Luke McCown and Jeff Smoker were known as two of the top high school quarterbacks in the nation in 1999.

Now, five years later, they will meet for the first time as MSU and Louisiana Tech face off Saturday.

Both senior quarterbacks have seen film of each other and each acknowledge the other as similar and talented.

"I know he's having a great college career," Smoker said. "He's a really good quarterback.

"I watch him when I get the chance because they've got a spread offense. They throw a lot of things like we do now. He's a fun quarterback."

McCown, who hails from Jacksonville, Texas that is, said he respects Smoker and what he has been able to accomplish.

"He's a great quarterback," McCown said. "He plays very well, and what happened last year doesn't take away from his talent."

While Smoker climbs to the top of the Spartan record books, McCown has been enjoying similar - if not larger - success at Louisiana Tech (1-1).

McCown is the No. 1 active quarterback in the NCAA in passing yardage with 9,876 yards. His 70 touchdowns rank No. 2 among active quarterbacks.

The MSU secondary, which has given up 599 passing yards in two games, will be tested greatly in Saturday's game.

"This weekend we have to have 100 percent effort with our cornerbacks," said DeAndra Cobb, a junior backup cornerback.

Cobb said his teammates have to train their eyes and watch McCown's every move.

The Bulldogs run a similar spread offense to the Spartans, and that could be dangerous for the secondary, who will need to become more disciplined this weekend.

"I think all of us have to keep an eye on the quarterback, that's where most of our mistakes come from," Cobb said.

McCown said he is impressed by MSU's front four but also expects the Spartans secondary to be ready for the Bulldogs attack, regardless of how they have performed in past weeks.

"Usually when a defense struggles against the pass one or a couple of weeks, they improve," McCown said. "The rush defense has been great, they are solid up front."

On the other side of the ball, the Bulldogs boast speed and experience, yet they lack size.

"They're not that big," junior tight end Jason Randall said. "But they're pretty fast."

MSU head coach John L. Smith said the speed of the Bulldogs is the one thing that scares him.

"I think we can match their speed to a degree," Smith said. "If we're totally outmatched, then you have to keep everything in front of you, you can't blitz as much and you have to play more zone."

Smith's opposite this weekend, Bulldogs head coach Jack Bicknell, said he is impressed by the Spartans size on defense.

Bicknell, who is entering his fifth year at Louisiana Tech, hails from New England.

He began his collegiate football career playing center for Boston College. Bicknell was snapping for collegiate legend Doug Flutie in the 1984 season, including the classic Hail Mary play in the Golden Eagles' win over Miami.

Bicknell said McCown shares similar characteristics with his old teammate Flutie.

"They both have some of the same qualities, including their outstanding leadership abilities, and are great quarterbacks."

Bicknell believes this game will be a big test for his team. But he stresses that in no way will his players be starstruck when they spill into Spartan Stadium.

"It'll be a huge thrill to play in front of a big crowd," Bicknell said. "If we weren't excited we'd be in trouble. But we're not in awe of playing big teams like this."

Bicknell has been trying to bring the second-largest school in Louisiana to the level of BCS schools by scheduling tough non-conference games every season. MSU will be the second Big Ten team Bicknell has faced with Louisiana Tech.

The Bulldogs have twice fallen to Joe Paterno and the Penn State Nittany Lions. During the Bicknell era, Louisiana Tech has faced 14 BCS schools, including this season's opener against Miami. In 2001, Louisiana Tech's first year in the Western Athletic Conference, the Bulldogs won the conference title and Bicknell was named the WAC Coach of the Year.

Last year though, the Bulldogs lost some speed and finished 4-8 overall. The team managed only three conference wins in a failed attempt to hold onto their title. They opened the season well, beating Oklahoma State 39-36. But they lost their remaining three non-conference games to Clemson, Penn State, and Texas A&M.

This season, the Bulldogs could only manage three field goals against then-ranked No. 3 Miami in a 48-9 loss. But in their second game, Louisiana Tech handed Bayou rivals Louisiana Lafeyette a 34-3 win, improving their record to .500.

The MSU game will be the last early season, non-conference match-up for the Bulldogs before they enter their third season of WAC play. On Nov. 1, the same weekend the Spartans face interstate rival U-M, Bicknell and the Bulldogs will face former MSU coach Nick Saban and Louisiana State University.

"It's definitely going to be an exciting game to watch," Smoker said. "There will be a lot of passing, the ball's going to be flying everywhere. You don't know what's going to happen."