“I got a pretty up close and personal account of what the rivalry is all about,” Cousins said. “When you go to school the next day, you have teachers and classmates talking about it when you’re in middle school and high school. You really understand the importance of the game.”

Now a junior quarterback for the Spartans, Cousins finds himself right in the middle of the rivalry rather than on the outside as an observer. Although it’s been more than three years since Cousins has attended a high school or middle school class, he knows how closely the entire state will be watching when he leads MSU onto the field Saturday at Michigan Stadium (3:30 p.m., ABC).

“There’s going to be a lot of classrooms the following Monday after this Saturday’s game talking about it,” Cousins said. “And we want them to be talking about the Spartans in a positive way.”

Motivated by defeat

For the last two years, the Spartans have delivered exactly what Cousins hopes for Saturday. With wins in 2008 and 2009, the Green and White have produced two consecutive victories over the Wolverines for the first time in more than 40 years.

However, MSU’s last loss to U-M might have been a more defining moment in the rivalry than either of the last two wins.

In 2007, the Spartans dropped their sixth consecutive game to the Wolverines, blowing a 10-point fourth quarter lead. Following the game, Wolverines running back Mike Hart delivered his now-infamous comment, referring to MSU as U-M’s little brother.

“I was in that game, and it was a hard one,” senior linebacker Greg Jones said. “That really took a tremendous effect, it’s always around our locker room.”

Jones said he and his teammates don’t necessarily think about Hart’s words much anymore.

But when then-first year head coach Mark Dantonio fired back that same day, declaring the Spartans’ intentions to take control of the rivalry, Jones said every player in the program responded.

“We started to think we should stand up, too,” Jones said. “We’re not going to bow down either. We embraced it.”

Winning changes everything

Since Dantonio took over in 2007, MSU has not only turned the tides of the rivalry on the field, but also in recruiting.

Bringing in top in-state recruits such as five-star freshman defensive end William Gholston and five-star linebacker Lawrence Thomas, who has verbally committed to East Lansing next year, Dantonio and his staff have made sure the Spartans will remain competitive against the Wolverines.

“If you haven’t noticed what Coach Dantonio has done in terms of recruiting, you’ve had your head buried in the sand,” said Jeremy Crabtree, National Football Recruiting Editor for the recruiting website Rivals.com. “It’s something that might get overlooked, but those of us that follow the recruiting process know what’s going on.”

Crabtree said MSU has had more success recruiting in the state of Michigan — more specifically Detroit — during Dantonio’s tenure than ever before.

He added that a single game, such as Saturday’s, won’t have an effect on kids, but said the fact that the Spartans have shown they can be consistently on par with U-M speaks volumes.

“Overall trends are what kids want to see, and what they see right now is Michigan State beating Wisconsin, getting more games on national television and of course beating the in-state traditional power,” Crabtree said. “I think that definitely says a lot to in-state recruits.”

Dantonio also said winning one game against the Wolverines won’t immediately show an improvement in recruiting. However, with every win over U-M, Dantonio said you see more recruits interested in MSU.

“Certainly in the state of Michigan, there are certain players that can go either way,” Dantonio said. “I think how this makes a difference is those ninth grade guys, 10th grade guys, guys sitting on the fence.”

Keeping Paul Bunyan

Although two straight victories and progress in in-state recruiting are proof the Spartans and Wolverines are more equal than they have been in years, Dantonio said that doesn’t take away from the emphasis he places on each game against U-M.

“I talk about being judged one game at a time,” Dantonio said. “That’s what’s important because you’re only as good as your last game. I recognize that fact.”

His players agree.

But even while taking it one game at a time without dwelling on the past, senior cornerback Chris L. Rucker said he and his teammates are well aware this next game gives them the chance to hold on to the Paul Bunyan Trophy for three straight years for the first time since 1965-67.

“I think it would be big for the program,” Rucker said. “We’re just trying to get this win this year and just keep it going.”