Spartans, Boilermakers reverse roles this season

One year after MSU’s late-season 48-31 win at Purdue, the Spartans and Boilermakers have reversed roles.

The Spartans went into West Lafayette, Ind., last season with a 5-5 record and a three-game losing streak in tow, fighting for their bowl lives with two games remaining. The Boilermakers were in position for a possible New Year’s Day bowl appearance at 7-3 with three games left.

“I remember every columnist picked us to lose,” MSU head coach Mark Dantonio said. “When I walked into the hotel over there, a lady said, ‘We’re expecting a good game from you guys tomorrow. We think that maybe you guys will give us a good game.’”

With the positions switched during Saturday’s matchup — the Spartans will have a shot at the Big Ten title with a win and the Boilermakers need a victory after losing five of six games to keep their bowl eligibility hopes alive — Dantonio is expecting Purdue to give the good game MSU delivered in 2007.

“They’re probably not where they want to be in terms of win-loss record, but that can be very deceiving,” Dantonio said of the Boilermakers (3-6 overall, 1-4 Big Ten).

“When you look at them as a football team, they’ve lost close games, they’ve lost games at the end, won one last week at the end, and, much like Wisconsin had done the week before, they got their first Big Ten win a week ago.”

Purdue faces MSU (8-2, 5-1) after its dramatic 48-42 victory over Michigan last week with an electric backup quarterback at the helm. Sophomore Justin Siller, a Detroit native taking over for injured starting quarterback Curtis Painter, led the Boilermakers to 48 points against the Wolverines by throwing for 266 yards and three touchdowns while running for 77 yards and another score.

Charlie in charge

Entering the season, sophomore tight end Charlie Gantt had large shoes to fill with the departure of NFL draft pick Kellen Davis. Gantt talked of contributing in run- and pass-blocking, while offering some help as a receiver in the open field.

But Gantt’s evolution from a blocking-conscious tight end to a serious catching threat in 10 games was never more evident than in the last series of MSU’s win against Wisconsin where he lined up as a slot receiver throughout the series. Gantt has 14 catches for 249 yards this season and leads the team with four touchdown catches.

“He had a great spring practice and summer practice and that’s transitioned him into having a great season thus far,” Dantonio said.