MSU finished the year 6-7, the Spartans’ worst record under head coach Mark Dantonio.

“It was my freshman year. I don’t remember much about that week, but I remember that they came in, beat us and that (it) was a very tough loss for us,” Fowler said. “It really messed up that whole year for us because we had a lot of talent on that team. … It was very hard on us as a program.”

Fowler, now a junior receiver, is part of a group of MSU upperclassmen who are hoping to help the Spartan youngsters avoid the mistake they made three seasons ago.

Among that group is senior linebacker Chris Norman, who has spent the entire week emphasizing one word: focus.

Norman, a team captain, said there’s more to lose by playing a Mid-American Conference opponent, such as CMU, but that should motivate the Spartans to be on top of their game.

“In 2009, (we) lost to Central Michigan and people (started to doubt) about the season,” Norman said. “So I think there’s definitely a lot to lose and knowing that is going to help this team in the practice week, and I think it’s going to make us more focused on Saturday.”

An extra motivation for the Chippewas in playing MSU is going up against a local school that many players weren’t recruited by.

Dantonio said it will help contribute to a “live environment,” and receivers coach Terrence Samuel said it will give the Chippewas something to prove.

“If they feel like they didn’t get recruited by some of the bigger schools, here’s an opportunity to knock them off the pedestal,” Samuel said. “Those guys enjoy that underdog perspective, so I’m expecting (them) to play very hard. … These guys are going to keep coming at us, so we have to be ready for that.”

It’s the understanding and expectation of a raucous road crowd, and memories of 2009, that reinforce for Norman how critical it is to take Central Michigan seriously.

“Going into an environment like that, playing a team like Central, the last thing you want to do is be lackadaisical, and the last thing you want to do is give them hope,” Norman said. “That’s what we did in 2009 and we can’t do that again.”