Michigan State 13, MICHIGAN 31 (final)

[gregorylee]

I am definitely going to throw my hat in the ring here, but I will wait until after the weekly interest is paid

I doubt though that I go all in.

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Dispatch

NOTEBOOK
Battered Spartans in need of big win
Beating Wolverines would rescue season
Tuesday, October 03, 2006

ASSOCIATED PRESS



Running back Javon Ringer is out for the season because of a knee injury, but his Michigan State teammates plan to show up, as scheduled, for Saturday?s game at sixth-ranked Michigan.
"The season is not over," defensive lineman and cocaptain Clifton Ryan told reporters yesterday. "I know a lot of you guys want us to cancel the season and pack it in, but we?re going to keep fighting."
That might surprise some people who believe the reeling Spartans (3-2, 0-1 Big Ten) are finished after back-to-back three-point losses at home to Notre Dame and Illinois, including arguably the worst five quarters in program history.
John L. Smith?s team led the Fighting Irish by 16 points with less than nine minutes left on Sept. 23, then allowed 19 unanswered points to lose 40-37. Seven days later, Michigan State was flat for four quarters and flattened 23-20 by the Fighting Illini, who were 26 1 /2-point underdogs.
Despite significant injuries, including bruised ribs for quarterback Drew Stanton, who was described as "probable" for Saturday, Michigan State?s players and coaches said they are excited about the 63-mile trip to Ann Arbor, where the Spartans haven?t won since 1990.
"We?re going to play as hard as we can play, and we?re going to prepare the very best we can prepare, and let?s go!" Smith said. "I think our football team showed some emotion last night, which was good. And I hope that continues."
With the exception of a 49-3 no-show at Michigan Stadium in 2002, their last game under Bobby Williams, the Spartans always have been excited to face the Wolverines (5-0, 2-0). Excited, but seldom successful, as an 8-28 series record since 1970 attests.
Michigan has won the past four games, including a 45-37 triple-overtime classic in 2004 and a 34-31 overtime game last year in Spartan Stadium. But Michigan State needs to do more than keep it close this time. It needs to save a oncepromising season and silence critics, at least until the next week?s visit from No. 1 Ohio State. "We?ve got seven games left, and we?re going to get some things accomplished this season for this program," Ryan said. "We just have to put the past behind us and be the best team we can be."

[daddyphatsacs]

It always seems like crazy things happen in this series. Michigan St. has their back to the wall, and are being written off by all. They are much better out of this role, you never know.......

[HabaneroBuck]

Hoyer is a very respectable backup quarterback, possibly a little more talented than Zwick (better arm, anyway). He used to throw to Gonzo, so that's got to count for something. I'm going with State to give their rivals a good game.

[osugrad21]

Link

Spartans' drama goes on the road

After two home fiascoes, Michigan State heads off to Michigan's Big House

By Rusty Miller

Associated Press

It's a matter of time before the 2006 Michigan State Spartans become a daytime drama, maybe As East Lansing Turns or Days of Spartans' Lives.
Three weeks ago, some thought the Spartans, off to a 3-0 start behind quarterback Drew Stanton, might be a dark horse to win the Big Ten title. Then came consecutive collapses -- both at home -- that have left the coach's job in jeopardy, the program in disarray and green-clad faithful embarrassed.
Oh, and did we mention the Spartans get to play No. 6 Michigan at the Big House on Saturday?
It all began, with a national TV audience as witnesses, on the evening of Sept. 23 against Notre Dame. Coach John L. Smith's team held a 17-point halftime lead and led by 16 going into the fourth quarter. Then the Fighting Irish started clicking and the Spartans staged a colossal collapse to lose 40-37.
Adding to the weird night, Notre Dame coach Charlie Weis said in his postgame remarks that he was slapped on the sideline during a second-quarter skirmish between players. A day later, Weis curiously said it might have been one of his own players who slapped him. A day after that, Smith showed reporters a tape of the incident -- which did not show a slap -- and said, ``I'm not going to contend that anybody is lying, but you take a look at the film.''
The soap opera continued last Saturday. Playing against an Illinois team that had lost 24 of its past 25 Big Ten games, Michigan State found a way to lose 23-20 on homecoming.
Fans booed Smith and his team off the field. To add to the problems, top running back Javon Ringer was lost for the year with a right knee injury and Stanton dinged his ribs. He is listed as probable for the Michigan game.
After the Illinois loss, a stunned Smith said, ``I don't have the answers. We can't get them to go hard in practice.''
Smith ended his news conference by slapping his own face.
This week, his players have defended their coach better than they did Notre Dame in the second half, which isn't saying much. For his part, Smith said that he does indeed have the answers.
Stay tuned. It's hard to tell what the Spartans may come up with next.

[gregorylee]

Where's my hat?!?

[Stanton4Heisman]

Stanton will start, his ribs were just bruised. And Ringer is out for the year...but he hasnt done anything against stiff competition anyway.