FOOTBALL
Trannon out for OSU game
After losing three consecutive games, it doesn't get any easier for the MSU football team. The Spartans host No.
FOOTBALL
Maize flags leave MSU feeling blue
Michigan didn't need any extra help in its near-perfect 31-13 win against MSU on Saturday, but the Spartans gave them plenty. Penalties were a problem for the Green and White throughout the day, from early in the first quarter to the end of the game.
FOOTBALL
MSU QB recruit has near-perfect Homecoming
Quarterback Keith Nichol, an MSU commitment from the class of 2007, went 12-of-13 passing for 262 yards and three touchdowns in a 52-13 Homecoming win for Lowell High School on Friday, The Grand Rapids Press reported. The 6-foot-2, 195-pound Nichol also scored two touchdowns on runs of 6 and 10 yards. "We're not surprised by Nichol's performance," Lowell head coach Noel Dean told the Press.
VOLLEYBALL
Spartans split weekend matches
After sweeping Illinois on Friday, the MSU volleyball team ended on a sour note by losing to Northwestern in five sets Saturday at Jenison Field House. After starting the season 10-1, MSU (11-5 overall, 2-4 Big Ten) has dropped four of its last six matches. Behind a spirited home crowd, the Spartans won the first and third games Saturday, but lost the second, fourth and fifth games to drop their third five-game match of the season. MSU head coach Cathy George and the Spartans were visibly upset when they emerged from the locker room following the loss.
ICE HOCKEY
Top line shines in exhibition blowout
After a subpar performance in Tuesday's Green and White intrasquad scrimmage, the message from MSU head coach Rick Comley to the junior forward line of Jim McKenzie, Bryan Lerg and Chris Mueller was loud and clear. "He obviously wasn't happy with how we played," Lerg said.
FOOTBALL
Kicking, coaching not to blame it's all about talent
As a senior, I've now seen the Spartans lose to the Wolverines four straight times. And although I've seen it before, this one was the hardest to watch.
FOOTBALL
Monday musings
Ricky Williams suffered a gash on his left heel last week when a locker room door slammed shut behind him. Team doctors said Williams is in stable condition but strangely is still asking for medicinal marijuana. NBA commissioner David Stern received a proposal last week to expand the league to Europe in the near future. The sticking point: How would Dwyane Wade's 30 free throws a game translate into euros? The Miami Dolphins started former Detroit Lion Joey Harrington at quarterback Sunday in place of the struggling Daunte Culpepper. Not to be outdone, the Lions pulled their starting quarterback and replaced him with Scott Mitchell. New Hampshire wide receiver David Ball caught his 51st career touchdown pass Saturday, breaking Jerry Rice's NCAA Division I-AA record. Still safe: Marcus Vick's NCAA career arrests record. The Detroit Tigers wrapped up an American League Divisional Series victory on Saturday — their first playoff series win since 1984. In a touching tribute, Tigers closer Todd Jones was wearing the same pair of underwear he had on the last time Detroit won a playoff series. After that loss, Yankees owner George Steinbrenner wants manager Joe Torre fired, according to media reports. The leading candidate for Steinbrenner to replace Torre with: A big bag of money.
FOOTBALL
Lack of discipline, depth hurt, but this loss was no surprise
There's no shortage of reasons for MSU's 31-13 loss to Michigan on Saturday. A lack of discipline is one.
SOCCER
MSU scores 1st, but ends with 1-1 tie against U-M
Ann Arbor — It was all guts and no glory for the MSU men's soccer team (6-4-2 overall, 0-2-2 Big Ten) on Sunday, as the Spartans walked away from their game against Michigan with a 1-1 tie. The high stakes of the intrastate rivalry motivated players on both teams through an extra 20 minutes of play, but neither team was able to net the game winner. "I was afraid the minutes were going to haunt us and maybe they'd sneak one with fresher legs," MSU head coach Joe Baum said.
FOOTBALL
MSU, Illinois fined $10K for flag-planting fight
The Big Ten fined Illinois and MSU $10,000 each on Wednesday for a scuffle between players following the Spartans' 23-20 loss to the Fighting Illini on Saturday. After the game ended, Illinois players attempted to plant a flag at midfield in Spartan Stadium.
VOLLEYBALL
Big Ten has been rude awakening for MSU
After winning a majority of its nonconference games, the MSU volleyball team finds itself struggling heading into its weekend matches. The Spartans have lost three of their four Big Ten matches, giving them a 1-3 record in the conference. "I think we have had great opportunities to win every game," head coach Cathy George said.
ICE HOCKEY
Jeff Lerg shines in net in Green and White scrimmage
It didn't take long for MSU head coach Rick Comley to say what everybody at Tuesday's Green and White intrasquad hockey scrimmage was thinking when the final horn sounded at Munn Ice Arena. "I thought (sophomore goaltender) Jeff Lerg played really well," Comley said smiling.
SOCCER
Men's soccer travels to play Oakland today
Before heading to Ann Arbor on Sunday for a rivalry game against Michigan, the MSU men's soccer team will travel to Oakland for a 4 p.m.
FOOTBALL
Conley's Top 10: Angry in the mountains
Each week, State News football reporter Ethan Conley offers his own Top 10 college football rankings. No.
ICE HOCKEY
Student season ticket sales up; new 8-game option available
For the 2006-07 Spartans hockey season, two different student-ticket packages are being offered. The packages are similar to those for football and allow for an upgrade into the official MSU hockey student section, Slapshots. One package offers admission to all 17 regular-season home games, excluding the CCHA playoffs, should the Spartans host a home series.
FOOTBALL
Cook: 'I have no doubt' Stanton will play Sat.
A day after being labeled as probable for the Michigan game, it seems MSU senior quarterback Drew Stanton will be starting under center Saturday. "I have no doubt (he'll play)," senior center Kyle Cook said after Tuesday's practice.
FOOTBALL
Ringer out for season; Stanton probable for U-M
The worst-case scenario is now reality. Sophomore running back Javon Ringer is out for the season. However, senior quarterback Drew Stanton is probable for Saturday's game against Michigan. During the second quarter of MSU's 23-20 loss to Illinois on Saturday, Ringer went down with an injured right knee after gaining three yards on a screen pass.
ICE HOCKEY
MSU hockey season begins tonight at Munn here's what you'll see
The trees' leaves are starting to change colors, the weather is becoming a little more frigid, a would-be promising football season is once again down the toilet and the 2006-07 MSU hockey team is just about ready to kick off a new season in defense of a CCHA playoff championship.
SPORTS
Monday musings
Monday Musings For the first time in more than 30 years, Notre Dame will make 5,000 season tickets available to football games starting next season. The fee for the tickets will help pay for more than $40 million in repairs to Notre Dame Stadium, as well as Charlie Weis' months of post-slap therapy. Tennessee Titans defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth was ejected from his team's game Sunday after stomping on Dallas center Andre Gurode's face. Haynesworth said he plans to appeal any suspension because, come on, Gurode's face does kind of look like a Dance Dance Revolution board. For the second straight season, only selected MSU football players will be available to the media before this Saturday's game against Michigan. Team officials said the rest of the team will be unavailable to give interviews because they'll be busy making sure no one plants any flags at Spartan Stadium.
FOOTBALL
Don't blame Smith players stunk
If you want to point fingers as to why MSU lost to Illinois, there's plenty of blame to go around.