Should Parseghian have tried for the win? Or was he playing not to lose the game and therefore the national title? Would it have mattered?

Instead, the game ended in a draw, and after defeating USC the following week, Notre Dame was voted the National Champion by the media while Michigan State (also undefeated with a tie) finished #2. (The Spartans have also been recognized as 1966 National Champions according to the NCAA)

This game has been and will always be discussed in the lore of college football and the Michigan State-Notre Dame rivalry. Another reason it's great to be a Spartan.

MSU 38, Pitt 23

2006-09-17T12:06:00.000-04:00

The Spartans took care of business on their first road trip of the year, defeating the Pitt Panthers 38-23 to improve their mark to 3-0.

Despite some slow going on offense early and falling behind 10-0, MSU was able to rattle off 38 unanswered points in the second and third quarters to take control of the game.

I think this was the game many people were looking for - to see the offense make plays and control the game while the defense looked improved over last year.

More analysis to come later as yours truly is traveling for work and it is a big week with Notre Dame coming to town on Saturday. We'll see how the Irish feel after being waxed at home by the Michigan Wolverines.

Big plays are a big deal

2006-09-14T22:59:00.000-04:00

It's hard to argue that Michigan State's Achilles heel over the past few seasons has been its defense - especially the secondary.

While it looks like the secondary is much improved this season with safeties Otis Wiley and Nehemiah Warrick leading the way with 20 and 15 tackles respectively. (Of course it is not a good thing to have your safeties leading the team in tackles, but we'll discuss that another day.)

As the Spartans head into Pittsburgh this weekend to battle the Panthers, the secondary will need to be on high alert.

In their two wins this season, Pitt has had scoring plays of 78-, 80- and 72-yards to their big receivers Derek Kinder (left) and Oderick Turner.

Behind quarterback Tyler Palko, the Panthers have thrown for an average of 275 yards per game so far this year, which is two more yards per game than MSU. MSU however, runs a more balanced attack by also running for 200+ yards per game compared to Pitt's 98.

For MSU to be successful on Saturday, Palko will have to be pressured and the secondary will have to come ready to play.

MSU and the Big East

2006-09-14T12:19:00.000-04:00

As Michigan State heads into Pittsburgh this weekend for its first road test of the season, we should take a look at how the Spartans have done against teams from the Big East conference

The Spartans have, over time, compiled a pretty good record against teams from the Big East. They have a 21-9-2 mark against teams from that conference.

However, MSU has just a 4-5-1 in its last 10 games played against current Big East members. Those results are as follows:

9/23/78 - Def. Syracuse 49-21 in East Lansing
9/10/88 - Lost to Rutgers 17-13 in East Lansing
9/15/90 - Tied Syracuse 23-23 at Syracuse
9/29/90 - Def. Rutgers 34-10 at Rutgers
9/28/91 - Lost to Rutgers 14-7 in East Lansing
12/28/93 - Lost to Louisville 18-7 in the Liberty Bowl
9/16/95 - Def. Louisville 30-7 at Louisville
9/21/96 - Lost to Louisville 30-20 in East Lansing
9/6/03 - Def. Rutgers 44-28 in East Lansing
9/4/04 - Lost to Rutgers 19-14 at Rutgers

MSU is an underdog in Saturday's game, lets hope they can reverse the tide of the recent slide against the Big East.

Spartans representing in Texas

2006-09-10T00:01:00.000-04:00

While watching ESPN's College GameDay broadcast from Austin, Texas on Saturday, you might have noticed some things that looked out of place as fans down there prepared for the Ohio State/Texas game later that night.

If a few shots of Lee Corso and Kirk Herbstreit, there was a Block S Michigan State flag flying in the background. Whoever was waving it changed it out with a Detroit Tigers flag from time to time as well.

Good work Texas Spartans!

We'll be keeping our eyes on the background during next week's broadcast!

Matt Trannon - Record Breaker

2006-09-09T19:30:00.000-04:00

Michigan State senior wide receiver etched his name in the school record book on Saturday during the Spartans' 52-20 win over Eastern Michigan.

Trannon caught 14 passes in the game, surpassing former Spartan and current New York Giant Plaxico Burress who caught 13 passes in the 2000 Citrus Bowl win over Florida.

The names atop the school record book for receptions in a single game is impressive and now looks like this:

1 - Matt Trannon - 14 vs. Eastern Michigan (2006)
2 - Plaxico Burress - 13 vs. Florida (2000)
3 - Mitch Lyons - 12 vs. Michigan (1992)
4 - Josh Keur - 11 vs. Northwestern (1997)
Andre Rison - 11 vs. Indiana (1986)
6 - Charles Rogers - 10 vs. Fresno State (2001)
Plaxico Burress - 10 vs. Michigan (1999)
Plaxico Burress - 10 vs. Purdue (1998)
Derrick Mason - 10 vs. Michigan (1996)
Darrin McClelland - 10 vs. Michigan (1982)
Ted Jones - 10 vs. Illinois (1980)

Congratulations Matt Trannon!

MSU 52, Eastern Michigan 20

2006-09-09T19:29:00.000-04:00

For the second week in a row, Michigan State defeated a second-rate opponent. And for the second week in a row, Spartan fans are left wondering exactly what kind of team they have.

MSU only lead 24-17 at halftime and the lead was cut again to 24-20 early in the first quarter before pouring it on the rest of the second half.

Like the Idaho game in week one, the postgame stats show MSU dominating the game, but EMU was able to put a few plays together in the first half to keep MSU fans interested and on the edge of their seats.

MSU put 586 yards of total offense on the overmatch Eagles, including 264 on the ground. EMU gained a total of 272 yards. Stanton also rushed for 33 yards on nine attempts and two touchdowns.

Drew Stanton was as efficient as ever connecting on 24 of 32 attempts for 254 yards, three touchdowns and one interception.

The running game was more effective than is was against Idaho, with Javon Ringer leading the way with 130 yards on 15 carries for a 8.7 yards per carry average. Redshirt freshman A.J. Jimmerson, in his first action of the season, gained 79 yards on 10 carries (7.9 ypr average).

The story of the game was Matt Trannon who broke the school record for catched in a game with 14 for 151 yards and two touchdowns and he even threw a TD as well.

Defensively, MSU showed more than they did last week against Idaho, limiting the Eagles to just 42 yards on the ground, but allowed 230 through the air.

More analysis to come this week as MSU takes its show on the road to Pittsburgh for the first road test of the season.

Michigan does Spartan fans no favors

2006-09-09T19:26:00.000-04:00

A lightning strike near Michigan Stadium during the Wolverine's win over Central Michigan caused a one-hour "weather delay".

For Spartan fans awaiting the MSU-Eastern Michigan game at 3:30 p.m., that caused a problem.

Both the U-M and MSU games were on WXYZ-TV in Detroit, but thanks to the weather delay, the U-M game ran well over the allotted time and into the MSU time slot.

Luckily, the folks at WXYZ saw the U-M/CMU game was a blowout and switched over to the Spartan game - but not in time.

By the time the game switched over, MSU was already down 3-0 a few minutes into the game, causing fans like your truly to ask, "What the hell happened?"

Those Wolverines just can't stop interfering with the Spartans, can they?

Halting the MAC Attack

2006-09-08T22:51:00.000-04:00

As Michigan State prepares to take on Eastern Michigan in its second game of the 2006 season tomorrow, it bring to mind an anniversary that Spartan fans would rather forget all about.

It's been 15 years since the first of MSU's back-to-back losses to Central Michigan of the Mid-American Conference in 1991.

And it still haunts Spartan fans and gives ammunition to fans of the other Big Ten schools. When people mention former MSU coach George Perles, they don't always remember the fact that he took Michigan State to its last Big Ten title in 1990 and its last Rose Bowl in 1988, but they remember the losses to Central.

Losses like that are not supposed to happen.

Big Ten teams are not supposed to lose to their MAC cousins.

Worse yet, Big Ten teams from Michigan are not supposed to lose to their directional cousins.

There is no doubt that MSU fans would rather not think about those two losses, but the program has done its part to move on.

Since the second Central loss, Michigan State has won 12 straight games against members of of the MAC, winning their last 10 games by an average score of 40-12.

Back to the Eastern game on the docket for tomorrow, Michigan State is 6-0 against the Eagles (or Hurons) including a 56-7 win the last time the two teams met in 2002 at Spartan Stadium.

As a 25+ point favorite on Saturday, Spartan fans are hoping they see a repeat of 2002, not 1992.

The smallest BMOC

2006-09-07T23:28:00.000-04:00

When Sports Illustrated came out with its College Football Preview Edition, it listed the Big Men on Campus (or BMOC) for each of the Division 1A football programs in the nation.

If you guessed senior quarterback Drew Stanton was listed as the MSU BMOC, you'd be right.

However, as this season unfolds, Stanton might get a run for his money from 5-foot-eight, 151-pound freshman kicker Brett Swenson.

What did Swenson do to earn such high praise? He made a 35-yard field goal and a 23-yard field goal.

Alright, it doesn't sound like much. Let me put it this way. After last Saturday's 27-17 win over Idaho, Swenson needs only four more successful kicks to surpass last years team total of five field goals.

For all the blame that has gone around for the Spartans 2005 collapse, much of the blame can and should be placed at the feet (literally) of the MSU kickers. Last year's kickers went 5-for-16 on the year. That's right, 5-for-16!

With that kind of performance, the team and the coaching staff had such little faith in its kicking game that field goals were not an option at the end of the season and the red-zone pressure mounted on Stanton.

The 2005 kickers did not even attempt a field goal until the third game of the season against Notre Dame and John Goss' season long was 32-yards - Swenson surpassed that in his first try.

So as you heard a collective sigh of relief from Spartan Stadium last Saturday, it was because the little kicker from Florida was growing into a big man on campus - even if it was after just a 35-yard field goal.

Team knows more was expected against Vandals

2006-09-03T08:44:00.000-04:00

A win is a win, but sometimes just winning isn't good enough

Despite racking up 400 yards, going 4-4 in the red zone, blocking a field goal and picking off a pass in their opening game 27-17 win over Idaho, many Spartans know they have work to do if this is going to be a successful season.

Just read what senior defensive tackle Clifton Ryan had to say after the game:
- On the victory overall: “I’m very concerned. We win by 10? They play in a decent conference in the WAC (Western Athletic Conference), but we play in a premier conference in the country. We should have made a better statement. We have a lot of work to do. We’ve got to get this train on the right road. If not, it’s going to be a long season.”
- On MSU's run defense: We’ve got to get tougher up front. We’ve got to do a better job of playing on their side of the line of scrimmage. They got too many rushing yards on us (113). In our conference, you’re facing backs like (Michigan’s) Michael Hart, the guy at Northwestern, Tyrell Sutton. We’ve got those guys on our schedule. I’m giving credit to Idaho’s backs, but they’re nowhere near those guys’ caliber (in the Big Ten). We’ve got to do a whole lot better job of stopping the run"

Senior quarterback Drew Stanton:
- On the offense helping the defense: Offensively we need to work on our drives. We can't go three-and-out, especially against an offense that is going to control the ball like that. We need to help our defense and keep their offense off the field."

Senior linebacker David Herron, Jr. who had an interception in the game:
- On the run defense: "We just need to stop the run better, and we need to take it upon ourselves to improve on that. That wasn't our best showing, we can be better than what we showed today. We have to give Idaho credit though - they ran the ball hard."

Coach John L. Smith was a little more positive in his comments, but sees the same problems:
- On MSU's run defense: "They ran the ball on us more than I would have liked to see. We have to work on that."
- On the offense: "I would have liked to see us work the ball a little better. I think our offensive staff is going to take a look at this and learn a lot from it."

We thought next weeks game against Eastern Michigan was an afterthought, but the Spartans need to show something more.

MSU 27, Idaho 17

2006-09-02T15:14:00.000-04:00

Michigan State got itself an opening game win, defeating the Idaho Vandals 27-17, but it was neither easy nor pretty for the Spartans.

Idaho dominated the time of possession behind the running of Jayson Bird, who led the Vandals with 89 yards on the ground. Idaho as a team gained 113 on the ground and 268 total, compared to MSU's 175 rushing and 400 total.

At first blush, it was not the kind of performance Spartan fans were looking for to start the season. MSU, 29-point favorite and home of one of the most explosive offenses in the country, should have dominated a team that went 2-9 last year with one of the worst defenses in the country.

But last year, Idaho didn't have Bird in the backfield or Dennis Erickson coaching on the sidelines.

Idaho simply did what they - and all underdogs for that matter - needed to do: run the ball and run to clock to keep Drew Stanton and Co. off the field.

They did exactly that, holding the ball for nearly five more minutes than the Spartans.

With that stat in mind, there is work to be done, particularly stopping the run. After all, Bird is not Mike Hart, Darius Walker or Antonio Pittman and their offensive line is not Michigan's, Notre Dame's or Ohio State's.

The defensive line and linebackers need to wrap people up in the backfield and not let them slip through the line, as Bird did on his touchdown.

On a positive note, the offense gained 400 yards during the limited time they were on the field and showed just how many weapons it has with six players catching at least one pass in the game. Stanton was fairly efficient going 16-25 for 225 yards and a touchdown and MSU scored each of the four times it was in the red zone.

Also, the secondary looks to be a improved over last year. Sophomore safety Otis Wiley made his presence felt by breaking up a number of passes thrown his way.

For MSU fans, watching the game with such high expectations was worse than the stats would indicate - but the team needs to show more next week against Eastern Michigan.

Positives:
- Stanton: Efficient as usual with no turnovers and accounting for two TDs
- Secondary: Gave up some yards, but broke up some passes and did not give up any big plays
- Kicking game: Swenson was 2-3 on field goals and Fields bombed three punts for a 55.7 yard average
- Pass blocking: Stanton had plenty of time to see the field and make plays

Negatives:
- Run defense: Allowed Idaho to run the ball to run the clock and keep the offense off the field
- Only 4-11 on third downs

Why wait to see the games? Here is how they finish...

2006-08-31T23:37:00.000-04:00

Alright ladies and gentlemen, we are all geared up for the start of the season, but there is no need to wait until November 18 to see how the Big Ten will shake out.. Here's the order of finish.

1 - Ohio State - 11-1 (8-0)
2 - Iowa - 11 -1 (7-1)
3 - Penn State - 9-3 (6-2)
Michigan - 9-3 (6-2)
5 - Wisconsin - 9-3 (5-3)
6 - Michigan State - 8-4 (5-3)
7 - Purdue - 6-7 (4-4)
8 - Minnesota - 5-7 (2-6)
9 - Northwestern - 4-8 (1-7)
Illinois -4-8 (1-7)
Indiana - 4-8 (1-7)

Let's all check back to see how right I am...

Ringer the returner

2006-08-30T23:05:00.000-04:00

When Spartan fans heard the news that sophomore running back Javon Ringer was going to be returning kicks this year, they immediately flashed back to the 2003 Alamo Bowl in which a certain quarter back went down after being hit on a special teams play.

Sure, it will be argued that Stanton was not hit during the play, rather because of a cheap-shot after the whistle blew, but that is beside the point.

The point is - is it worth the risk to have a star returning kicks with the entire opposition bearing down on him.

Ringer is going to be the featured back in 2006, sharing time with junior Jehuu Caulcrick and redshirt freshman A.J. Jimmerson. He earned the starting spot after leading the team in rushing last season on 6.7 yards per carry and coming in second on the team in total offense behind only Drew Stanton.

Fans who have cringed at the idea of Ringer playing returner should remember that people like - Charles Rogers, Derrick Mason, Courtney Hawkins, Gari Scott and DeAndra Cobb all spent time returning kicks and punts. (Scott is the all-time kick return yardage leader while Mason tops the list for punt return yards.)

That said, what John L. is doing with Ringer is not anything like having Stanton serve as a gunner in the 2003 Alamo Bowl. What he is doing is to put his best player out there to put his team in the best position to win.

That said, I'm going to keep holding my breath during every punt and kick that Ringer is returning.

No Bowls? No problem for ticket sales

2006-08-30T22:44:00.000-04:00

It was announced ealier this week from the MSU ticket office that over 60,000 sets of season tickets have been purchased for the upcoming season.

The 61,227 season sets sold is the second most all-time, coming up just short of the all-time record of 61,479 set for the 2000 campaign.

So let's get this straight after two straight losing, bowl-less seasons, after all the complaining and calling for John L. Smith's head, the Spartan faithfull dug deep into their pockets and bucked up for a near record amount of season tickets sold.

Is anyone getting this?

Setting the record after the 1999 season made sense. The program had shown some promise. Sure, Nick Saban left for the Bayou, but MSU was coming off its best season in years (10-2) and a victory over Florida in the Citrus Bowl.

So why so many tickets sold after going a combined 10-13 over the past two seasons and experts predicting no better than a middle-of-the-pack Big Ten season this year?

Is it simply to see Drew Stanton lead what is sure to be one of the top offenses in the country? Or is there legitimate hope among Spartan fans that the experts have somehow overlooked this team and it'll be the surprise of the conference as Penn State was a year ago? I can't explain it, but I am hoping the real reason is the latter.

One thing Spartan fans can say is that they are loyal, possibly to a fault (Detroit Lions anyone?). MSU has been ranked in the top 20 nationally in attendance in each of the past 50 years, despite having most of their success during the early part of that span.

The fans are paying good money to see luxury suites built and other renovations to the stadium, let's hope the team pays them back on the field this season.

New Season... New Blog

2006-08-27T22:35:00.000-04:00

Alright Spartan Football fans - we've got less than a week before the 2006 campaign begins, so I thought I might give you my perspective on things as the season unfolds.

As we all know, last season started off strong. They bulldozed their way 4-0 start to the season, they prompted the spread of "Stanton for Heisman" t-shirts around campus and they continued the annual tradition of defeating of Notre Dame.

Then? Collapse!

An OT loss to Michigan for the second year in a row, a loss at Ohio State despite outplaying the Buckeyes for the first half before the kicking gaffe.

This year?

The offense should remain one of the most potent in the country but the defense still reamains a major question mark. Can the JUCO transfers like Nehemiah Warrick make a difference in the secondary.

Only 6 days to find out... stay tuned...