After MSU junior quarterback Drew Stanton purchased the NCAA Football 2006 video game, he ripped apart the front cover of the box, displaying a photograph of former Michigan receiver Desmond Howard.
Being an in-state player from Farmington Hills, Stanton is all-too familiar with the competition that exists between MSU and U-M.
"Knowing the rivalry that there is, it's something special to be a part of," Stanton said. "Growing up as a kid, I always personally wanted to be the quarterback at Michigan State."
He knows the success the Spartans have had against U-M - like in 2001 when he watched from the sidelines, already committed to be a Spartan, as running back T.J. Duckett caught the winning touchdown pass from quarterback Jeff Smoker as time expired from the game.
However, Stanton also is familiar with the downs between the two teams, such as last year when he was injured in the game to the applause of Wolverine fans at the Big House. He watched from the sidelines, helpless, as MSU blew a 17-point lead and lost in triple overtime.
Stanton recalls that he never felt worse after an individual game.
"It was definitely a hard game to swallow especially with all the emotions that were involved in it," he said. "It doesn't bother me nearly to the point now. I took something away from that game and I think I grew up a little from it."
This year, Stanton and the Spartans find themselves on the flip end.
Going into a game where U-M is almost always favored to win, the No. 11 Spartans find themselves favored by 5.5 points, while the Wolverines are 2-2, experiencing key injuries and are absent from the national polls.
"Who's favored, who's not - it doesn't matter," MSU head coach John L. Smith said. "You get in this game and it doesn't matter."
Smith also took last year's loss particularly hard.
"It was one of those that you'll always remember and you try to forget," he said.
Smith, in his third year as MSU's head coach, has never beaten the Wolverines.
"It's not about me, it's about our guys - it's about our program," Smith said. "It's not more important to anybody than the people right here right now."
Of the 15 seniors that occupy the Spartans' roster, only eight of them were redshirted, making them a part of the last time a Spartan football team beat U-M in 2001.
"We know we've been beat the last three times we've played them," senior safety Eric Smith said. "A lot of guys are thinking about that and want to get a win. Especially the seniors, we want to go out with a victory in our stadium."
Last year's 45-37 triple overtime loss still haunts the MSU seniors, who have one last opportunity to get a win over their rival.
"It was heartbreaking and I still think about it to this day," senior center Chris Morris said. "Every time you look back at film and watch clips of that game, the end result is the only thing that can show up in your mind."
Morris, who was redshirted during the 2001 season, yearns for a chance to end his college career with a successful season and a win against Michigan.
"A few of the senior fifth-year guys have been on the sideline in 2001 when we won, but you can't really count that as one because none of us played in the game," he said. "To be able to go out there and show that we were part of this victory - that's what we want to have happen.
"It's a chance to finally get a win."
The seven other current Spartans that were redshirted for the 2001 season are wide receiver Aaron Alexander, defensive lineman Michael Bazemore, linebacker Seth Mitchell, offensive linemen Gordon Niebylski and Stefon Wheeler, Smith and tight end Ryan Woods.
The group of seniors, whether redshirted or not, have the experience of past Michigan games in common.
They were ousted in Ann Arbor the 2002 season by an embarrassing 49-3 score, a motivating factor that the Spartans use today.
"We don't want to be beat like that ever again," Morris said. "A lot of people have taken that mindset. We will never be humiliated like that again."
The Spartans also lost the 2003 season game held in East Lansing by a score of 27-20.
Part of avoiding a loss tomorrow is being weary of a football team that John L. Smith sees as always dangerous.
"They're awfully good," he said. "Their personnel is the best we've seen. They're a good football team. This week is huge. This week tells the tale. Still, we've got a lot to prove.
"To win this one would be big. We could take another step in the right direction."
