MSU 2011-2012 Michigan State Spartans Football

This is what I said September 27, 2011.

Now admittedly, I've got predictions all over the place, so who knows if I contradicted it somewhere. But the Wisconsin one is kind of prophetic on the off field stuff. Then again, I'm sure anyone could predict an MSU player doing something like this.


"Wisconsin Very good team. Msu is at home. So what? Coming off the Michigan win, the Spartans think they are tough and have a chance to make something of their season. Too bad five (5) of their players are spending the weekend in jail. (My bet is on assaulting their own cheerleaders at a frat party or assaulting the U of M cheerleaders at a bar, (although they understandably did mistake the girls for players on the Wolverine's men's wrestling team) Afterward, Dantonio tells players "I've told you a hundred times this type of behavior is unacceptable and anyone violating the conduct code will be immediately kicked off the team permanently". I think the toughest team is Wisconsin. MSU handled them in the past. But MSU handled Notre Dame in the past too. Dantonio gets less conservative and passes on first down in one series. Despite that "trick play", MSU loses".

Alright, it WAS only one player and it was ON the field but he DID do something totally stupid which will make things worse for his team. I won't say he "cost MSU the game because they would likely have lost the game anyhow.

This breaks today's game down.

Rivals.com College Football - Badgers' hopes rest with rare win at MSU


Before I start ripping on Sparty, I want to say that they beat Michigan this year. Again...but it never gets old. So I'm very happy. The year has been a successful one in my eyes. I hope they bring us more good stuff, but that is all I asked.

MSU has been talking a lot of crap about their great defense and how it's going to smash Wisconsin's offensive line and flatten the quarterback. I'll betcha they barely get to him the entire game and if they do, by then it is going to be too late.

Wisconsin scores 40 - 50 points a game.
Sparty will slow them down...but what does that mean?

Sparty played Wisconsin very tough at home the last few meetings, and in fact beat them. But this time it means more. MSU shows up against Michigan. Those games are important for bragging rights. This isn't Michigan. Wisconsin is the real thing. MSU just doesn't show up for these huge games.

Cousins did fine against Michigan but he usually chokes in the big ones. He might play OK. He might even play well. But he won't play great and that is what Wisconsin will get from THEIR quarterback. MSU would need "great" quarterback play to win.

MSU is crying about getting cheated out of the Rose Bowl last year when Wisconsin was chosen ahead of them. MSU showed how deserving it was when Alabama blew them out in the bowl game they DID get invited to attend. (granted, MSU always gets horrible match ups, but it is what it is).

The experts are predicting close scores with Wisconsin victorious but Vegas has Wisconsin by a touchdown. My crystal ball says otherwise:














Wisconsin 34



Michigan State:17


No big deal. MSU beat Ohio State and Michigan!!! So they lose to Wisconsin and possibly Nebraska. 2 out of 4. People my complain...BUT...

Rose garden - Lynne Anderson - YouTube

A safety and two point conversion?!



STATE!

Whoa! What a game! What a finish!


State!

T-O-U-C-H D-O-W-N MICHIGAN STATE.....always go for hail mary....great call by the officials!!

Nice game by the Spartans...Won as 8 point underdogs.

Now 6-1...A very good football team.

They beat OSU...Michigan...And Wisconsin...

They'll now be a top ten ranked football team...

Nebraska next week...no time for a letdown....

Cousins was 22-31 for 290 yards...3 TDs and 0 int...

Better stats than the other guy..............

I need a new avatar......

Holy...!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Your post and my avatar...now we're both fans....

It's ok if you have a "Cousins" Avatar...he's earned it...........

That was sweet. Especially since ESPN Game Day basically bashed the Spartans all morning for being a dirty team. Desmond Howard was, of course, the worst offender.

Guess what, Desmond? The Spartans had ZERO penalties tonight.

As a Heisman trophy winner and sports commentator...Desmond has every right to comment...

Just like MSU had the right to shove their foot into his mouth with their on field performance...

Great game, but the way Wisconsin moved down the field on their last drive with such confidence and pizazz, I am thinking if they had gone for two, they would have made it. Of course they assumed they had the momentum and if they got the ball first in OT they would win...

Yeah. At the beginning of the game, Musberger and the other guy were dogging and laughing at MSU big time. Making them out to be downright evil. Talking about how the general population or something would be happy that the Spartans were getting crushed. Ticked me off. Talk about biased. I think they weren't happy MSU won, but loved the finish.

Really?

yea...I won the bet after 2 games...that's all I needed...

Nice. Thanks, Sharky.


What I loved:
Nichol made the "miracle" catch. He placed himself where he needed to be and fought so hard to make sure he got in the end zone. That kid accepted losing his co-quarterback slot to Cousins and never complained. He moved to wide receiver and did his job well. He was my favorite current Spartan.

Zero penalties!!!! Are you kidding me? I never remember seeing that ever before.


What I liked:
Down 14-0 MSU stuck to their game plan and fought back. It was looking very bad. In the past they likely would have folded.

Cousins did well. Not great. But he did well. He got away with a couple things at the end that could have spelled disaster.

The Michigan State defense holding the number one Wisconsin offense to 17 points after three quarters. The safety was so huge.


What I didn't like:
I never had anything against Brent Musberger in the past but the anti-Michigan State (Darth Spartan/Michigan State Raiders) sentiment is getting on my nerves. he was mocking that Isiah kid after he got hurt on the first play due to the "irony' of the situations. People over 98 years old should not be announcing these games. (No offense [STRIKE]Woody[/STRIKE] to anyone whose name starts with a "W"

Boise State likely moves up in the rankings with Wisconsin (and Oklahoma) losing.

What I hated:
Dantonio playing not to lose in the 4th quarter rather than playing to win. He was up two touchdowns. There was room for error. Was he positive Cousins would do something stupid? Blowing that lead wasn't surprising but was sickening. It kills a team's momentum and the other team takes target practice. Why change what is working so well? I would have MUCH MUCH preferred 31-17 over a thrilling 36-31.

What I can't believe:
They actually over ruled the call on the field. it was right to do so but still...

Speaking of which (wasn't that Wisconsin guy who recovered the fumble in the 1st quarter clearly out of bounds. They glossed over the decision to give Wisconsin the ball. Maybe his teammate touched it first, but was there conclusive evidence? oh well. No matter.

That Michigan State in the last three games beat Ohio State, Michigan, AND Wisconsin.


What I wonder:
Where do they rank MSU today. It doesn't matter. Rankings before the season ends are fun but meaningless. They beat a great team, but I don't think anyone close to them in the rankings lost. Maybe 12th?

Where does MSU actually rank? Certainly no higher than 10th. I just don't see them being better than the nine currently above them.

There are still 5 games left. Including Nebraska up next. How many of the remaining games do they win? I will be sure to pick against Sparty in the Nebraska game. ;) Not time to think about it yet. Time to savor the Wisconsin win.

Will the two teams play again?

What surprised me:
Dantonio going for the 2 point conversion to make it a two touchdown lead. Great call.

That I didn't turn off the television in disgust when it was 14-0.

MSU won the game!! The won the game!!

None of these things surprise me.....You are after all....Just being Darth Tater...

Don't pin that on Dantonio...Roushar was calling the plays

You missed the part in the post where I said "Thanks, Sharky" about the avatar.

We shall see how they finish. I agree. I want Nebraska ranked above them.

MSU has had three very impressive wins. Still, five (5) games remain. So much can happen.On and off the field.

9th in AP

10th USA Today

College Football - Rankings - Rivals.com