Everything seemed to be falling into place for the MSU community as Saturday's game against Michigan approached.
The Spartans came in riding high, ranked No. 11 in the nation and boasting a high-octane offense with a Heisman-hopeful quarterback. Meanwhile, the Wolverines were out of top 25 polls and in serious danger of falling below .500.
Most of East Lansing was ready to give the Spartans the "W" before the coin toss.
Perhaps those unusual circumstances caused MSU fans and players to approach the game with a cocky, arrogant attitude.
Anyone wearing maize and blue received a showering of insults, from good-natured to obscene. U-M fans didn't seem to mind the abuse - their team has won the last three meetings.
The result? The game ended in another disappointing loss for the Spartans, who seemed to forget that the game was to be played on grass, not paper.
The sentiment following the loss was one of shock - weren't we supposed to win this game handily? Isn't this our year?
Crowds filed out of Spartan Stadium with blank stares on their faces. Fans in the upper deck were still sitting in place long after the final whistle, as if they were unable to contemplate what had just taken place on the field.
The disappointment lingered into the evening, as long lines stretched from the entrances to bars, filled with frustrated fans looking for something to distract them from another heartbreak.
Even The State News was left licking its wounds after suffering a defeat at the hands of the Michigan Daily on Friday night. The two papers play an annual football game before MSU and U-M meet on the gridiron.
The loss (to U-M) wasn't as devastating as giving up a 17-point, fourth-quarter lead from 2004, but it might hurt more in the long run. Any senior graduating from MSU this year never saw the Spartans beat their big rival, and an entire recruiting class went through the football program without bringing home the Paul Bunyan Trophy.
The tendency following such a disappointing loss is to call for the coach's head and abandon any hope for a good season. Everyone assumes it's just "the same old Spartans."
Losing to Michigan sucks. There's no way around it. But fans need to look at the big picture. There's no reason to turn away from MSU football now. The Spartans aren't done yet. They're a promising young team that's only going to get better. They played their worst game of the year and still nearly won.
The team can still make a run for the Big Ten Conference title and a Bowl Championship Series bid.
The Spartans control their own destiny. Don't abandon them after a tough loss.
