Meanwhile, the Nittany Lions are looking to make an impression on the pollsters in hopes of securing an at-large berth for a Bowl Championship Series game.

And with it being the final home game of the season, Saturday will be Senior Day at Spartan Stadium, as the team sends off the 19 members of its senior class. But more than that, the Spartans are looking forward to avenging last season, a 49-18 Penn State win that left a sour taste in the players’ mouths.

“This is a very important game, not only to the seniors, but to this program. We went to Penn State and …,” senior defensive end Trevor Anderson said, pausing.

“… we got our ass kicked. You can’t say embarrassed. There’s a difference between being embarrassed and getting your ass kicked. We got our ass kicked. Period. All around the board. That’s not going to happen this Saturday.”

But moreover, the team isn’t too happy with Penn State trying to run up the score on them.

“I just keep thinking 49 points, they wanted to run the score up,” Anderson said. “I keep it in the back of my mind, 49 points. I actually know one of their players and their coaches, from what I heard, in the locker room at halftime said, ‘We’re going to put up 100 on them if we can,’ and I hope and I pray to God that that’s our offensive coaches’ mentality this week.”

Much like he did before the team played Michigan, Dantonio rattled off important plays in the series as if they happened yesterday.

“I’m firmly ingrained in what happens here when Penn State comes to play and I also remember last year, very vividly, with the opportunity to go over and play for a Big Ten championship, a lopsided win by them and it was over before halftime, pretty much,” Dantonio said.

“I guess I’ve embraced the rivalry if I remember these things.”

Penn State head coach Joe Paterno, in his 60th season as a member of the Nittany Lions’ coaching staff, said it’s become a very competitive rivalry.

“I think our fans thoroughly enjoy it,” Paterno said. “I enjoy it when we play them here. I’m not so happy when we go out there. They’re tough out there. We have such a tie-in with Michigan State through the years.”

Despite MSU’s 6-5 record, Paterno has been impressed with what he’s seen from the Spartans.

“They play with so much enthusiasm,” Paterno said. “Mark’s done such a good job with them. (Sophomore Kirk Cousins) is a big-time quarterback. … They have very, very good wideout speed. (Junior Greg Jones), their linebacker, is as good a linebacker as there is in the country. If somebody’s got a better one, I’d like to see him.”

But for the Spartans, Saturday represents a chance to redeem themselves after last season’s performance.

“You have an opportunity every time you line up,” Dantonio said.

“It’s important we recognize that fact and understand that we did not put our best foot forward last year and that there’s got to be a little bit of a feel for that. You have to take that with you into the football game, I believe. I certainly will.”