A quick end of the year wrap-up

This is one final post before the end of the year, sort of a quick "year-end wrap-up."

 

For MSU sports fans, the year 2014 literally peaked on January 1. The next 364 days were a bit of a comedown.

 

In 2013, the final year of the BCS era, the Spartan football team finally made a BCS bowl; and in the last year in which the Rose Bowl was, for the most part, the game we grew up with, MSU participated. In what felt like a throwback to Rose Bowls of the past, the Big Ten champion Spartans took on the PAC 12 champion Stanford Cardinal. And in a good old fashioned defensive slobber knocker, the Spartans made a memorable 4th down stand and won 24-20. Spartan football ended the season ranked #3 for its highest finish in my lifetime.

 

And that day was the pinnacle of the Michigan State sports year.

 

MSU basketball had a very good season, albeit injury-plagued and somewhat frustrating. The highlight for me was the Big Ten tournament, in which a finally full-strength Spartan team demolished Wisconsin and Michigan to take the title. The team entered the NCAA tournament as many pundits' favorite to win it all. Even President Obama picked MSU to go all the way. (In retrospect, this may have been the kiss of death). The Spartans made it to the Elite Eight before falling to eventual champion UConn. I can still remember watching the game on a warm April day at my brother's house. The Spartans looked to be in command at halftime before everything inexplicably unraveled in the second half. Not only did MSU not win the national championship, but the 2014 senior class became the first one under Tom Izzo to not make a Final Four. This was a remarkable streak that was bound to end at some point.

 

With the end of basketball season in April, it was finally time to unwind and reflect on what an amazing time it had been in 2013-14 for MSU football (mainly) and basketball (to a slightly lesser extent). 2013 had been such an incredible year for football that I was really in no hurry for the 2014 season to begin.

 

I must have been one of the few who never expected the 2014 football team to improve upon what had been accomplished in 2013. A 13-1 record (undefeated in Big Ten play) plus a Rose Bowl victory is special. It may be a once in a generation season. So what the 2014 team accomplished (thus far) was NOT a disappointment for me. Sure, a spot in the four-team playoff would have been fantastic, but it just wasn't meant to be.

 

The 2014 Spartan football team is 10-2 (7-1 in conference play) with the Cotton Bowl still to be played tomorrow. In '13, a spirited and focused MSU team punched Ohio State in the mouth in the Big Ten title game. When the teams had their rematch in '14, the Buckeyes had a score to settle. It was MSU's only blemish in the conference season and probably the only roadblock to MSU actually making the four team football playoff.

 

With the 2014-15 Spartan basketball team floundering, who knows what 2015 has in store. If MSU football could find a way to beat a high octane Baylor team in tomorrow's Cotton Bowl, the year could get off to a rousing start.

 

As a grizzled veteran of many, many disappointing MSU sports seasons of the past, I have very little to complain about now. Tom Izzo, despite the travails of this year's team, is a great basketball coach who is still the envy of most college basketball programs in America. Despite the arrival of "The Messiah" Jim Harbaugh in Ann Arbor, there is no reason that both Michigan AND Michigan State football can't be simultaneously successful. MSU football is in great hands under Mark Dantonio.

When you get down to it, this is a great time to be a Michigan State sports fan, and there's no reason not to be confident and optimistic about the future.

Maryland 68, Michigan State 66

Tonight's 68-66 MSU loss to Maryland was quite possibly the ugliest college basketball game I've ever witnessed. If nothing else, it was the most unsightly first half of basketball in my memory, If one were to see the 17-14 halftime score across the ESPN crawl, he or she would be forgiven for thinking it was a football score. The first half was so horrible, in fact, that with 6:24 left in the first half, Michigan State had only six points. Maryland wasn't much better, they had eleven.

 

Play was marginally better in the second half and the two overtimes, but the more prolific scoring was probably due more to the fact the game became a glorified free throw shooting contents. If the game comes to that, MSU is at a serious disadvantage.

 

MSU had a chance to win in regulation, and they had a chance to win in the first overtime. In fact, MSU had numerous chances to pull away in the game but just could not do it.

 

I know that criticizing Tom Izzo is practically verboten around these parts, and I do so rarely because the man's track record speaks for itself and he knows more basketball in his pinky finger that I could ever hope to know in a lifetime. Still, I question the timeout call on Bryn Forbes' breakaway with about twelve seconds left in the first half (though I have since heard that it was, in fact, Travis Trice who called the timeout) and not fouling Maryland before the Terps were able to launch the game-tying three-pointer that sent the game into the first overtime.

 

The bottom line is that this basketball team is not very good right now. Perhaps part of this is due to Branden Dawson still overcoming his injury. But even with a healthy Dawson, this team has struggled against good competition. There are just too many weaknesses: lack of a consistent interior presence, absolutely atrocious free throw shooting that never seems to improve, and an overreliance on perimeter shooting that is inconsistent at best. To top it all off, there is nobody on the team that seems able to take charge when the game is on the line.

 

It may just be "one of those years." But I fear that if matters don't improve, MSU's NCAA tournament streak is in jeopardy

Catching up

I am writing this on a brand-new tablet that I received for Christmas. It was a most unexpected but pleasant surprise. No longer will I have to tap out this blog on my Android phone or sneak it in via any desktop computer that makes itself momentary available.

 

It's been quite an eventful few weeks in collegiate sports.

 

At this point, it seems a certainty that Jim Harbaugh will end up as Michigan's new football coach. I'd hoped that he'd turn down Michigan simply so I could witness the collective hand-wringing that would inevitably occur. Unfortunately, with the way the San Francisco 49ers' season has flamed out, it's almost inevitable that Harbaugh will cast his lot with the Wolverines.

 

With Harbaugh to Michigan, we'll have to deal with the inevitable "Michigan is back" chatter. The nausea factor will reach extreme levels. The Detroit media in particular is just clamoring for Michigan football to be relevant again, and we non-Michigan fans will simply have to weather the hype machine for at least a few weeks or perhaps months.

 

Back to Michigan State: the Spartan basketball team has had a rocky few weeks. The Eastern Michigan game was an inspired victory over a team that I still maintain is a contender for the MAC title. The Spartans handled the 2-3 zone with aplomb en route to a 86-66 victory. I was lucky enough to score tickets to the EMU game and brought my oldest son, who agreed to join me even though he's not much of a basketball fan.

 

The EMU game was followed up by a game against Texas Southern that was a polar opposite in terms of energy and urgency--and MSU couldn't make a shot to save its life. In some fairness to the Spartans, the Breslin Center (at least as it appeared on television) was a morgue and there was little energy from the fans for the team to feed upon. The crowd didn't come alive until Texas Southern took the lead with under two minutes left in regulation. It seemed like the sheer shock of the deficit woke the fans from their slumber. Unfortunately, the Spartans had already fallen permanently to sleep.

 

After the embarrassing loss to Texas Southern, which was easily the equal of Michigan's stunning defeat at the hands of New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT), the Spartans bounced back with a win over The Citadel--a game that few saw because it wasn't on television.

 

MSU basketball opens up the Big Ten schedule in two days against 12-1 Maryland. The Terps' biggest wins are against Iowa State and Oklahoma State, with its only loss coming against Virginia. So not an overwhelmingly strong schedule for Maryland, but still a 12-1 record is nothing to take lightly.

 

Four days until MSU football's game against Baylor in the Cotton Bowl. I hope that Pat Narduzzi can leave Michigan State on a bright note with the Spartans' defense containing Baylor's "track meet on a football field" offense. I'm worried that MSU struggled against Oregon and Ohio State, two teams with similar offensive attacks as Baylor. My hope is that lessons have been learned from those two losses and will be applied to the Baylor game.

My own Michigan State football "Mt. Rushmore"

Before the Big Ten Network unveils its "Michigan State football Mt. Rushmore," I present to you my own. I can't say I spent much time pouring over names or agonizing, in fact I spent less than 15 minutes on this. I may very well be forgetting some important players that should be included. But looking at these four players, I feel fairly comfortable that it's not a half-bad "Mt. Rushmore." Just for the heck of it, I also added an honorable mention list.

Michigan State football Mt. Rushmore (or, more accurately, Mt. Spartan)

George Webster The glue, and certainly the undisputed leader, of the 1965/66 Big Ten and national championship Spartans. Duffy Daugherty created the roverback position for him, utilizing Webster's great talents to make a hybrid defensive back/linebacker. George Webster was voted MSU's greatest player ever when the question was put to vote during the 1969 college football centennial year.

Lorenzo White Two-time American and MSU's all-time rushing leader. Lo White finished top five in the Heisman voting of 1985 and 1987. He was the best MSU football player that this writer ever saw play in person.

Darqueze Dennard Is it premature to place Dennard in this list? Maybe. But he was the star player on the 2013 team, the best MSU football team in 47 years. That has to account for something. Dennard was the leader of the "No Fly Zone" and dared teams to attempt to pass on the Spartans. When opponents took up the challenge, they were usually unsuccessful.

Don Coleman Biggie Munn's first great player, helping to pave the way for Michigan State's glory years from 1950 to 1966. Michigan State's first unanimous All-American and the school's first African-American All-American.

Honorable mentions

Bubba Smith
Kirk Gibson
Gideon Smith
Brad Van Pelt

Disappointing football season: I think NOT...and the best EMU basketball team since 1998 arrives in East Lansing tonight

I keep hearing, on local sports talk radio, about how Michigan State football fans are "disappointed" with this season.

I'd like to know who these fans are, because I have yet to meet one or talk to one. Perhaps some younger MSU football fans are disappointed, but I'm old enough to remember the dark days--and there were plenty of those--so a 10-2 season for me is like heaven. No, 2014 did not equal or exceed 2013, but I didn't expect that. But anyone who is "disappointed" with a 7-1 conference record (10-2 overall record) is a complete idiot with no historical perspective.

***

Eastern Michigan basketball is no joke. They will give Michigan State a huge challenge tonight with their smothering and quick 2-3 zone. Rob Murphy has done a great job in Ypsilanti and this is probably EMU's best basketball team since the 1997-98 MAC championship team led by Earl Boykins and Derrick Dial. Coincidentally, that EMU team gave MSU everything it could handle in the first round of the 1998 NCAA tournament. The Mateen Cleaves-led Spartans pulled away late and won 83-71.

I watched EMU beat Michigan last week and that game was no fluke. Granted, Michigan is struggling a bit this season, but the game was at Crisler and the Eagles were relentless the entire game. The Eagles are fast and energetic. They never gave Michigan a break at any point in that game.

At the same time, Eastern has MSU's full attention, so the element of surprise won't be there. In addition, Eastern's zone may not match up as well with MSU as it did with Michigan. MSU can both distribute and shoot the ball well, though if the shots happen to not fall tonight then the Spartans could be in trouble. MSU, though they are a good passing team, are prone to turnovers and EMU's pressing, in-your-face zone defense can create turnovers. I could easily see EMU pulling the upset...but I'm leaning towards MSU anyway. Eastern will play hard, but MSU should win by between 5-10 points. Call it: Michigan State 65, Eastern Michigan 57.

Catching up with Spartan (and Big Ten) football

I've been unintentionally silent for the last week. Since I last wrote in here, a lot has happened in the Big Ten.

 

Ohio State parlayed its 59-0 blowout of Wisconsin in the Big Ten Championship Game into a spot in the four team national championship playoff. The Buckeyes will play Alabama and, in this case, I'd love for the Big Ten to knock the SEC down a few pegs, so I'll be rooting for the Bucks.

 

Gary Andersen is out as Wisconsin coach and it's hard to make any sense of it. Was the fallout from the Ohio State shellacking so embarrassing that perhaps the Godfather (aka Barry Alvarez) gave Andersen an "offer he couldn't refuse"? Or was it simply that Andersen was homesick for the west coast? I don't know if the truth will ever be known.

 

Last, but certainly not least, the Spartans take on the jilted Baylor Bears in the (corporate name) Cotton Bowl. I have no idea what to expect from Baylor, a team that can certainly light up the scoreboard. Will Baylor come out angry about being left out of the playoff and take out its anger on MSU? Or will Baylor be flat and disinterested?

 

These are the same questions I asked four years ago when MSU was about to tangle with Alabama in the Capitol One Bowl. In a game that I have tried hard to forget ever took place, the Tide rolled all over the Spartans, 49-7...and it could have been worse. All questions about whether Alabama would be motivated were emphatically answered.

 

The 2014 MSU team is more talented and has more big game experience than the 2010 team, so I'd be shocked if there was a repeat of the Alabama massacre, but the Spartans should go into this game expecting a focused and hungry Baylor team--one that is determined to prove it belonged in the playoff.

Big Ten Championship Game musings

I'm watching Ohio State absolutely demolish Wisconsin in the Big Ten Championship Game. The score is currently 45-0 with no end to Ohio State's scoring anywhere in sight.

 

I have to hand it to Urban Meyer. The guy has an offensive system that seemingly allows him to plug almost anyone in at quarterback and not miss a beat. Cardale Jones is carving up the hapless Badgers as if he's been starting all season.

 

But it's not just offense in which the Buckeyes have been dominant. They have rendered Wisconsin's offense one dimensional. Ohio State is stuffing Melvin Gordon and daring Joel Stave to throw, and Stave hasn't been able to do anything through the air.

 

The game is so bad that the Fox broadcast crew is trying hard to convince viewers that, in fact, the Badgers aren't nearly as bad as they look tonight.

 

I'm beginning to believe Urban Meyer could plug ME in at quarterback and go at least 8-4.

 

***

 

Ohio State completes a 59-0 destruction of Wisconsin, and makes a strong case for the four team national championship playoff.

Seventh annual Treasures From the Spartan Attic Big Ten Football Awards

For the seventh year in a row, I give out my much coveted Big Ten football awards. This is my list, and if I can ever find more time to spend on this blog in the next week or so, I'll elaborate further on why I chose these particular honorees.

Most Valuable Player: J.T. Barrett, Ohio State

Best quarterback: J.T. Barrett, Ohio State

Best running back: Melvin Gordon, Wisconsin

Best wide receiver: Tony Lippett, Michigan State

Best kicker: Brad Craddock, Maryland

Best defensive linemen: Joey Bosa, Ohio State

Best linebacker: Jake Ryan, Michigan

Best defensive back: Trae Waynes, Michigan State

Best punter, Peter Mortell, Minnesota

Coach of the Year: Urban Meyer, Ohio State

Michigan State 34, Penn State 10

Michigan State won a workmanlike, businesslike 34-10 game over Penn State on Saturday, putting the finishing touches on a 10-2 regular season (7-1 in the Big Ten).
 

In various circles, I've heard that somehow this football season is a "disappointment," but I don't see it that way at all. Reality often does not--and cannot--live up to expectations. And, really, didn't Michigan State end up in exactly the same place they started? The Spartans began the season ranked #8 in the AP poll and they finish the season ranked #8 in the AP poll, with an opportunity to move up if they win their yet-to-be-determined bowl game.
 

Michigan State could still, when the dust clears, end up as the highest ranked Big Ten team.
 

Certainly, the Oregon and Ohio State games did not end with the desired results. Oregon, though, may be the best team in the nation. Beating them in Eugene is no small task for anyone. Ohio State clearly had the Michigan State game earmarked since December 7, 2013 and played its best game of the season. So those are the two losses.
 

What should be encouraging, and maybe even thrilling, for MSU football fans is how the Spartans played in their other ten games--in particular the three game following the Ohio State game. MSU played those games with focus and determination. Granted, the competition that Maryland, Rutgers, and Penn State offered was not stellar, but MSU did exactly what they should have done and throttled all three. This isn't as easy to do as it appears on paper. 

 

These are glory years in Michigan State football the likes of which I have never seen in my lifetime. In the past, the pattern was an occasional good season that stood out like an oasis in a desert of mediocrity. Under Mark Dantonio, it's four 10+ win seasons in the last five years. For a geezer like me who remembers the bad old days, this is heaven on earth; and not making the college football playoff will not dampen my enthusiasm one iota.

A salute to MSU cross country, and the Santa Clara basketball game

Allow me to lead of this post by congratulating the MSU women's cross country team, who won the national championship on Saturday.  When the result was announced at the football game, it elicited loud applause from the freezing denizens at Spartan Stadium. Last night, the women's cross country team was at the Santa Clara basketball game and, during a timeout, took center court with their national championship trophy to accept more applause. It's richly deserved.

I don't pay enough attention in this blog to non-revenue sports, and I'm ashamed to say that outside of an occasional MSU baseball game (if that qualifies as a non-revenue collegiate sport) I don't attend nearly enough of them in person. When one of the teams does exceptionally well, they deserve to be acknowledged.

I was lucky enough to be able to attend a second consecutive Spartan basketball game, compliments of my awesome brother-in-law.  Here are some brief observations, that I will attempt to flesh out later:

Before the game, we saw Gregory Kelser on the sideline, who was presumably there to broadcast the game for BTN. Impeccably dressed in a suit as always, Kelser walked from around the basketball floor to give a hug to his old coach, Gus Ganakas (broadcasting the game for radio). It was a warm, private moment shared between an old mentor and his pupil, who I'm sure are good friends now. It was a private moment in as much as a moment can be when in at takes place in a sports arena with 10,000+ people in attendance--but I doubt how many people were paying attention.

Earvin "Magic" Johnson was also at the game and was introduced in the first half. He waved to and acknowledged the crowd on the center court "jumbotron" scoreboard, as he was seated in a private box. Magic must be in town for the Thanksgiving holiday. So we had Special K and Magic in Breslin at the same time.

As far as the game goes:

Gavin Schilling was great and played perhaps his best game ever.

Free throw shooting must improve or it might cost them some games.

Denzel Valentine is making better decisions and had a double-double.

Marvin Clark can shoot the lights out. This will be one fun player to watch over the next few years.

Travis Trice can also shoot the lights out.

I love the energy that Tum-Tum Nairn brings to the game, and he will also be a fun player to watch over the next few years.

The Spartans played a very good game without the services of Branden Dawson, who was sick with the flu.

The defensive intensity was better than it was in the Loyola game, and this seems to be an area of improvement for the team.

I love the teamwork I've seen on display and how well the team works to find the open man. They all seem to like each other and communicate well, which bodes well for the future.

I still contend that this team could surprise some people this season.

My day at the Rutgers game

I went to the MSU/Rutgers football game yesterday in a continuation of my "Spartan Sports Weekend Spectacular."

 

Frankly, I'm tired of MSU football fans taking a beating for "not being loyal enough" or some such nonsense. No, the actual butts in the seats were probably nowhere near the 70,000+ announced in the stadium, but the people who were there were hearty and enthusiastic. The weather was the type of damp chill that cuts to the bone, but a surprising number of folks, myself included, stuck around to the end to enjoy MSU's 45-3 destruction of Rutgers. I really couldn't fault anyone who, at some point near or after halftime, thought to themselves, "I've had enough with freezing out here, MSU is gonna win this game, there is no absolutely no chance of a miraculous Rutgers comeback, it's time to get out of here before I suffer hypothermia."

 

So why did I gut it out, you may ask? (or may not ask?). Part of it is my attempt to support the team in my own little way, though I'm sure the MSU football team could not give a hoot if I, someone they don't even know, stays the entire game. Another part of it is, I may see something in this game that I've never seen before, so I'm not leaving.

 

But really, I make it to at least one game per season because of love for alma mater. I love the Spartan Marching Band and its entrance from the tunnel onto the field, I love the over-the-top spectacle of the football team storming onto the gridiron from the same tunnel. I love the fight song, "MSU Shadows" the alma mater. I am a sucker for the whole college football experience, and no amount of conference realignments, national championship playoff tinkering, or bowing to the whims of television time slots can dim my enthusiasm.

Michigan State 87, Loyola 52

I had the good fortune to attend last night's MSU basketball game win over the Loyola Ramblers.

In any of these non-conference blowout victories featuring mid-major and/or bottom feeder opponents, it's hard to tell whether it's the Spartans looking very good or the opponent looking very bad. Presumably, it's a little bit of both.

 

The Spartans deserve credit for coming out with energy and enthusiasm in their first game after the Duke loss. They jumped all over the Ramblers and held them to one bucket over the first eight minutes and 53 seconds of the game. The game was over, for all intents and purposes, after about the 10-minute mark of the first half.

 

I was impressed with the outside shooting of Marvin Clark, Jr., and the speed, ball-handling skills, and overall fearlessness of Lourawls "Tum Tum" Nairn, Jr. Travis Trice and Branden Dawson had excellent games. Matt Costello looked much better than he did against Duke, but still has a tendency to be a bit tentative. Denzel Valentine makes some remarkable passes and can look absolutely dazzling, but then have some puzzling mental lapses.

 

This team is a work-in-progress, and I still contend may surprise some people this year. It should be one of those years where we, as fans, need to keep our expectations modest and realistic and simply enjoy the ride.

Every point Jahlil Okafor scored felt like a punch in the gut

...or so it seemed to me last night watching Coach K and Duke beat Michigan State yet again.

It made me want to cry seeing how damned good Okafor is, and how much MSU could have used him in a season in which they--at least for now--have no low post players.

 

I'm sure Tom Izzo felt about the same.

 

There has been lots of hand-wringing on the Red Cedar Message Board about MSU's defeats on the recruiting trail, and how all the good players are going to Duke, North Carolina, and Kentucky. Well, hasn't that pretty much always been the case for years now?

 

The harsh reality is that Michigan State is not a blue blood program and may never be. Heaven knows Izzo has done everything he can to get blue chippers to MSU, and has sometimes succeeded, but it will always be difficult going up against the likes of basketball aristocracy.

 

I didn't expect the Spartans to win, so I approached the game as calmly as I ever do with MSU sports. Since Dick Vitale was the color commentator and I assumed he'd be slobbering all over Duke, I turned the TV volume all the way down.

 

I was pleased with MSU's effort, but the team is undermanned and has a long way to go, though their ceiling seems high and the team should be much better in March than it is now. (Isn't that the case with every Izzo team?). Travis Trice had another good game, and Branden Dawson was much better than he was against Navy. Bryn Forbes started and played 30 minutes and displayed that smooth shooting stroke that had been advertised.

 

The main issues for this team are lack of size and nobody who is a threat as a low post player. Matt Costello will need to step up his game.

1950 avenged!: Michigan State 37, Maryland 15

It was a game that quite often was ugly to watch, with no flow, and a Spartan offense that at times couldn't get out of its own way. It was a workmanlike win, nothing more and nothing less. But that's okay. Coming off the disappointment of the Ohio State loss, and playing on the road in an unfamiliar environment and against an unfamiliar foe, expecting anything more would be unrealistic.

The most important result from this game is that, despite the often unsightliness of the whole affair, it was a victory for the Spartans.

The defense, notwithstanding a few deep passes given up, was outstanding and really won this game on a night in which the offense was largely unreliable (and for a variety of reasons--not all of their own doing--couldn't find a rhythm until Maryland's gritty defense finally wore down midway through the third quarter).

It was never realistic to expect MSU's defensive backs to be the No Fly Zone, and they have had struggles this season, but tonight they played well. Trae Waynes continues to have a great season, and Kurtis Drummond and R.J. Williamson stepped up. Williamson had a huge pick six on a pass tipped by Taiwan Jones in the play that broke the Terrapins' back (or, more accurately, "shell"). Darian Hicks struggled and was burned a few times tonight, but also had one near-interception. Hicks is only a sophomore and he should improve next season.

MSU's offense wore down the Terps' tired defense and the amazingly consistent Jeremy Langford had yet another fine game grinding out important chunks of yards in the fourth quarter. Nick Hill and Delton Williams also contributed significantly in the second half.

Some basketball and some football

Since I can't seem to find a computer that works in this house, I'm coming to you from my smartphone.
 

Last night, I was exhausted and slept through the first half of MSU's basketball game against Navy. It appeared that, with the exception of Travis Trice, the Spartan team slept through the entire game.  I caught a second wind and saw the second half and it was ugly. I don't know whether this was just a bad night or this is a sign of things to come. I lean towards thinking this team has deficiencies, at least right now, and Tuesday's game against Duke could be a train wreck.

In my previous post, I attached a photo of the 1950 game program from the MSU/Maryland gridiron tilt. On that day at Macklin Field, the Terps beat the Spartans 34-7 for MSU's only loss of the '50 season. What's most significant about the game, besides it being the last time the programs met on the football field until tonight, is that Michigan State would not lose another game until 1953. Biggie Munn's boys reeled off 28 consecutive victories.

Over all, Michigan State and Maryland have played five football games against each other, all of which took place between 1944 and 1950. The Spartans have won four of those five.

As far as what happens tonight, it all depends on MSU's frame of mind after the Ohio State disappointment. If the Spartans are itching to get on the field, it could be a long night for the Terps, but if the Spartans are still hungover, look out.

I'll pick MSU in a 35-20 win tonight.

Game program from the last time the Spartans and Terrapins met on the gridiron

I actually was able to find this image on Google. I love the artwork from old college game programs. Current programs simply don't have the same creativity or sense of fun. 

Ohio State 49, Michigan State 37

We're in the waning moments of what looks to be a 49-37 loss to Ohio State, provided Urbs doesn't decide to try and punch it in one more time...and that's it: the final score is OSU 49, MSU 37.

 

I couldn't have been further off on my pick. First of all, it was much higher scoring than I expected. Secondly, I never expected MSU's defense to get torn to shreds in the manner that occurred tonight. J.T. Barrett made none of the freshman mistakes I anticipated, and frankly I've not seen the Spartan defense look this overwhelmed in a long time.

 

I have to hand it to Urban Meyer, he had the Buckeyes ready and they were the ones who look like they should be a contender for the playoff. Clearly, Ohio State was motivated after last year's disappointment and they showed it.

 

Postscript: I'm coming to you on Monday, November 10. I've had a day to digest what happened on Saturday night.

 

The best place to start is with J.T. Barrett. What more could possibly be said about how well he played on Saturday night? He was incredible, and there is no doubt in my mind that he is better than Braxton Miller. He made some unbelievable throws, and is a powerful runner. But most impressive was his unflappability. He played like a four-year veteran, and seemed completely unfazed by the big crowd and the big stage.

 

Then there is the MSU defense. I was stunned at how porous it looked. This is not the first time this season it has yielded bushels of yards and points. Oregon did it, Purdue improbably did it, and even Indiana had success in the first half on MSU's 56-17 win. Ohio State is now the next to victimize the Spartan defense, with Barrett, Ezekiel Elliott, and Devin Smith running roughshod over the MSU defense.

 

I don't think the defensive problem is in personnel, though it's obvious that MSU's defensive backs this season are not nearly as good as last season's. My football knowledge is not astute enough to know what the solution is, but I have confidence that Pat Narduzzi will figure it out.

 

Before I spend too much time criticizing the Spartans, I have to single out Jeremy Langford and Macgarrett Kings in particular for how hard they played. Langford ran hard and with controlled aggression the entire game, and Kings had a brilliant run in the fourth quarter in which it looked for all the world like he was about to get caught in the backfield for a loss. Somehow, he managed to fight his way free and ran all the way to the OSU's 1-yard like. Langford then punched it in on the next play to score MSU's final touchdown of the night.

 

The turning point of the game came late in the first half when an apparent touchdown was taken away on a dicey holding call. That score would have put MSU up 28-14 and given them momentum. Instead, the Spartans had to settle for a Michael Geiger field goal attempt that he missed. OSU took over and soon scored a touchdown (79 yard pass from Barrett to Michael Thomas) to tie the game. The Buckeyes added another touchdown on a perfectly thrown ball from Barrett to Smith. Ohio State took a 28-21 lead into intermission and all the momentum.

Overall though, Ohio State played like the team with the chip on its shoulder. They clearly wanted to make amends for what happened in Indianapolis last season, and played their best game of the season.

Another reason I don't like MSU night football games

A few posts ago, I complained about the fact the MSU/OSU tilt was a night game. Basically, it's a money grab for the Big Ten, NCAA, ABC Sports (and a few others) with no thought or consideration given to the fans forking over $100+ to sit in a freezing cold Michigan November night.

But another problem I have with night MSU football games is of a strictly personal nature. I'm one of those crazy fans who takes at least two hours to decompress from a game, win or lose. I can almost guarantee that no matter what happens in this game, I won't go to bed until at least 2 AM. And even if I do finally get to sleep, it'll be a restless sleep. It's even worse when the Spartans lose.

You'd think that at my age, I'd be over it, but that surely isn't the case.

Ohio State pre-game post

I'm feeling the usual jitters and adrenaline rush I feel before every big MSU game. In fact, the mix of adrenaline and jitters set in as early as last Sunday, when the Spartans' bye week officially ended and the build-up for this game started in earnest.

 

I've been mulling this game over in my head all week, and though I certainly believe Ohio State can win, I just don't see it happening. Sure, the Buckeyes may still be smarting over their Big Ten Championship loss last year, but Michigan State hasn't lost the "chip on our shoulder/us against the world" mentality that has carried them the last few years.

 

Though J.T. Barrett has improved throughout the season, this is the biggest test he has faced in his college career. MSU's defense should be able to put enough pressure on Barrett to at least make a few mistakes. I just can't see a redshirt freshman coming to Spartan Stadium and pulling out a victory.

The Spartans know what's at stake here, and they will be prepared. Most of these players delivered last year in big games, and they've done so also this season in a similar high-stakes game against Nebraska.

 

Now, I'm not saying this game will be a blowout. The Buckeyes have a defense better than last year's, and Joey Bosa--who was so impressive in last year's Big Ten title game--is a beastly player. I expect him to have at least one or two sacks in tonight's game, or at least invite double-teams all night which will free some of his defensive teammates to make plays.

 

Like every other MSU fan, I'm concerned with the kicking game. It's not all Michael Geiger's fault either. From what I've witnessed, the snaps and holds have also been inconsistent. I just hope with two weeks to work on it, the kicking will improve. However, if this game comes down to a last second field goal attempt, I don't know if I can watch.

 

So, in the final analysis, MSU's defense, the Cook/Lippett/Langford triumvirate, and the home crowd should be enough to get the Spartans over the hump. Call it MSU 24, OSU 20.

Ohio State week and other stuff

It's Ohio State week, and the Buckeyes are a team that could be MSU's final major obstacle to a Big Ten East championship. It's definitely not like the old days, when a win over OSU was simply a feather in ones cap and a chance to ruin the Buckeyes' season. Now MSU is in the unfamiliar position of having their own season marred by a loss to Ohio State. The stakes are higher, one of the "pitfalls" of having a competitive football program.

 

J.T. Barrett, after a rocky start, has done a fantastic job stepping in for the injured Braxton Miller. I've heard J.T. Barrett compared to everyone from Cornelius Greene, Ohio State's quarterback in the mid-'70s, to Jimmy Raye, and if you read my blog you already know who Jimmy Raye is. Consensus seems to be that he is at least equal to Braxton Miller as a runner but a better passer. One of MSU's keys to success this Saturday is to force Barrett into freshman mistakes in the biggest college game he's played to date.

 

I don't like night games in college football that much. They make more sense in the South where weather is rarely a factor, but a November night game in Michigan is asking for trouble. Once again, it's a game scheduled solely for television with no regard given to the fans. Yet another example of the NCAA worshipping the almighty buck.

 

And now onto the NCAA football playoff. Four teams is too few for the playoff. I don't want this to turn into the de facto SEC playoff series. Open it up to eight teams and let's finally have a referendum on how good the Big Ten, SEC, Big 12, ACC and Pac 12 are. Have the five champions from each of the "Power Five" get automatic bids, with three at-large bids.

Michigan State 35, Michigan 11

Tony Lippett enjoys the fact that Paul Bunyan will stay in East Lansing for another year (Detroit Free Press photo)

I never thought I'd live to see the day the script was so dramatically flipped in the Michigan State/Michigan rivalry.

 

The Spartans didn't even play an especially good game yesterday, but still managed to beat Michigan by 24 points, easily covering the 17-point spread. It's as much a commentary on how far this MSU program has come under Mark Dantonio as it is how dreadful Michigan has become since the departure of Lloyd Carr in 2007. It's not just Brady Hoke who is to blame, but Rich Rodriguez also, and one may even argue that the rot began as early as Carr's final season.

 

But enough about Michigan, for now.

 

It's was, for the most part, a fairly enjoyable day for me as a Michigan State fan and alum. In the morning, I experienced the usual butterflies and anxiety I almost always feel before a game against Michigan. I ran took some glass to the recycling center in the morning, listening to NPR in order to take a brief respite from football. When I returned, I watched the first half of Wisconsin's blowout win over Maryland. Feeling some more nervous energy, and wanting to take advantage of the sunny fall weather, I went for a five kilometer run in my neighborhood. This was reasonably successful in relaxing me.

 

Having cleaned myself up and grabbed a bottle of Arcadia Angler's pale ale, I settled in for the game. It was the most NON nerve-wracking MSU/UM game I've ever watched. MSU took the opening kickoff and marched right down the field to take a 7-0 lead and never looked back.

 

The most upset I was came late in the game with victory firmly in hand for MSU. The Wolverines had a drive in which about three different questionable calls went against the Spartans, in particular a pass interference call and a roughing the passer penalty on Taiwan Jones. I was not happy. Otherwise, it was a relatively stress-free game.

 

Yes, there was a little more disappointment later when, with a 28-3 lead and carving the Michigan defense with relentless precision, Cook and Langford botched a handoff exchange, fumbled, and the Wolverines recovered the ball at the Michigan State 33 yard-line. It was Michigan's only opportunity to score a touchdown with that anemic offense and they succeeded. What I hoped would be a 35-3 MSU lead ended up 28-11 (after Michigan's two-point conversion) and the Wolverines' first touchdown against the Spartans since 2011.

 

I had no problem, and still have no problem, with Michigan State punching in a touchdown on the final possession of the game to make the final score 35-11. I find it amusing that many Michigan fans are complaining about running up the score. Get over it. I don't recall Michigan fans apologizing for 42-0 in 1983 (Bo Schembechler sticking it to MSU after George Perles declaring he had "recruited the pants off" Michigan) or the 2002 game when Lloyd Carr, still smarting over the "clockgate" 2001 loss, relentlessly battered MSU 49-3. As far as I remember, no apologies were issued after that game. And why should there have been any? This is big time college football, not Pop Warner football.

 

So I am enjoying this win. I will happily listen to all and every bit of sports talk radio I can find this week and probably tune in to WTKA (the unofficial U of M sports radio station in Ann Arbor) for additional amusement. With a bye week until the big showdown with Ohio State, my revelry will continue an additional week.

 

Sparty, looking as much like a Brooklyn, NY hipster as Paul Bunyan, celebrates with the MSU team after the 35-11 win over Michigan.

 

Feeling some pre-game jitters

I don't ever remember the week leading up to the Michigan State/Michigan football game lacking as much sizzle. One may have to go back to the 2006 season, when the roles of the two programs were completely reversed. Michigan was on its way to a #1 versus #2 collision with Ohio State, while MSU's season had spiraled out of control after giving away the Notre Dame game in a September monsoon at Spartan Stadium. John L. Smith was living up to his middle initial and facing the probability of losing his job. Nobody, outside of some Michigan fans, cared about the game.

 

The indifference was further exacerbated by the Detroit Tigers' great '06 baseball season. The day the Tigers defeated the Yankees to advance to the ALCS was the same day as the MSU/Michigan game. Michigan won a rather humdrum 31-13 game and I barely paid attention. I was too focused on the Tigers, and I have to thank the Tigers for giving me respite from that dreadful MSU football season.

 

I can't say I've minded the relative lack of angst and trash talk this week, but now on the eve of the game I'm a bit more nervous and restless than I was earlier this week. The 17 point spread is unnerving, as is the fact that hardly anyone is giving Michigan a chance. A team with nothing to lose is a dangerous team, and I imagine that the Wolverines are also tired of hearing how bad they are. To top off my slight feeling of trepidation, for the first time that I can remember in this rivalry, MSU has a lot to lose. Get beat by Michigan, and the next game with Ohio State loses a lot of luster, and a shot at the four team national championship playoff is shot.

 

So, I'm not quite ready to be talked off a ledge--I still think MSU finds a way to win this--but I am feeling some pre-game jitters.

Indiana overview and the Michigan game (my, how the script has flipped)

I was one of those people who was at least mildly upset in the first half of MSU's 56-17 blowout of Indiana. One would think that, by now, I'd just learn to relax, take it easy and let the game play out to its conclusion, remembering that a football game is 60 minutes and not 25 minutes long.

 

So after looking somewhat disinterested and sloppy in the first half, allowing the soap opera star, his wife, and their quarterback kid to enjoy the Hoosiers brief 17-14 lead, the Spartans decided they'd had enough and realed off 42 straight points to blow Indiana out of Memorial Stadium and ruin the Hoosiers' homecoming. Granted, Indiana is not, outside of Tevin Coleman, a good team, but it was MSU's best second half of the season.

 

So now it's Michigan week and I feel like I'm in uncharted territory. For the first time I can remember, MSU is a double-digit favorite over the Wolverines.

 

I've tried to envision a scenario in which Michigan pulls a stunning upset this Saturday, but I just can't do it. I'm so confident in a Spartan victory, that I find it a little unnerving. Why? Because if you've read enough of this blog, you know that I NEVER feel excessively confident in MSU victories over Michigan in football. This is due, by and large, by approximately three decades of hoping for the best but expecting the worst. Eight years of Mark Dantonio is slowly but steadily eroding that meek, defeatist outlook.

 

I am finally (almost) completely believing in this new world (football) order under Dantonio. With a 70-30 over all record, two conference titles, a division title, and three bowl wins (including last year's Rose Bowl), how can any Spartan fan not have faith in this man?

 

I've also seen enough Michigan football this season to determine that they just are quite simply...a pretty bad team. Sorry, Michigan fans, I'm not saying anything you don't already know. Your 2014 team is probably the worst Michigan football team I've ever seen.

 

Now, I will stop short of cockiness. I will not allow myself to enter the realm of overconfidence or arrogance, because I firmly believe that particular attitude adds up to bad luck and bad karma. This is still a rivalry game, even if Michigan players insist on still pretending it isn't, and anything is possible. It's not beyond the realm of possibility that Michigan could, out of sheer desperation, play the game of the season and win...but I just don't see that happening. To repeat the mantra, Michigan quite simply is not a good football team.

 

All one has to do is look at the statistics, along with what has happened on the field so far this season to grant a big advantage to Michigan State. After losing Derrick Green for the season, Michigan's running game has been reduce to almost nothing. If the Spartans' front seven plays to their capabilities--which I fully expect--I simply don't see the Wolverines being able to run the ball. Michigan's offense comes down to Devin Gardner's ability to throw the ball to Devin Funchess, Amara Darboh, Jehu Chesson, Dennis Norfleet, and tight end Jake Butt. Though MSU's defensive backs have had their struggles this season, so too has Michigan's passing game. In fact, Michigan's entire offense has been anemic this season. Though Michigan State's defense may not be what it was last year, it's still very good and I don't see Michigan being able to score much in this game. As other commentators have said, Michigan may need to try and spread the field more and at least try to emulate the Purdue offense that had success against MSU. The Wolverines may have a few big plays in them, but I don't see them being able to string enough of those plays together over the length of a 60 minute game to pull out a victory.

Then there's Michigan State's offense, averaging 47 points per game. Even if MSU scores only half of that average against Michigan, I don't see the Wolverines' offense being able to match that. For one thing, Michigan's defense--the undeniable strength of the Wolverines' team--will probably be on the field most of Saturday because their offense will most likely struggle. Eventually, all the offensive weapons MSU has at its disposal (Cook, Lippett, Hill, Langford, Mumphrey, Shelton, to name a few) will be too much for the Wolverines.

 

Basically, Michigan's only hope is that they catch some breaks, either through turnovers or other MSU mistakes. If Bobby Williams or John L. Smith were coach, I'd say this might be likely. With Coach D at the helm: highly improbable.

 

Some people have compared this to a reversal of the 2002 season when Bobby Williams was dead man walking. However, I don't know that this Michigan team is quite like that '02 Spartan team, a team that was not just bad but had completely quit caring. It feels more like the '06 MSU team, when John L. Smith was preparing to walk the gang plank. That particular year, Michigan beat a weak MSU team--but a team that still had a little fight left in it--by the score of 31-13. So let's call this year's score a reversal of 2006: MSU 31, UM 13.

The Indiana game and other miscellany

My modest streak will continue.
 

I have attended at least one MSU football game every year for the last 21 years, and I'm happy to report that streak will continue another season. I recently purchased a ticket for the final home game of the season, against Rutgers, via StubHub.
 

When it comes to attending sporting events in person, I'm a bit of tight wad. I simply can't rationalize spending more than about $60 going to a game--any game. If you want to call into question my true fandom, go ahead and do so. I enjoy seeing sports in person, but I'm fine spending less than face value for a ticket and even prefer to do so. I don't really care who the opponent is. When I'm at a game in person, I'm really there for the game day experience more than the opponent, anyway. If the Spartans are playing with a Big Ten East title on the line on Senior Day, the buzz and anticipation should be palpable, though probably not at the same level it would be for the Michigan or Ohio State game. Oh well, I don't care that much, Maybe I'm just a cheapskate, but I'm not willing to part with $150 or $200 to see the Wolverines and Buckeyes, even if the game day experience is more electric.
 

Speaking of the Michigan game, as I documented in this blog, I lucked out last season and obtained a free ticket to the 29-6 bludgeoning of the Wolverines. It was probably the greatest and most memorable live sporting event I've ever attended, and I don't know how this year's game against the Wolverines could top it. Frankly, for the first time in my life, I can honestly say it would be an embarrassment if the Spartans lose to Michigan this season. I don't know if this is the worst Michigan football team I've ever seen, but it may be close. The only way this year's game could top last year's is if the Spartans gave the Wolverines the beating of a century. I'm talking about a score in the neighborhood of the 49-3 beat down that Michigan administered against MSU back in 2002. (There have been plenty of low points in my time as a Michigan State football fan, but few were as miserable as that particular game).
 

***
 

Today's game is against Indiana, a team that is down to its third-string freshman quarterback, Zander Diamont, who is making his first ever start. All I know about Diamont is that he is the son of former The Young and the Restless star Don Diamont, and that Zander was a standout player in the Los Angeles area. Full disclosure time, when I was a junior at MSU, I was a loyal watcher of The Young and the Restless, the same time that Don Diamont starred as hunky heartthrob Brad Carlton. My favorite story arc involving Brad Carlton--and really the only one I remember--is when he was kidnapped by his spurned lover and kept captive in a remote cabin outside the fictional Genoa City. For months, I was riveted every day for months wondering when Brad Carlton would be freed. Eventually, he was. Rarely has television drama been as exciting for me.
 

Here's hoping history repeats itself and the Spartan defense can keep young Zander Diamont captive in the IU backfield, at least until the game ends.
 

On the surface, it looks like the Hoosiers' only offense in today's game will come from running back Tevin Coleman, who comes in with over 1000 yards on the ground this season. Against MSU's front seven, I don't know if this will be enough. Though I've given up predicting enormous Spartan blowouts, I will call this one as a moderate blowout: MSU 48, IU 20.

Another Spartan football spiel

We've reached the half-way point of the season, and I--along with probably every other MSU fan--hasn't yet decided what kind of football team the Spartans are. At times, they look absolutely brilliant, capable of beating anyone in the country, but in far to many instances, they look very mortal.

So where are the problems?

First of all, this defensive secondary is no longer the No Fly Zone, not that it was ever fair to expect the 2014 defensive backfield to be as good as the 2013 edition. Kurtis Drummond has had some really tough games this year, getting burned twice on near-interceptions that resulted in huge plays for the opposition.

The team misses the leadership of players like Denicos Allen and Max Bullough. It appears, on the surface anyway (as someone who only knows the team through watching them on television), that the Spartans are waiting for leaders to emerge.

Then, of course, there is the problem with the fourth quarter woes that have allowed opponents to get back in the game.

The good news is, though, this team is still WINNING, and finding ways to get the job done; and it's obvious that the problems they experience have nothing to do with talent. The Spartans' have skilled players who are making correctable mistakes.

And, let's face it, MSU is now the biggest game on everyone's schedule; as is the case with Tom Izzo's basketball program.

Spartan football is also 20-2 in its last 22 games.

So though there may not be many style points this season, it's splitting hairs to excessively complain about a 5-1 team.

My "live blog" from the Purdue game

Tony Lippett catches a long pass from Cook for the TD. Good way to start the game. Perhaps deflate Purdue slightly and dampen the crowd's enthusiasm.

 

Lippett has far exceded what I ever expected as a receiver.

 

Purdue has apparently changed its colors to black and highlighter yellow.

This is NOT the same Purdue team that I saw get dismantled by CMU last month. Austin Appleby is impressive at quarterback and a big step-up from Danny Etling

 

The announcing crew is terrible, so I'm watching most of this game with the sound down.

 

Purdue has no answer for Lippett. 4 catches for 95 yards in the first quarter.

Defense getting shredded, which is shocking. Getting killed by those bubble screens.  Not a good second quarter. All of Purdue's misdirection plays also seem to have the Spartans off balance, and this quarterback has been ridiculously accurate.

 

MSU needs to put the clamps down in the second half and Narduzzi needs to make adjustments. It'd be big to get Purdue's offense off the field on its first possession.

 

Defense did play better in second half. More pressure on Appleby.

 

Game went topsy turvy after the Cook interception. If MSU scores at least a fg, game over. Or probably over.

 

I still do not understand the fake punt call. Why when you are deep in your own side of the field with 14 point lead?

Glancing back at Nebraska, and looking ahead to Purdue

Today the Spartans are in West Lafayette to take on Purdue. I'm happy that today's game starts at a more reasonable time of 3:30.
 

I watched a replay of the Nebraska game, and it's stunning to see how the game unraveled in the 4th quarter, but it had as much--if not more--to do with bad luck as uninspired or mistake-prone play. Kurtis Drummond had a near pick six that would have put MSU by at least a 33-9 score, but instead he whiffed and the ball ended up in the hands of the Huskers' Jordan Westerkamp, and he ran the ball deep into MSU territory. This resulted in a Cornhusker TD to make the score 27-16. Then came Mike Sadler's line drive punt that was run back for a touchdown and closed the gap to 27-22. Sadler should have put more air under the ball or kicked out of bounds. Maybe this is easier said than done in some circumstances. And then, of course, came Jeremy Langford running out of bounds when Nebraska had no timeouts left. Another mental miscue.
 

At least when MSU needed them most, the Spartans were able to make the most important plays to preserve the win: blowing up the Huskers' two-point conversion try (to keep the margin at 5 instead of 3) and, of course, Trae Waynes' game-ending interception.
 

Despite the bizarre fourth quarter, Michigan State dominated Nebraska. If the team that pushed Nebraska around for 3 1/2 quarters shows up at Purdue today, this game could be a 35-40 point blowout. But what concerns me is THAT team has yet to play for a full 60 minutes. Maybe they can get away with that against a weak opponent like Purdue, but I hope the Nebraska game was a wake up call.
 

Purdue has played better of late, but I don't see them hanging with MSU. Call this a workmanlike 38-10 win for the Green and White.

An apology to the early-leaving students--It's not your fault.

I've softened my view a little regarding empty seats at Spartan Stadium, and empty seats in college football in general.

In my last post, I came down pretty hard on the students. However, as has already been mentioned by others, it was a perfect storm of events that caused the mass exodus of students in the latter stages of the MSU/Nebraska game.

First of all, it was a night game, with a late start time of 8:15. The weather was wet and rainy, the game took a ridiculously long time to play with all the TV timeouts, and by the end of the third quarter, it appeared for all the world that MSU would win in a blowout. And, as I remember from my own days as a college student, those kids were not dressed properly for wet and cold weather.

Just as a Rod Serling-esque litany of bizarre plays allowed Nebraska to almost win the game, so too was the case (bad weather, late start, interminable game, lopsided score) in almost completely emptying the student section in the latter stages of the game.

This gets to the whole problem of night games--in the north--later than September. It's always a dicey proposition and frankly I'm against it. These games are scheduled with television, and only television, in mind. The needs and wants of the spectators are not considered.

So MSU students, this old fogey offers you a sincere apology.

Thank you, Trae Waynes

Through the first three quarters of last night's game, the Spartans looked like a well-oiled, humming machine of domination.

 

But as we all know, it wouldn't be a proper Michigan State game without some craziness tossed in the mix.

 

The fans, apparently thinking the game was won and tiring of the chilly rain, left early and so did MSU's home field advantage. Meanwhile, in a bizarre script so improbable that not even Rod Serling could have dreamt it up, the Nebraska Cornhuskers cut a 27-3 deficit to 27-22. The Huskers' bid for a miracle win, and a Spartan collapse that would make even John L. Smith blush, was thankfully ended by a Trae Waynes interception.

 

One thing that's clear about this MSU football team: they are supremely talented and capable of utter domination. But maddeningly, they don't yet seem capable of doing it for 60 minutes. This is not due to lack of ability but because, as of now, they haven't developed the killer instinct that made last year's team so great. This may go back to the leadership issues discussed in the previous blog post.

 

For MSU to achieve all they are capable of--and they have the potential to be one of the most lethal teams in college football--the Spartans need to learn from this near-debacle and play a full 60 minutes from now on.

 

And one last word about the fans, in particular the students. I've been one their staunchest defenders, but I am extremely disappointed that so many of them left the game at the end of the third quarter. Yes, I realize the weather was chilly and drizzly, but frankly it didn't appear any worse than last year's Michigan game played in almost identical conditions. If we want a top-notch program at Michigan State, our fans and students need to support the team through the ENTIRE game, not just when it's convenient. To the fans who stayed, I applaud you; to the ones who left, unless you were becoming ill or had extenuating circumstances, I'm disappointed that you bailed on the Spartans. The lack of support was one of the factors than nearly cost them Saturday's game.

The Nebraska game

The skies are gray in the Lansing area and there is a damp chill in the air. Leaves are beginning to change color and some have already fallen to the ground. For the first time this year, it feels like college football season. Combined with the excitement of post-season baseball (despite the Tigers' epic meltdowns in their first two games against the Orioles), this is my favorite time of the year.

Tonight, the Spartans take on Nebraska in what may turn out to be the most important Big Ten game of the season. Yes, I know "the Big Ten is down, blah, blah, blah," but it is MSU's conference and I still value a conference title. Beating Nebraska, an admittedly scary team that seemingly always has MSU's number, is a big deal and the first major step towards winning a second consecutive Big Ten title.

I still don't quite know what to make of this Michigan State football team. It's become clear that the Spartans miss the leadership of players like Max Bullough, Darqueze Dennard, Denicos Allen, and Isaiah Lewis. It's unclear who, if anyone, is developing into a leader for this year's team. Is it Connor Cook? Kurtis Drummond? Looking back at the Oregon game, when the situation started unraveling in the second half, nobody was able to take control and get the team's collective heads back in the game. Last year, the Spartans perhaps would have regrouped and probably not lost by 19 points (and, in fact, may have actually won the game). But who knows? That's just speculation.

Something that seems clear is that MSU has an explosive offense, and I hope it's able to continue this productivity against Nebraska. It's one thing to score 56 and 73 points against the likes of Wyoming and Eastern Michigan and quite another to keep it up against Nebraska. Of course, I don't expect MSU to score 50 points or more against the Huskers.

Since I'm almost completely incapable of picking against the Spartans, I'll say that home field and a more multi-dimensional offense will get MSU over the hump. Let's call it MSU 34, Nebraska 30.

Look out for my archive blog posts! I know you can't wait!

I'm here to announce a new project that might be of interest to all two or three of my readers--and I don't know why this didn't occur to me before--I'm going back and re-publishing all of the old MSU sports posts that originally appeared in my Brainsplotch blog. These all were published between August 2008 and October 2011. I don't know how long this will take, but I've already started with two of my very first MSU sports blog posts from August 2008. So, if anyone is interested, click on the year "2008" in the far-right side bar if you're interested in my ramblings from six years ago. I hope that eventually this blog will run uninterrupted from 2008 to...whenever I stop doing it.

Michigan State 56, Wyoming 14

The Spartans rolled over their final non-conference foe Wyoming, 56-14.

 

Overall, it was a good performance by MSU, but there are some areas of concern, namely the safeties, who continue to get burned for big plays. This was a glaring problem against Oregon, and even Eastern Michigan has some open receivers, though Eagles' quarterback Rob Bolden had no time to throw the ball and when he was able to throw, his receivers dropped the ball almost every time.

 

It's not fair to expect "No Fly Zone Mach II," but there is definitely room for improvement.

It was also odd to see how many holding penalties the offensive line had, and the tough day had by Travis Jackson. I hope that's just a blip on the radar screen.

 

Despite those holding calls,the good news is the offense is clicking, albeit against subpar competition. This may end up being a year in which the Spartans win with a great offense and a serviceable defense, a reversal of last season.

 

Wyoming presented a much tougher opponent than Eastern Michigan. They are hardnosed and well coached--just outmanned.

 

Next week, the competition is ratcheted up considerably with Nebraska. This is the first Big Ten game of the season for Michigan State and we will know more about the Spartans, and the Cornhuskers, when it's over.

Jimmy Raye and "Raye of Light"

When I was a kid, with two parents who were students at MSU in the mid-sixties, I grew up hearing stories of the Michigan State football teams of that era, particularly the 1965 and 1966 squads that compiled a 19-1-1 record, two undefeated Big Ten championship seasons, and--depending on what poll one consults--two national titles. They were among the greatest teams in college football history, led by a colorful coach and an astounding collection of incredible athletes.

When I saw photos of the mid-'60s Spartans teams, I saw plenty of black faces, but as a youngster I thought nothing of it. After all, the football I grew up with was fully integrated, with white players playing alongside black players. It wasn't until the late 1980s--or perhaps even as late as the 1990s--that I realized how unique MSU's 1960s teams were. During a time of segregation, when African-Americans were refused admission to Southern colleges and universities, MSU coach Duffy Daugherty, fearlessly and without apology, recruited African-American players to the Spartan football program. Consciously or not, Duffy was a Civil Rights pioneer.

Left to right: Clinton Jones, Bob Apisa, Bubba Smith, Coach Duffy Daugherty, Gene Washington, George Webster

Yesterday, I attended a presentation at the downtown Lansing library featuring author Tom Shanahan and the first African-American collegiate football player from the South to start at quarterback for a national championship team, Jimmy Raye of Michigan State. The two have collaborated on a book, Raye of Light, that details and illuminates the important role MSU had in the integration of college football, and the journeys of such players as Raye, Gene Washington, Charles "Bubba" Smith, Charles "Mad Dog" Thornhill.

Jimmy Raye as a Spartan

Jimmy Raye is an impressive person. He possesses a quiet, yet driven intensity that comes through in his bearing and his words. (With his shaved head, grey beard, and wire rim glasses, he looks a bit like a combination of blues singer Taj Mahal and former basketball great Bill Russell--if one can imagine that combination), I was sitting in the back of the auditorium, but I could swear that Mr. Raye was looking straight at me and his eyes were practically burning a hole through my body. Now, I know that may sound a bit overly dramatic, but that is the power that Jimmy Raye possesses. He radiates intensity, and has a deliberate, measured, and deeply thoughtful style of speaking.

The more I heard Jimmy Raye talk about the challenges he faced and the journey he has taken over the years, the more I disappointed I became that this man never was given the chance to be a head football coach. If only attitudes in the 1970s, 1980s, and even 1990s had been different, Raye would have received the opportunity he so richly deserved.

For the young Jimmy Raye, seeing Sandy Stephens lead the Minnesota Golden Gophers to the 1961 and 1962 Rose Bowls was the first inkling that playing quarterback at a major university was a possibility.

Sandy Stephens, Minnesota Golden Gophers quarterback

Although Jimmy Raye initially wanted to follow in the footsteps of Sandy Stephens and attend Minnesota, he ended up in East Lansing. However, Before Raye arrived on MSU's campus from Fayetteville, North Carolina in 1964, he was concerned that he would not get the opportunity to play quarterback, since other MSU players, originally recruited as quarterbacks, had been converted to other positions. They discouraged Raye from coming to MSU, but he came anyway. (I was a little unclear as to how or why he changed his mind--probably because I was sitting in the back of the auditorium--but I'm sure it will all be illuminated in the book).

In his freshman year, Raye played on the freshman team and was voted most valuable freshman player. In 1965, his sophomore year, he was Steve Juday's backup on Duffy's first national championship team. When Steve Juday was ineffective in the 1966 Rose Bowl, Raye entered the game in relief and nearly led the Spartans back to at least a tie.  It was obvious that MSU's loss to UCLA in the Rose Bowl--the only MSU loss in two years--still weighs heavily on Jimmy Raye--as it does his teammates--as he recounted the failed two-point conversion attempt that would have tied the game. Raye wishes that instead of handing the ball off to Bob Apisa, as Coach Daugherty instructed, he'd faked the hand off and ran it in himself because, as he put it, the path was so clear he could have "run all the way back to Fayetteville." As Raye saw it, since Daugherty had requested that the ball be placed on the left hash mark, UCLA's defense knew that the play would run to the right and that Apisa would be the ball carrier. The Bruins' defense was prepared to focus on Apisa, and UCLA's Bob Stiles tackled Apisa short of the goal line. (He paid for it by getting knocked out cold on the play. For his sacrifice, Stiles was named Rose Bowl MVP).

Jimmy Raye said that, as much as he loved and respected Duffy, the lesson he learned from that play was that sometimes coaches just need to let the players play and trust in the players' abilities.

1965 Michigan State Spartans football team

My vantage point from the library auditorium

Raye also recounted some funny stories about the lead-up to the Rose Bowl. The team was understandably excited to be in Los Angeles for the game. Some of them, however, spent a few days prowling the Sunset Strip and certain trendy nightclubs like the Whisky a Go-Go (famous hangout for Hollywood celebrities and launching pad for bands like The Byrds and The Doors, to name a few). When Duffy heard about this, he moved the team to a monastery in the San Gabriel Mountains. Despite the good times the team had in California, Jimmy Raye insists that this had nothing to do with the Spartans' loss in the Rose Bowl.

The 1966 season was another great season for Michigan State, as they reeled off nine straight victories and were undefeated headed into the November 19 "Game of the Century" clash against the also undefeated Notre Dame. Raye said that the black players on MSU's team were conscious of the significance of the game, which was to be televised nationally, and made a point of playing the peak of their abilities to prove to the nation what African-American players were capable of doing. In one of the hardest-hitting and most equally matched games ever played, the two titans battled to a 10-10 tie. Despite the unsatisfactory result of the game for the Spartans, their African-American players proved their greatness and capabilities to a national audience, and helped change college football.

Another amusing tale involves a time when players were made to stand up alone and sing a song to the rest of the team (probably similar to the scene in Paper Lion when each player stood up and sang his school's fight song). At the time, the team was divided along racial lines with white guys sitting with white guys and black guys sitting with black guys. Drake Garrett, an African-American player, stood up and sang the Beach Boys' "California Girls." The sight of a black player singing a "white" surf song cracked up the entire team, and from that point on the racial barriers broke down.

Naturally, I had to buy Raye of Light and got it signed by both Mr. Raye and Mr. Shanahan. I'm looking forward to reading it and hope to give a full report here in this blog.

Jimmy Raye, deep in concentration and intense even when signing books.

My weekly (and somewhat "weak") football post

Michigan State 73, Eastern Michigan 14. Looking at that score, one might assume that the Spartans had left their starters in maybe a bit too long, or perhaps tried to run up the score to impress pollsters...but nothing could be further from the truth. MSU emptied the bench in the first half, and four Spartan quarterbacks saw action.

That was the worst Eastern Michigan football team I've ever seen. They were terrible even by the low historical standards of the EMU program.

The first half of the game was such a mismatch that I felt sorry for the Eagles. That was not a football game, it was an annihilation. I have no doubt that Michigan State has had practices and scrimmages more challenging than what passed as a football game last Saturday.

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I'm back after several days of not being able to find enough computer time to write and post this.

So now the Spartans are on to the homecoming game against Wyoming. This is the earliest date I can ever remember homecoming arriving at Michigan State. Looking at MSU's upcoming schedule, I can see why homecoming is on September 27. October 4 would have been the more natural homecoming date, but it's a night game against Nebraska. Night games are no good for homecoming, and tough opponents like Nebraska are rarely homecoming opponents. MSU is then on the road for two weeks, with the final game in October against Michigan. Michigan is never the homecoming opponent (for reasons that should be obvious) and October 25 is way too late for homecoming, anyway.

The Wyoming Cowboys should be a big step up in competition after Eastern Michigan. (Then again, almost anyone would be step up compared to EMU). Wyoming comes to East Lansing with a 3-1 record and played Oregon tough at Autzen Stadium. Though they lost 48-14, the game was much more competitive than the score indicates. The way the Cowboys play the game is a mirror image of MSU, so this could be quite a battle in the trenches. Still, I see the Spartans pulling away in the second half and winning by a score in the neighborhood of 34-13.

Stanton, Hoyer, and Cousins

Last Sunday, three former Michigan State quarterbacks led their respective teams to victories: Kirk Cousins stepped in for an injured Robert Griffin III and helped Washington demolish Jacksonville, Brian Hoyer directed a dramatic, come-from-behind win for the Cleveland Browns over New Orleans, and Drew Stanton seized opportunity with the Arizona Cardinals as they defeated the hapless New York Giants.
 

It's excellent, positive publicity for MSU football to have these three former players enjoying so much success on the same day. 
 

Drew Stanton is one of my all-time favorite Spartans in any sport. He was, and still is, a great all-around athlete who was unfortunately saddled with some mediocre teams in the dark days of the John L. Smith era. I still wonder what might have happened if he hadn't been injured in the 2004 Michigan game, with MSU holding a significant lead.
 

I never understood the criticism Brian Hoyer endured from fans when he was MSU's starting quarterback from 2007-2008. He may have not been a dazzling athlete, but he always struck me as an intelligent, hard working player who helped build the foundation of Dantonio's program.
 

Hoyer passed the torch to Cousins, who ran with it to the tune of a 2010 Big Ten title, a near-title in 2011, and a 2012 Outback Bowl win over Georgia. Cousins will certainly go down in the all-time top five of Spartan quarterbacks.
 

Besides being Spartans, these three share in common the trait of perseverance. They never gave up. Best of luck to Stanton, Hoyer, and Cousins.

Back from my "bye week": Oregon post-mortem, and the upcoming EMU game

The Spartans had a bye week, and it turned out that I had my own bye week as well. I didn't intend on being away for so long, but so it goes.

As everyone already knows by now, MSU lost to Oregon way back on September 6. I wasn't surprised that the Spartans lost, but I was somewhat perplexed and disappointed with the way they lost. MSU got out of the gates slowly, had a tremendous second quarter in which they took the lead and appeared to have the Ducks on the ropes. This dominance looked like it was about to carry over into the second half, but then the game took an inexplicable and sudden downward turn.

Part of the problem for MSU in the second half was that Marcus Mariota remembered that he is a Heisman candidate and probable first round draft pick, and played like it. Unfortunately, some blown assignments by the Spartans secondary made the task easier for Mariota.

(There is a degree of historical irony in a Hawaiian quarterback wreaking havoc on the Spartans. In the 1950s and 1960s, Duffy Daugherty heavily recruited Hawaii, and had a "Hawaii pipeline" for several years. Players like Bob Apisa, Charlie Wedemeyer, and Dick Kenney--to name a few--were important contributors for the Spartans when Duffy was coach. I have a feeling that if Duffy were alive today, he'd be wondering how Marcus Mariota wasn't wearing green and white rather than green and yellow).

To paraphrase Mark Dantonio, football is about the inches: what team gets them and what team doesn't. MSU had a few opportunities to get those inches, but came up short. Oregon, on the other hand, converted when they had to do so. It all added up to a 46-27 loss.

Beyond the disappointment of the loss itself, what still irks me is the meaningless touchdown that Oregon scored with 1:25 left in the game. The Ducks can't really be faulted, it's not as if they threw the ball into the end zone for the touchdown. It was a simple running play that MSU didn't stop. Still, it changed what should have been a 39-27 loss to a 46-27 loss. (Yes, I know that a loss is still a loss, but perception is reality. Folks will look at that final score and assume the game wasn't as close as it actually was. That could end up haunting MSU at the end of the season).

So now a truly wretched Eastern Michigan football team heads into Spartan Stadium. The Eagles are so bad, they not only were hammered 65-0 by a rebuilding Florida team, but even lost by two touchdowns to Old Dominion. Now I don't know about you, but when I think of Old Dominion, I think of women's basketball and Justin Verlander (who played baseball for the Monarchs). I certainly don't think of football. Well, the Monarchs handled EMU quite handily.

I don't see EMU putting up much of a fight against what should be a Michigan State team itching to get back into action after the Oregon disappointment.

Duck season

I'm sitting in the sofa, half-watching ESPN College Game Day. Several minutes ago, I almost fell over when I heard Desmond Howard say...gulp...nice things about Michigan State.

The big game is today, and honestly I have no idea what to expect. I hope that, at the very least, it is a close game. As I wrote in my previous post, Marcus Mariota creates a big challenge for the Spartans (and as I write this, Game Day is playing a feature about Mariota's journey from Hawaiian high school player to probable first round draft pick playing college ball in Eugene, Oregon). On the other hand, it's not as if MSU has never been successful against a quarterback with a similar skill set as Mariota.

While all the focus has been on MSU's defense versus Oregon's offense, nobody seems to be talking about the Spartans' improved offense--though just as I write that, the Game Day guys have glowing words for Connor Cook. This Spartan offense is light years ahead of where it was last year. MSU should have the weapons to score points on the Ducks.

If MSU loses this game, it won't be due to lack of preparation. The Spartans literally cranked up the heat in their indoor practice facility to become acclimated to the unseasonably high temperatures expected in Eugene. To prepare for Oregon's uptempo offense, the Spartans had not one, but TWO offensive units on the field during practice. As soon as one play was over, the second offensive unit was already in place and snapped the ball almost immediately.

Well, younger son wants his computer back, so I'm signing off for now. If I don't make it back today, here's hoping the Spartans do some Duck hunting this evening.

The win over Jacksonville State, and the showdown with Oregon

I've meant to get back to this blog sooner than this, but I blame my absence to the start of the school year and a few other "real life gets in the way" situations that have kept me away from the computer.

When we left off, the Spartans were about to take on Jacksonville State in the 2014 season opener. I truly believed that JSU would put up a better fight than they did, and I was pleasantly surprised by the way MSU completely dominated the first half of the game. The Spartans had their way with the Gamecocks, taking a commanding 38-0 lead into the locker room at halftime.

The game really couldn't have gone better for MSU. The Spartans were able to sit Connor Cook and the other starters in the second half. Tyler O'Connor, Damion Terry, and a host of other backups gained valuable playing time in the second half. Consequently, the second half was a snooze. The teams traded touchdowns and MSU came away with a 45-7 win.

The Spartans take on Oregon in two days, and I honestly have no idea what to expect. Autzen Stadium in Eugene is a notoriously tough place to play, the Ducks have their usual "basketball on a gridiron" offense led by Marcus Mariota--a quarterback who has the speed and quickness of a Denard Robinson combined with size and the ability to throw the ball. He seems to combine all the best attributes of, say, Denard Robinson, Russell Wilson, Braxton Miller, and Taylor Martinez. Mariota may be the best quarterback MSU has faced in the Mark Dantonio era.

Obviously, an MSU win would be huge in a hostile environment against a quick strike offense in extreme heat. (Temps are expected to hit the mid-90s in Eugene, Oregon). As a fan, I'm trying to view this game philosophically. If the Spartans lose, I don't want to be as dour as I was last year after the Notre Dame game. This has the makings of an incredibly tough game, and as long as MSU keeps it competitive, it should be beneficial for the Spartans in the long run.

Michigan State football thoughts

On two separate occasions today, I have tried to write my preseason thoughts about the 2014 MSU football season. Both times, the device I have used has CRASHED, and I've lost everything I wrote. So let me just say that I have upgraded my usual "cautiously optimistic" to "reasonably confident."

If I can get a PC or smartphone to cooperate, I will elaborate later.

Game Day is here

It's finally here.

Michigan State's 2014 football season starts tonight at 7:31 PM. Ready or not, it's time to buckle the seat belt and get ready for the thrill ride.

The Spartans' opening day opponent is the Jacksonville State Gamecocks, a team that--despite being at the FCS level--should not be taken lightly.

A quick Wikipedia search yielded the following information about Jacksonville State: First of all, the school is located in Alabama and NOT Florida. So let's get that straight right away. JSU's most famous alumni are author Rick Bragg and former Detroit Tigers relief pitcher Todd Jones. Ashley Martin, the first female to ever score a point in NCAA football, was a Jacksonville State player.

The Gamecocks have been playing football since 1904 and have an overall program record of 521-366-40. Not too shabby. They have won 18 conference titles, and since joining the Ohio Valley Conference in 2003, have won their league three times. Jacksonville State is currently riding a streak of eleven consecutive winning seasons, and entering the 2014 season are ranked #6 in FCS. They are coming off an 11-4 2013 season.

The Spartans better strap on their helmets tightly.

Jacksonville State is led by first-year head coach John Grass (who, coincidentally, is two days older than yours truly). The Gamecocks feature a quick strike offense led by senior running back DaMarcus James, who rushed for 1477 yards in 2013. JSU also piled up 3033 yards through the air last season.

MSU should have enough to win this game, but it may not be easy. With some new faces in the Spartans' defensive backfield, I could see some missed assignments or miscommunication leading to some big plays for Jacksonville State. The Spartans may also have some first-game jitters that may not disappear until after the first quarter.

Expectations are so high for MSU, that the Spartans may try a little too hard to look good and may stumble a bit in the early going of the game. By the second half, however, Jacksonville State should wear down and MSU should get it fully rolling. I see the Spartans winning this by a score of something in the neighborhood of 41-17. 41 points may be a bit too high for MSU's point total, but the Spartans' offense should be able to score on Jacksonville State. If anything, I may be lowballing the Gamecocks' total. Depending on how MSU's revamped defense performs (with a secondary that is replacing Darqueze Dennard and Isaiah Lewis, as well as a linebacking corps that lost Max Bullough and Denicos Allen), JSU could go over 20 points. Though I'm not certain of the score, I'm confident that Jacksonville State will be no pushover.

In any case...