Instead of leading MSU to another last-second win over Michigan last season, senior quarterback Jeff Smoker wasn't on the field.

He wasn't even in uniform as he watched only parts of the Spartans' 49-3 loss in Ann Arbor last season. This time last year, Smoker was in treatment for his substance-abuse problems.

He wasn't allowed to watch the entire game.

"At that time, I didn't know much of what was going on," he said. "There were a bunch of things in my head, I didn't know where I was going to be in a year."

But now, Smoker is back in East Lansing, and the stage is set for a game that could determine the eventual Big Ten champion, not to mention bragging rights in the mitten state for the next year.

Smoker called Saturday's matchup "the biggest game of my career."

The Spartans enter the game with everything to lose, a status nobody thought they'd have midway through the conference schedule. At 7-1 overall and 4-0 in the Big Ten, MSU sits alone atop the conference. The Wolverines are clawing upward just below the Spartans at 7-2 and 4-1. Both schools are ranked within the top 15 in the country with MSU at No. 9 and U-M at No. 11.

The MSU players are more than ready for this game after having last weekend off, but are trying not to get caught up in the hype.

"It's an important win, you can look at it like (a big game). I don't really get into those outside things," senior defensive tackle Kyle Rasmussen said. "It's a big game in the state of Michigan."

Senior linebacker Mike Labinjo said the added drama has raised the level of importance of this year's matchup.

"This game is definitely a lot bigger than it's probably been in the past," Labinjo said. "I'm not sure when the last time both teams were ranked this high this late into the season. We're expecting a tough, tough game. We just expect it to be an emotional game."

Labinjo also acknowledged the major impact the outcome of the game will have on the two teams.

"Hopefully, we can prevail in this game - there is a lot on the line," Labinjo said. "We're still undefeated, they've got one loss, and we're just expecting both teams to bring their 'A' game."

Those thoughts are mirrored in Ann Arbor.

"This is a big, big game and it's exciting," U-M senior tight end Andy Mignery said. "This is what the Big Ten's all about. Anybody with Michigan State blood or Michigan blood is going to be having a good time on Saturday afternoon. It's going to be a battle."

Mignery said that regardless of the standings, the game always is a big clash between the two rivals.

"Any time you put Michigan State and Michigan on the battlefield together, it's going to be a war out there," he said. "It's a big game no matter what's going on."

Entering his first match against the Maize and Blue, head coach John L. Smith said he isn't using last season's loss to motivate his players against "the most talented team that we've played up to this point."

"Sure, we remind them of that, and I'm sure we don't need to remind them of that," Smith said.

"That's something to put in the back of your memory bank, and say 'Yeah, you bet, I remember getting my tail kicked.' If you didn't remember (the loss), we wouldn't want you on our team; it better hurt and you better try and redeem yourself."

Jon Malavolti can be reached at malavol2@msu.edu.