Michigan State beats Michigan

I really should have written this post right after the Michigan game rather than wait until the day before MSU's next game against Purdue. But since I'm a fan--and not a player or coach--I'm allowed to dwell on the game that happened six days ago.

As I've written in here previously, MSU/UM "rivalry week" (or, as some call it more accurately, "hate week") is not enjoyable for me. Absolutely the only aspect of the week I ever find enjoyable is when time expires and MSU has--if all has gone well--beaten that team down the road. 

I don't enjoy the back-and-forth trash talk between the fanbases. I don't enjoy the endless pre-game analysis. Often, I don't enjoy the games much while they are being played.

Late Saturday morning of the Michigan game, I went for a run in the neighborhood hoping it'd calm my nerves--and it seemed to have worked for the most part. I got back home at about the 11 minute mark of the first quarter, right after Anthony's 94-yard touchdown reception that put UM up 7-0.

The rest of the game was a back-and-forth heavyweight slugfest, with each team delivering haymakers. After MSU went up 37-33, the tension completely destroyed any "calm" my earlier run may have instilled. My heart rate was so high that my FitBit gave me credit for "active minutes" even though I was barely moving.

This was a great game, and one I can say I actually ENJOYED watching.

In an ideal world, both fanbases could shake hands (or at least "virtually" shake "virtual" hands) and marvel at what a great game this was, how hard both teams played, and how lucky we were to have such an important game in our state's backyard.

Unfortunately, that never happens in this rivalry. We can't have nice things in this rivalry.

Michigan fans--not all, but many--resort to their favorite post-loss pastime, complaining about officiating. This is because, as we all know, Michigan never loses games. They only have wins taken away.

It's funny hearing Michigan fans complain about the Payton Thorne non-fumble*--as if that call is essentially the main reason their team lost. Forget about blowing a 16-point second half lead or getting consistently shredded by Kenneth Walker III.

It was an exciting and joyous win, and now I must post this before the Purdue game starts.

My Spartan Memories, Volume 3: October 14, 1978

 

In the autumn of 1978, I was ten years-old. My dad had just taken a job working in the Thumb region of Michigan and was commuting every day from our house in Detroit. He'd do that for about 4 1/2 months until my parents finally moved us into our new house in Caro.

I wasn't happy about the prospect of moving from our home in Detroit to the boonies of Caro, and took little interest in much of anything that fall, including school. Compounding my disappointment about moving, my parents had enrolled me in a magnet middle school that I didn't like. Every day, I had to take the bus to and from Ludington Middle School. Some of the kids on the bus were annoying jerks, and school wasn't much better. Though I'd made some friends at school, they had as little interest in school work as I did, so we spent a lot of time screwing around, doing stuff like folding paper airplanes and ignoring the teachers.

Though I had become a Michigan State sports fan in earnest the previous year, after attending my first college football game ever (a 44-3 MSU win over Northwestern in November '77) and falling hard for Earvin "Magic" Johnson and the '77-'78 Spartan hoopsters, I wasn't paying much attention to the 1978 football team. Because of NCAA probation, they weren't on television and had gotten off to a slow start prior to the Michigan game.

My dad was--and still is--a history buff. I assume he learned of the Sanilac petroglyphs, near Cass City, when he started working in the Thumb. He decided that we would all drive up there from Detroit to see the petroglyphs the day of the MSU/UM game, possibly because he didn't think MSU had a prayer of beating the #4 and undefeated Wolverines.

We tuned in the football game on our 1975 Plymouth Valiant's radio on the way up to the petroglyphs. The Spartans got off to a good start and had a lead when we arrived, but since I literally could not remember the last time MSU had defeated UM in football (1969, when I was a toddler), I knew not to get overly excited. 

I recall the afternoon of October 14, 1978 at the petroglyphs as sunny and pleasant. The ancient stone carvings were--and I assume still are--quite fascinating. However, I was itching to know what was happening in the game. By the time we hiked back to our car for the long drive home, the game was in the 4th quarter. MSU was leading 24-7. I remember Michigan scoring a late touchdown and 2-point conversion to make it 24-15. I have a distinct memory of staring intensely at the Valiant's radio, willing the Spartans to victory. When the game ended and the Spartans had won, that was one of my happiest car rides ever, and one of my few highlights of autumn '78.

The Spartans went on to win six consecutive games and their first Big Ten football title since 1966. I don't remember anything about those games, but do recall the disappointment that the Draconian NCAA probation prevented them from representing the Big Ten in the Rose Bowl. Michigan, who tied MSU for the conference title, went instead. I doubt few were happier than I when USC beat UM in Pasadena.

I continued to largely ignore school in 1978 (and part of 1979). That school year was my absolute worst. It took me at least a year to get used to living in Caro. 

Whenever I think of that '78 MSU/UM game, I immediately remember our daytrip to the petroglyphs and that joyful ride home to Detroit--a place I've always considered my spiritual home.

Elevated expectations

I literally have not been able to get to a computer to blog until now, but am taking a few minutes to type a few thoughts now.

So I haven't written anything since before the Notre Dame game. That one didn't go as I thought, with turnovers doing the Spartans in. The following weekend I was in Seattle and followed the Iowa game on my phone while traipsing around the "Emerald City." We returned to our hotel room when the game was in the fourth quarter and I was amazed to discover that the game was actually on television in the Pacific Northwest. It was a sludgy ugly nail biter, but the Spartans hung on for a 17-10 win.

And then there was Michigan this past Saturday. I thought MSU could and should make it a close game, but I didn't necessarily think they'd win. Well, I have to learn to stop doubting Mark Dantonio and company in this game. Dantonio is now 8-3 against Michigan. Even in the games that MSU has lost, the Spartans have been in every one of them, including last year's game in which a struggling team pushed Michigan to the fourth quarter.

So MSU's win Saturday should have come as no surprise. This is what Dantonio does. He gets his teams prepared to compete against Michigan and they never doubt their ability to beat the Wolverines. In fact, I think they assume they will beat Michigan. And with pompous Michigan alumni like Desmond Howard offering bulletin board material every year, Michigan State players don't lack for incentive to beat the Wolverines.

As someone who has followed this rivalry since the mid-'70s, and experienced his share of Michigan losses, it's still hard for me to get used to this new reality, But believe me, I'm enjoying it.

So now expectations for the season are suddenly elevated. Is this a team that can seriously contend for a Big Ten title? Who knows? Maybe they can. It all depends on how the team handles its big win over Michigan and how the young players mature over the course of the season. The next test is tonight on the road against a beat-up but still dangerous Minnesota Gophers team. It could be a struggle, but I will pick the Spartans to win 23-16.

Sports don't seem very important right now

I've been away from this blog for quite some time. The truth of the matter is I just am not in the mood.

I don't want to get political here, but current events in our nation have made sports not seem particularly important. At least not important enough to write about.

I am not necessarily putting this blog in mothballs, but I may not write in here nearly as much as before. My impression is I don't have many readers anyway, so it may not matter much to anyone.

But while I'm in here, I may as well acknowledge the MSU basketball game against Michigan tomorrow. It was a game about which I felt fairly comfortable until the Wolverines demolished Indiana by 30 points. I still think that the Spartans should find a way to beat Michigan at home, but it could be a death struggle. I will go out on a limb and predict a 73-67 MSU victory. But if Michigan won, I would not be shocked.

I don't know the next time I'll write in here, maybe I'll surprise myself and write immediately after the MSU/UM game, but I really don't know.

Signs of encouragement?

I'm waiting until the last second to publish my weekly Spartan dispatch. The Cubs' World Series championship and this train wreck of a presidential campaign have dominated my attention.

I did take time early this week to watch the BTN replay of the Michigan game. Count me as one of the "sunshine blowers" who was encouraged by how MSU played. I didn't expect the Spartans to rack up 217 rushing yards against one of the nation's best defense (or allegedly one of the best). For the second week in a row, MSU's offense, and in particular its running attack, looked fairly efficient.

The defense, on the other hand, still has issues. Though it limited Michigan to three points in the second half (the bizarre 2-point conversion return for a touchdown doesn't count against the defense), the Spartans couldn't stop Michigan in the first half. They got little pressure on Speith, but even when they did he came through with some great on-target throws. There's not much even the best defenses can do when a quarterback reacts well to pressure.

Like most other fans, I was disappointed in some incredibly vanilla playcalling in the red zone. I don't know why Dave Warner/Mark Dantonio didn't at least try some deception. Josiah Price is one of the conference's best tight ends who has delivered big plays time and time again since 2013 and he was never utilized.

But all-in-all, it was an encouraging performance. If the Spartans can bring just 75 percent of the focus they had against Michigan, they should beat Illinois today by two touchdowns.

So even though my predictions have been terrible this season, I'll call this game: MSU 31, Illinois 17.

A Michigan week with no sizzle

As usual, I meant to get around to this post earlier, but no such luck.

It's Michigan week, and I don't remember a Michigan week with less sizzle since 2006.

We have a 2-5 (0-4 Big Ten) MSU team up against a 7-0 (4-0 Big Ten) Michigan. Two teams headed in opposite directions. One team in seeming disarray and the other playing for a possible Big Ten title and football playoff berth. We MSU fans have become accustomed in recent years to OUR team playing for high stakes and UM playing for scraps.

I don't want to say the Spartans have no shot today, because of course they have a shot. But realistically it's a LONG shot. Much will need to go right for the Spartans to win, and as we know not much has gone right for MSU this season. Even if MSU gets some breaks (recovered turnovers, maybe a pick six, possibly connect on a big pass play to Shelton or Corley) I just don't know if MSU can get enough throughout a 60-minute game.

Maybe MSU's best chance is psychological. UM's seniors have never beaten the Spartans, so perhaps that's in their heads. But I find that hard to believe. The Wolverines have been stewing for a year and change over last year's stunning loss, and with the way they are playing this season they must be brimming with confidence. (We can always hope that they're even a little over confident).

Based on what I've seen from MSU this season, even if they play their best game of the season I don't know if it'll be enough to win. This is a team with an offensive line that struggles to protect the quarterback, struggles to run block, and a defense that can't get a pass rush without blitzing and can't get off the field on third down. Compounding that are the often head-scratching mental mistakes they make.

I hate to do this, and I hope I am wrong, but I will call this one: Michigan 38, MSU 10.

Spartans blow out the Wolverines

I'm not sure that anybody saw that coming.

Michigan State absolutely hammered Michigan 89-73 at Crisler Arena and it wasn't really that close. Bryn Forbes impersonated Stephen Curry once again, Matt Costello continued his hard-nosed spirited play, Denzel Valentine showed everyone that he's back to his old self, and Michigan State looks like they officially have their mojo back.

I fully expected Michigan to give the Spartans everything they had, and thought the game may not be decided until the last one or two minutes of the game. Instead, the game was essentially over after about the first five minutes. Michigan did go on a bit of a mini-run late in the first half to cut the lead to eleven, but that was as close as they got. The Spartans led by 16 at halftime, got out of the gate quickly in the second half, built the lead to 30 late in the second half, and the deceptively closer score was a result of sloppy play by MSU's bench players.

From this fan's perspective, this is exactly what I needed after Michigan stole all the attention on football signing day. It actually was a great week for Spartans sports, with the MSU women's hoops team throttling Michigan mid-week, and the Spartan hockey team recording a rare victory when they slipped past the Wolverines in overtime, 3-2 on Friday night. (Unfortunately, the Spartan icers fell back to earth...or ice?...on Saturday night when they lost 4-1 to the Wolverines at Munn. Of course, I was glowing from the basketball win so I took this loss quite well).

But back to Spartan basketball. If you're a fan, you have to feel good about how this team looks right now. Clearly, the road game against Purdue will be a tough game, but one the Spartans can win, With the way the senior triumvirate of Costello, Forbes, and Valentine are playing, a win at Mackey Arena is certainly not out of the question.

Spartans/Wolverines basketball pre-game post

Another Michigan State/Michigan tilt is upon us, so I thought I'd take a few minutes to discuss it before tackling the task of cleaning the dirty cat boxes in the basement.

As usual, I face today's game with a degree of nervousness and trepidation. Though I think the Spartans should win, the game is in Ann Arbor and the Michigan basketball team is about as unpredictable as they come--if their shots fall, they are dangerous, but if they don't, disaster frequently follows. Some point to the Wolverines' drubbing at the hands of Indiana as an indication that the Wolvies are trending downward. Maybe. But I have a hard time believing that they will play that poorly in consecutive games--and this being a rivalry game, I fully expect Michigan to play extremely hard. But I also expect the Spartans to bring the ever-present chip on the shoulder. MSU has three senior leaders in Valentine, Costello, and Forbes who do not want to lose in what could be their final game against Michigan. So, for whatever my predictions are worth (since I'm a shameless homer), I'll pick MSU to win this one in a relatively close game, 82-75.

***

While on the subject of Michigan (a topic that never goes away), I should take the opportunity to clarify what I wrote about Michigan's recruiting event at Hill Auditorium. It's truly great that it raised so much money for the Chad Tough fund to fight cancer, and it's probably unfair of me to come down so hard on Jim Harbaugh. He has to be given credit for creating such a novel idea that was pulled off so successfully. It's exactly the sort of event that Mark Hollis has frequently devised here at Michigan State. Though I'm not always on board with every Hollis creation, I am generally more charitable towards him than I was towards Harbaugh. It was a stroke of genius to create an event that both loudly and extravagantly promoted the Michigan football program while also raising six figures for cancer research. Though I must admit I still view the whole affair with a bit of cynicism, kudos to Michigan for its generosity.

That was a rare moment of conciliation offered to the University of Michigan. I may be getting a little soft in my old age (though if you saw my back-and-forth with Michigan fans after signing day and after the Spartans' 3-2 win over Michigan in last night's hockey game, you might not think that's the case).

Now, before I get too warm and fuzzy with Michigan, it has to be said that lately they excel everywhere EXCEPT on the field. There is a constant bellowing bluster coming out of Ann Arbor about September Heismans, August Big Ten Champions, and Recruiting National Titles. I'm still waiting for any of this hot air to translate into results on the playing field.

Off to get to those cat boxes now. I may or may not get back to this blog after today's basketball game, depending on what mood I'm in.

It was national signing day, and I don't care that much...but that shindig in Ann Arbor sure got some attention

College football's national signing day was today.

I don't know if I've ever mentioned it in this blog before, but I really don't care that much about national signing day. In fact, I don't pay all that much attention to recruiting in general. In that, I may be in the minority among fans of collegiate athletics.

With the dog and pony show in Ann Arbor, though, it was difficult to ignore. That, and the constant updates I kept getting on my phone about various recruits making their decisions.

I got in trouble with a Michigan fan on Facebook for referring to Michigan's recruiting hootenanny at Hill Auditorium as a "dog and pony show," but I stand by it. This particular Michigan fan called me "classless" because this Wolverine shindig raised a large sum of money towards cancer research.

It's all well and good that the all the fat wads of money the U of M faithful paid to see Tom Brady, Ric Flair, Lou Holtz (etc.) went to charity, but one has to be incredibly naive to believe this was solely about philanthropy and nothing else. If Jim Harbaugh hadn't already cultivated an image of huckster and shameless self-promoter who will stop at nothing to get attention, I'd think otherwise. The cynic in me believes the "charity" aspect of today's event was attached mainly to make it more palatable to the public, and not appear solely be a brazen attempt to hype the Michigan football program.

Penn State pre-game post

It's been awhile since I last wrote in this blog. I spent the beginning of the week still basking in the afterglow of the Ohio State win. Listened to some local sports talk radio and watched the Big Ten Network's replay of the game. On Monday evening, my wife and I went to Breslin Center to watch the MSU basketball team clobber Eastern Michigan. By the middle of the week, it was Thanksgiving and an afternoon stuffing my face with food, beer, wine, and champagne while watching the Detroit Lions annihilate the Philadelphia Eagles and the MSU hoopsters run away from Boston College in the second half of their Wooden Legacy tournament game.

This undefeated Michigan State sports week continued last night, as MSU basketball finally put away a pesky Boise State team. I hope that this wonderful week will be topped off with the Spartan football team defeating Penn State today and clinching the Big Ten East division title.

As I write this, I am half-watching the Ohio State/Michigan game and rooting for the Wolverines to lose. The worst case scenario for me is a Michigan win over the Buckeyes and MSU losing to Penn State. That is a complete nightmare scenario and best to not even ponder as it will cause me heart palpitations and sweaty palms.

Honestly though, as long as Michigan State takes care of Penn State, I really don't give a damn who wins the OSU/Michigan game.

As far as today's Penn State game goes, I believe that the Spartans will be fully dialed in. They know what's at stake, and they've been through too much this season to let this game slip through their hands. Put pressure on Christian Hackenberg, who has been sacked 36 times this season with his porous o-line, and make his afternoon hellish. 

Nobody outside of the Duffy Daugherty Football Building knows if Connor Cook will play today. I have a sneaking suspicion that he will not and it'll be up to Tyler O'Connor and Damion Terry to run the offense again. If this is so, I just hope they an continue to do what they did last week against Ohio State, and that L.J. Scott, Gerald Holmes, and Delton Williams can build upon what they did in what may be a resurgent MSU running game. I'm putting my green sunglasses on and predicting a 23-10 MSU victory.

Oh yeah, there's a game tomorrow

It's safe to say that all MSU football fans are just coming down on an almost week-long high and are just now realising that the Spartans have a game tomorrow.

The Indiana Hoosiers have perhaps the best aerial attack in the Big Ten, and I'm concerned with what a healthy Nate Sudfeld might be able to do against the Spartans' patched-together secondary. Sudfeld presents a challenge that Jake Rudock definitely did not.

Somewhat lost in the elation of the Michigan win is that the Spartans are still a team with plenty of faults and lots of improvements that need to be made.

Despite (arguably) the greatest special teams play in MSU history, the Spartans other special teams plays were dreadful in the Michigan game. In fact, in a season in which MSU's special teams play has been generally sub-par, it was terrible against Michigan--it's ironic that the greatest special teams play in Spartan history won the it in the final 10 seconds of the game.

The Spartans should beat Indiana tomorrow, though it may not be easy. It'll be interesting to see Indiana's mindset after last week's heartbreaking loss to Rutgers, in which the Hoosiers blew a 52-27 lead at home and went down 55-52. Will that loss demoralize them? I suspect Indiana still has some fight left in them, and it's up to the Spartans to not be hungover from the Michigan game and take care of Indiana. Mark Dantonio always has the Spartans ready after the Michigan game, and this year should be no exception.

Let's call this one: MSU 38, Indiana 28.

Finally comprehending the seemingly incomprehensible: the greatest football play in MSU history

I've had some time to fully digest and contemplate the incredible play that won the Michigan game for the Spartans. At the time I wrote my previous post, I don't know if the magnitude of what I (and we) witnessed fully registered. It took a few days for my brain to absorb the reality--and rarity--of the play.

To think that I wasn't even sure if I could watch the game. As usual, before the Michigan game I went through my standard anxiety, not sure if I could gut it out. About a half-hour before game time, having completed a 5K run in the neighborhood to relax and calm my nerves, I decided to not be a wimp and root the Spartans on and watch the game on television.

It was a great game, a hard-hitting tilt between two evenly matched teams. Calmed by several Bell's Two-Hearted Ales, I made it through the game without feeling excessive stress. Even when Connor Cook's desperation 4th down pass late in the fourth quarter fell incomplete, I'd already rationalized, as much as possible, the Spartans' close "loss" to the Wolverines: This short-handed, beat up team had played its heart out and came up just a bit short on the road. I braced myself for the inevitable Harbaugh deification that would occur in the upcoming week and prepared to focus my energies on non-football related pursuits. 

But the game wasn't quite over yet. I watched as the MSU defense stuffed Michigan on the Wolverines' final possession, hoping that the Spartans could get at least one desperation shot for a miracle. As we all know, the Spartans did hold Michigan to a three-and-out and the Wolverines prepared to punt with 10 seconds left. I stood in front of the television, no doubt preparing to immediately turn the television off when the final second ticked off the clock. 

The ball was snapped, and I'm sure my pulse quickened when the punter, Blake O'Neill, struggled handling the punt. After that, it's all a bit of a blur. O'Neill was pounced upon by Spartan defenders Matt Morrissey and Grayson Miller, the football flew directly from O'Neill's hand into the hands of Jalen Watts-Jackson running in full stride. I'm not exactly sure, but I think I yelled, "Oh my God! Oh my God!" It was only 10 seconds, but it felt as if time stood still and for all I know, I was speaking in tongues. I prayed that Watts-Jackson would score. Once he hit about the 10-yard line, it was do or die. Either he got into the end zone, or else he was tackled and the game was over. At about the 7-yard line, Watts-Jackson cut to the inside and ran towards the goal line. A desperate Jake Butt, probably running faster than he ever had in his life, lunged for Watts-Jackson just as he was diving towards the goal line. Watts-Jackson made it by the slimmest of margins. My next impulse was to check for flags on the play. Surely there must be a flag on the play. When a few seconds passed and it was clear there were no penalties, it finally dawned on me...

"We won!! We won!! Oh my God, we won!!"

As long as I live, I may never see an ending like that ever again. I was breathless, I was elated, I stormed in a circle from my living room, down the hallway, into the kitchen, through the dining room, and back into the living room. I did what I almost always do after a big Michigan State win, I called my parents and celebrated. Then I listened to some of Spartan Sports Radio's post-game show, and remained in a happy glow for the rest of the weekend.

For several reasons, the most satisfying win over Michigan in my lifetime

Yesterday was to be the day of the Jim Harbaugh coronation. The day in which the Michigan Wolverines would once again claim their lofty position as one of college football's elite. The stage was set, with ESPN College GameDay broadcasting from U of M's Diag, followed by a national broadcast of the game on ESPN.

But a funny thing happened on the way to the coronation, Mark Dantonio and the Michigan State Spartans knocked Harbaugh's royal carriage off the road.

I did a count last night, and Michigan State has defeated Michigan in football 16 times in my lifetime (though I really shouldn't count the 1969 game since I don't remember it). So of the 15 I remember, yesterday's victory was far and away the most satisfying one.

Let's do a rundown of the various reasons this MSU win over Michigan was so sweet:

1. The Jim Harbaugh hype. All we've been hearing about since late December 2014 is "the wonder and glory of Jim Harbaugh." The media would have you believe he's Bo Schembechler, Vince Lombardi, and God Almighty in khakis. The hyperbole involving this guy had become truly nauseating, so knocking him off his pedestal, in the most gut-wrenching manner possible, is incredibly satisfying for Michigan State fans.

2. The Michigan shutout streak. Hey, I'll hand it to Michigan, three straight shutouts is a splendid accomplishment--but come on, let's get real. People talked about this Michigan defense like it was the 1985 Chicago Bears. Two of those shutouts were at home and all three against teams that are, at best, middling. Michigan was hanging its hat on last week's 38-0 win over Northwestern, but after the Iowa Hawkeyes trucked the Wildcats 40-10 in Evanston, it's now quite clear that this "signature win" was a mirage.

Though Michigan's run defense was stout against the Spartans (and so, too, was MSU's against the Wolverines), Connor Cook was able to exploit Michigan's secondary all day long with Spartan receivers making plenty of big catches (though credit must be given to Wolverines' splendid defensive back Jourdan Lewis, who battled Aaron Burbridge all day long). So Michigan's shutout streak came to a resounding end.

3. Turning the tables on the free publicity. As I wrote, this was all set up to be Michigan football's 2015 debutante ball and Harbaugh's coronation as the greatest football coach in the history of the world (or something like that). In the most incredible and improbable way--certainly one of the greatest-ever ends to a college football game--the Spartans pulled the rug out from under Michigan. The fumbled punt snap returned for a touchdown suddenly became THE play that everyone was talking about last night. Social media exploded. The replay was shown ad infinitum on the Big Ten Network, ESPN, and probably every other sports television network. It was posted on Twitter and Facebook by everyone. Michigan State couldn't possibly have scripted a better way to win that game and capture the most attention possible.

4. At least temporarily silencing the Michigan fan base. Oh my, had they become annoying. Where do I even begin? There was the whole Harbaugh mania, there was the incessant criticism of MSU's close wins in comparison to Michigan's blowouts, and just the fact that they'd crawled out of the woodwork like cockroaches.

Now, let me make this perfectly clear, there is no doubt that Michigan football is much improved over where it was under Rich Rodriguez and most of Brady Hoke's tenure, and Michigan will most likely remain a strong program as long as Harbaugh is there; but before we prepare to crown Harbaugh, keep in mind that Mark Dantonio and Michigan State are still here and aren't going away.

UM week (as enjoyable as a trip to the dentist)

I was ready for UM week to be over the day it started.

The hype has been as over-the-top as I can ever remember it (probably due in large part to Facebook, Twitter, sports talk radio, 24-hour sports networks, etc.) and I've done everything I can to avoid it. I just don't much enjoy Michigan week, and with Harbaugh-mania in full swing, it's been even more nauseating.

I take this game very personally, probably TOO personally, and I tire of the complete lack of class and respect that goes along with it. I get sick of annually defending the honor of my alma mater against the legions of obnoxious (mostly "unaffiliated") Michigan fans. If this was a rivalry built on mutual respect and at least a modicum of goodwill, it would be much more tolerable and maybe even FUN.

I've gone back and forth on how I think this game will go. My skepticism has been tempered a bit as the week has gone on. MSU's success really hinges on three factors: the offensive line, the defensive backs, and special teams.

Connor Cook is a great quarterback with a strong arm, good vision, and a strong stable of receivers, but will the MSU offensive line give him enough protection to have time to make throws? If he's running for his life or getting hit every other play, like against Rutgers, he won't have time. MSU also has to be able to effectively run the ball to take pressure off Cook.

It will be necessary for MSU's front seven to slow down the run and get pressure on Jake Rudock. Get him out of the pocket and force him into (I hope) bad throws.

Is Michigan's defense as good as advertised? Three consecutive shutouts is darned good no matter who the opponent is, so I suspect it is. Their defense was good LAST year, the trouble was their offense was so abysmal that the defense got tired late in games.

So, I still don't know what to expect. My guess is that Conklin and Keiler will do everything they can to play. How effective they are is anybody's guess, and it's anybody's guess whether MSU can win this game or not.

The Spartans survive again

"And Rutgers spikes the ball on 4th down (!) and MSU escapes like Houdini with a victory. The most patched together, beat up, vulnerable undefeated team in America."--My Facebook post immediately following the Michigan State/Rutgers game.

It wasn't the blowout I was hoping for. Once again, the Spartans fumbled and bumbled their way through much of the game, finally putting together a splendid drive in the last four minutes and change of the 4th quarter to go ahead 31-24. The game finally ended when Rutgers' quarterback Chris Laviano inexplicably lost count of the downs and spiked the ball on 4th down, turning the ball over to MSU with only a few seconds left on the clock.

I'll go through my "wish list" from a few days ago and see how it worked out.

1. Please Geiger, make all of your field goals and extra points. Geiger was an adventure with field goals, with one blocked and one that pinged off the upright and over. He did make all of his extra points, so I'll be generous and give him a B for this effort. However, it's pretty clear that place kicking will be an adventure for the rest of the season.

2. The secondary. It did not play as well as I hoped it would, but it's struggles were not unexpected. Leonte Carroo was as good as advertised and gave MSU fits all night. MSU's defensive backfield is a crazy quilt put together with duct tape and spit at this point.

3. Don't fall asleep in the 3rd quarter. Instead, MSU fell asleep in the second quarter and at other periodic intervals of the game. But, to their credit, MSU woke up when the game was on the line.

4. PLEASE NO MORE INJURIES! Well, there were more injuries. Madre London and Gerald Holmes were banged up in the game, so Delton Williams' redshirt was lifted. Kodi Kieler is obviously still ailing, though he valiantly played against Rutgers, and Jack Allen looks like he was hurt late in the game from a cheap shot by a Rutgers player. So, in short, injuries continue to be an issue with this team.

5. Consistency and creativity from the offense. The bright spot is that Connor Cook, though he made a few mistakes (in particular an ill-advised throw into triple coverage resulting in an end zone interception late in the first half), played well down the stretch and led MSU to its game-winning touchdown. MSU receivers made some brilliant catches, and L.J. Scott carried the mail on the game-winning drive. The Spartans have playmakers on offense--but the problem is that the offensive line is struggling due to injuries. They will need to have all hands on deck against Michigan. There is no way MSU's offensive line can struggle against Michigan, as it did against a much weaker Rutgers defense, and expect to win in Ann Arbor.

6. Don't give up big plays to Rutgers kick returners. They were a non-factor. No big returns allowed.

So, there you have it. Perhaps the most banged up, vulnerable, and least impressive undefeated team in America. MSU has yet to lose this season, yet it feels like they are about 3-3 and out of the top 25. They head to Ann Arbor this Saturday to play the much ballyhooed Wolverines who, quite impressively, have shut out three consecutive opponents.

The question is, how much more can Mark Dantonio squeeze out of this banged up, battered team? Can Connor Cook carry this team on his shoulders next week? Will MSU's offensive line be able to hold up against Michigan's defense? Has Michigan faced the type of offensive skill players that Michigan State possesses?

Next week's game is intriguing, and I have to be completely honest in saying I have no idea what to expect. Despite how rough and ragged the Spartans have looked this season, this is still a program that has won 32 of its last 35 games. They have shown an ability to face adversity and overcome it--and that's something that many of us old-timers haven't seen from MSU football in our lifetimes...until now. Whether that's enough to beat an upstart and imposing looking Fighting Harbaugh team, we shall see. At this point, I'm not feeling particularly confident about MSU's chances on October 17.

My post-Central Michigan game blather and anxiety

For the 23rd consecutive season, I have attended at least one MSU football game. It was a streak that began, coincidentally, with the 1993 game against Central Michigan.

It's a relatively modest streak, but I've grown somewhat proud of it and feel a little pressure each season to keep it going. Thankfully, between living only a few miles from the Michigan State campus and having a family member with season tickets, I am generally able--without much difficulty--to keep the streak going.

Since I'm nerdy and obsessive enough to keep track of such trivia, yesterday's game was my 49th MSU football game. That certainly pales compared to people who have had season tickets for decades, but perhaps better than many more casual fans, or fans who live far enough away from East Lansing that they can't make it to the stadium for games.

It was a gloriously warm and sunny afternoon on campus. One of those early autumn days that you need to cherish because we just don't get enough of them in Michigan. I enjoyed food and a couple of beers at an elaborate tailgate.

As far as the game itself goes, it was frustrating and nerve-wracking. MSU's offense sputtered and backfired and the Spartan defense had a difficult time getting off the field, seemingly giving up big plays on every 3rd and long situation that CMU faced. In the third quarter, when the Chips had narrowed the score to 17-10 and seemingly nothing was going MSU's way, I had serious 2009 flashbacks. I audibly declared that if MSU lost the CMU, I would never again attend a Spartan/Chippewa football game.

Thankfully, the Spartans turned up the intensity and focus in the fourth quarter, putting together a couple sustained touchdown drives that put the game away. But it sure wasn't pretty.

This may be the most criticized and over-analyzed undefeated team in MSU history, but it comes with the territory when the stakes for this program have become so high--easily the loftiest in my lifetime. And, truth be told, the Spartans have yet to play to what most consider their full capability.

The injuries are mounting, though--and that's greatly concerning. It started before the season even started when Ed Davis was lost for the year, then Vayante Copeland suffered a season-ending injury in the Oregon game and the defensive backfield is still trying to overcome his loss. Offensive tackles Kodi Kieler and Jack Conklin are now out for who knows how long. In short, the injury situation is worse than it has been since Dantonio became coach in 2007 (I certainly can't remember such a rash of injuries to key players). Let's face it, this team absolutely cannot afford any more injuries or it can kiss any hope for the college playoff goodbye.

We can also no longer only view Ohio State and perhaps Nebraska as the biggest remaining games on the schedule. Harbaugh already has Michigan playing much better than they have in several years, and the October 17 tilt in Ann Arbor is shaping into a potential landmine.

I was wrong...and I'm happy to admit it.

Dominating performance by Michigan State tonight, particularly by seniors Branden Dawson and Travis Trice, who both made it abundantly clear they had no intentions of ending their college careers without picking up a win over Michigan at Crisler. In fact, it may have been the best game Dawson has played in his college career. It seems that he hears the clock ticking and in the last few weeks has brought every ounce of his incredible (but sometimes somewhat untapped) talent to every game he's played since the Illinois debacle.

 

I thought Michigan might have about a gallon of gasoline left in its basketball fuel tank, but it turns out it's running on fumes and may have permanently stalled at the side of the road.

In my previous post, I expressed uncertainty over whether the Spartans had truly turned a corner after the Ohio State game. Well, last night's win over Michigan almost has me completely convinced that, yes, this team has turned that corner and could be poised for a strong finish to the regular season.

Michigan State/Michigan: the rematch

Tonight is the basketball rematch between the Spartans and Michigan, as the two teams take the rivalry to Crisler Center.

 

Before the Big Ten season started, I predicted a split in the season series, and despite Michigan's injuries and MSU seemingly turning a corner after two consecutive wins, I'm sticking to that. I hope like hell I'm wrong, but I'm still not convinced that MSU has indeed elevated its game for the rest of the season.

 

If Michigan has any gas left in the tank, they'll use it tonight in front of what will probably be the last excited full house crowd they'll see all season.

 

Now, I've learned never to count out a Tom Izzo-coached team, so I'm not for one second suggesting that Michigan State has no shot in this game--far from it. This is still a team fighting for a spot in the NCAA tournament (Michigan is almost certainly eliminated from the Dance). I'm just not quite sold on them, so I'm grudgingly predicting a 66-64 Michigan win.

 

The game starts at 9:00 and likely won't end until 11:15ish. I need to get up for work at 5:30 AM. I know that no matter what the outcome, I'll be wired until at least 1 AM. For that reason, I'm considering ducking out tonight and catching the inevitable replay if the Spartans win.

 

I think I've discussed this wimpy plan in the past on this blog when it's come to other MSU/UM matchups. Anyone reading this is more than justified in calling me a wimp or an idiot. But I always envisioned this blog as being a portrait of the irrationality of sports fandom, or at least my sports fandom.

The Spartans escape

I may have lost an additional year of my lifespan after enduring MSU's 76-66 overtime win over a shorthanded but feisty Michigan team.

I still don't quite know what to make of Spartan basketball this season. Is this a tournament team? If they are (and I think they probably are), I don't see them making it past the first round. But just getting this team to the NCAA tournament could be considered a success for Tom Izzo. And if the Spartans both make the tournament AND make it to at least a second game, then that would be a phenomenal success.

John Beilein deserves lots of credit in getting a short-handed and banged up Wolverines team to play hard and never quit until they ran out of gas in overtime.

This is a flawed MSU team and we just need to accept that. The free throw shooting will continue to be terrible and the perimeter shooting erratic. One positive to take away from today is the resiliency they displayed in overtime. Matt Costello and Denzel Valentine in particular brought it strong when it mattered the most. Costello had some huge blocked shots down the stretch, and scored four of MSU's ten points in overtime. Denzel Valentine made up for missing the front end of a one-and-one with 31 seconds left in regulation that may have sealed the win and prevented overtime. Valentine scored five points in OT with two rebounds.

Looking at the upcoming schedule, it's favorable for the Spartans. Illinois at home is winnable, as is a road game against Northwestern. Then MSU comes back to Breslin for a date with Ohio State. An 11-7 conference record is certainly attainable.

I'm certainly not pounding my chest after this Michigan win. I'm merely relieved. It was a dicey proposition and MSU was lucky to escape with a win.

***

As I mentioned in an earlier post, I was fortunate to have tickets to the Michigan game and went with my wife. The Lansing area was socked with a monster snow storm and we slipped and slid our way from our house in Okemos to East Lansing. After parking at my brother-in-law and sister-in-law's house, we trudged our way through the ice, snow, and bitter cold to Breslin. Once we arrived, I made a point to make a bee-line (and not a Beilein) to the program vendor to purchase a game program. I rarely buy programs any more, but this one featured a bonus special issue of Tom Izzo's "20 biggest moments in 20 years" written by Jack Ebling. It's a more slender volume than I hoped, but still it's a nice keepsake.

The crowd at Breslin was spirited and excited through most of the game, but I was disappointed to see them begin to stream out of the arena with 55 seconds left in overtime. Really, people? You've made it this far and now you're leaving? The weather is already terrible, so staying an extra few minutes won't have any effect on your trip home; and forget about beating traffic, it's not gonna happen. Why not just stay until the end and give the team a hearty round of applause when the clock hits zero? Just a thought.

Spartan basketball, the career and legacy of Tom Izzo, and the Michigan game

It's been over a week since I posted in this blog, and in that time MSU basketball lost to an average Nebraska and blew out a horrible Rutgers. And now, quite unexpectedly, I have tickets for tomorrow's game against Michigan.

At this point, all that can really be said about the basketball team is this: the only part of them that is predictable about them is their unpredictability--and that they can't shoot free throws to save their lives.  However, there is a glimmer of hope that perhaps they're turning a corner. After a terrible first half against Nebraska, the team played much better in the second half and almost came away with a most improbable win. The schedule smiled upon them with the next game on the road against Rutgers, and the Spartans dominated throughout to take a 20-point win.

So, looking at tomorrow's game, the Spartans should win. It's at home, the Wolverines are depleted, and the Spartans should ride the momentum of a blowout win at Rutgers.

Branden Dawson played great against Rutgers and seems to be performing at a high level that he's always been capable of attaining. I've often thought that Dawson is one of the most frustrating players Izzo has ever had. He is an incredibly gifted athlete who has the capability of dominating a game--when he's into it. Too often, he seems either disinterested or just inconsistent. If "good" Dawson shows up tomorrow--which I fully expect in a game against MSU's arch rival--and the Spartans can shoot reasonably well from the perimeter and not awful from the free throw line, MSU should win this game by at least 8 or 9 points.

I don't want to dismiss Michigan, though. Despite the loss of Levert and Walton, Michigan continues to play just well enough to get it done. Any team that is able to take Wisconsin to overtime, while missing two of its most important players, must be taken very seriously.

***

Tom Izzo turned 60 years old yesterday. How did he (and I) get this old? In the same year that Izzo hits the big six-oh, we celebrate his 20th season as MSU head basketball coach. I hate to use the whole trite "where did the time go" cliché, but...WHERE THE HECK DID THE TIME GO?

When Izzo was named head coach, I'm sure I was not unlike most everyone else in wondering who he was. I don't think I was following the basketball team close enough at the time to notice him on the bench as one of Jud Heathcote's assistants. In fact, when I first heard his name, I thought that perhaps he was related to former MSU basketball player Mario Izzo. (One look at the 7-foot Mario Izzo and the 5' 9"-ish Tom Izzo would immediately dispel any notion that the two were related).

The first two years at MSU were tough for Tom Izzo. Jud hadn't left him with much talent and those first two teams struggled. Many, including yours truly, wondered if this Izzo guy was the right man for the job. At the time, I didn't fully realize that slowly but surely Tom Izzo was building a soon-to-be-dominant program at MSU. Key recruits like Antonio Smith and Mateen Cleaves were the foundation.

Izzo's third year was the breakthrough year, but even that season wasn't without its tribulations. The Spartans had a less than stellar non-conference slate including a loss to the University of Detroit that I remember well because my instant reaction was, "here we go again." Undoubtedly the first big win of Izzo's coaching career came in the Big Ten opener against the overwhelmingly favored Purdue, when the Spartans stunned the Boilermakers 74-57 at Mackey Arena. Unfortunately, I didn't actually see the game, but clearly remember seeing the headline in the Lansing State Journal the next day and being completely dumbstruck that the Spartans had won by such an overwhelming score. (As a side note, it's hard to imagine that there was once a time when one couldn't instantly learn who had won a game. I waited over 12 hours to discover MSU had beaten Purdue).

From that point forward, we have experienced the glory years of Spartan basketball. But I suppose even with all the incredible success Izzo has had--the 2000 national championship, the Big Ten championships, the Final Fours--that 1997-1998 team will always maintain a special place in my memory. I remember visiting the now-defunct College Store shortly after the season ended and buying a "1998 Big Ten champions" t-shirt and the 1997-1998 basketball media guide, all the while thinking how great it was that MSU had won the Big Ten title and to appreciate it NOW because it wasn't likely to happen again for at least another decade...little did I know what the future would have in store. Tom Izzo has taken the Michigan State basketball programs to heights I never thought were possible.

***

On Friday's Drive with Jack Ebling, Jack asked various guests to name their favorite MSU/UM basketball game. His UoM grad/fan/co-host Tom Crawford went with Michigan's 2011 win at Breslin (a game I'd like to forget ever happened). Jack's choice was the 1986 game at Jenison Fieldhouse, and I have a hard time arguing with that. The scrappy Spartans beat the eventual Big Ten champion Wolverines, 91-79. Re-reading some of Jack's piece about the game in his book Magic Moments: a Century of Spartan Basketball, I'm reminded of how much I disliked Antoine Joubert at the time and how thrilling it was that Skiles and company beat those guys that season--not just once, but TWICE. Despite Joubert guaranteeing a payback win at Crisler, the Spartans hammered the Wolverines even worse than they had at Jenison. The final score in Ann Arbor was 74-59. At the time, I was a senior at Caro High School in the thumb of Michigan and overrun by Michigan fans. I was able to hold my head high that season.

I suppose my favorite game in the series was the 2013 game at Breslin, a game I was lucky enough to attend in person. It was the first and only time that both teams entered the game both ranked in the national top ten and the Spartans blew out the Wolverines in a spirited performance.

Other memorable MSU/UM basketball games: 

1979 (MSU 80, Michigan 57; at Jenison). I was a 10 year-old kid at my grandma's house in Rosedale Park, Detroit and watched this game in her den/library. The Spartans avenged an earlier heartbreaking loss in Ann Arbor and completely blew out the Wolverines in the rematch. I haven't seen this game since the day it was played, but the memories I have involve MSU running fast break after fast break with Earvin "Magic" Johnson and Greg Kelser putting on a show. I don't know if my memories necessarily represent reality, but the warm glow from those hazy memories remains to this day.

1998 (MSU 80, Michigan 75; at Breslin). After losing his first five meetings to Michigan, Tom Izzo finally broke through into the win column.  I clearly remember watching this game at the Peanut Barrel in East Lansing and, fueled by a reasonable amount of beer, going crazy near the end of a tense back-and-forth victory against the Wolverines. I talked a lot of trash and said some nasty things about Robert "Tractor' Traylor and the rest of the Michigan team. I let out all my frustration that had been pent up during that five-game losing streak between 1996 to the first MSU/UM meeting of 1998. Those there who were unfamiliar with what a lunatic I can become during MSU sporting events were probably alarmed by my demeanor.

2000 (MSU 114, Michigan 63; at Breslin). Unfortunately, I had to work during this game and didn't actually see it until after the fact. (My at-the-time fiancée and later wife was good enough to tape the game for me. Ah, the days of VHS. What memories).  A friend of mine and fellow co-worker (who was smart and took the day off to watch the game) called me at work to relay the score, probably at or near halftime. (Once again, imagine that there was once a time when you couldn't check a score on your phone or computer). The phone conversation I had with my friend went something like this:

Friend: "You'll never guess what the score is."

Me (always a bit worried when it comes to this game): "Uh-oh, is it good or bad?"

Friend: "Oh, it's pretty good."

Me: "Okay, what's the score?"

Friend: "MSU is up 51-24."

Me: "Get the hell out of here! Seriously? You better not be messing with me!"

Friend: "No! It's really 51-24! I'm not kidding!"

Me: "Holy shit."

It was an amazing and incredible win in which everything--and I mean EVERYTHING--went right for the Spartans. Seemingly every shot they made went in the basket, and Mateen Cleaves set a Big Ten assist record that still stands. The game was a happy culmination of everything Izzo had built over the first five years of his head coaching tenure, and served as a hometown send-off for the Spartans' march to the Big Ten tournament championship and national championship.

***

While this year's game doesn't have as much juice or intrigue as games past, it's still Michigan. I'm hoping for a win. With a victory, I'll be content until September (regardless of what happens in Ann Arbor) and the Spartan basketball team will set themselves up well for a potentially strong finish to the regular season. I don't want to think of what a loss will mean.