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Big-time coach
Toward the end of last season, MSU head coach John L. Smith was leading Louisville to its fifth straight bowl game.
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Old Spartans not scoring points
Turkey Day means the fantasy season is drawing to a close.The highlighted week usually is an indicator of the waning clock on the season.
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Deadline set for Ottney case closure
After more than two months of mourning and mystery, officials still are attempting to figure out what caused the seizure-like episode that ended Brian Ottney's life. Ottney, a former MSU football captain, died at 12:59 a.m.
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Smith modest about feat
Ending the season with eight wins, head coach John L. Smith finished with the most wins a first-season MSU football coach.
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Smoker's final season realized
They patiently waited for him to finish the celebration.One last time cheering in the corner with the students, singing the fight song with the band.
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Eight is enough
MSU's seniors went out with a bang in their final home game. Led by quarterback Jeff Smoker and defensive end Greg Taplin, the Spartans (8-4 overall, 5-3 Big Ten) beat Penn State (3-9, 1-7) Saturday, 41-10, finishing the season with their best record since 1999 and snapping a three-game losing streak.
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Blowout over Penn State ends surprising campaign
As the game clock wound down at Spartan Stadium on Saturday, MSU players added the final chapter to what has become a storybook season.
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Pick up Bills running back Morris
Welcome to the home stretch. It's week 12 - time to make the final push to reach the playoffs.
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Strong-legged kicker eyes 'U'
Junior place-kicker Dave Rayner is enjoying a career season. His point total for kicks is top in the Big Ten, and his foot has put the Spartans' special teams on the national stage.Too soon to think about a replacement?
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Injuries drag down 'U'
As MSU's season moves downhill with three consecutive losses, injuries continue to plague the team.One of the downfalls of the past week occurred on Thursday, when sophomore safety Eric Smith came down wrong, twisting his knee when defending a pass thrown to senior wide receiver Ziehl Kavanaght.On Saturday, head coach John L.
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Thrashed
Madison, Wis. - It began with a flash of brilliance, but as the season has carried on, MSU's hopes have dimmed. Mistakes and injuries wore on the Spartans again as they lost their third straight game, this time a 56-21 loss to Wisconsin on Saturday at Camp Randall Stadium. The loss likely dropped the Spartans (7-4 overall, 4-3 Big Ten) out of contention for a New Year's Day bowl game and also dropped them out of The Associated Press and ESPN/USA Today top 25 polls. "We got our tails kicked, right up between our shoulders," head coach John L.
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Blowout reminiscent of many 2002 games
Madison, Wis. - As far as blowouts go, MSU has seen plenty in the past two seasons. But this year was supposed to be different. With a new coach and a new attitude, the Spartans were supposedly beyond getting torn apart.
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Spartans give up 56 against Badgers
Madison, Wis. - MSU lost any remaining chance of tying for the conference crown as the Spartans fell, 56-21, to Wisconsin on the road. The Spartans (7-4 overall, 4-3 Big Ten) looked lackluster from the start, giving up 28 first-half points en route to losing their third straight Big Ten game Saturday. "We weren't ready to play," MSU head coach John L.
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Wheeler OK, won't play against Badgers
After suffering a neck injury in Saturday's game at Ohio State, sophomore left tackle Stefon Wheeler returned to East Lansing on Sunday night.Results were negative on an MRI done Sunday, but Wheeler will not return for Saturday's game against Wisconsin.
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Championship hopes dashed by Ohio State
Columbus, Ohio - Like the shadows that crept across Ohio Stadium, MSU's Big Ten title hopes became further stretched out on Saturday. For the second straight week, the No.
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Dropped Again
Columbus, Ohio - With starting strong safety Eric Smith out, the MSU defense was forced to make many pass-coverage adjustments. But in the end, they weren't enough, as MSU lost to Ohio State 33-23 at Ohio Stadium.
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Lingering knee pains won't keep Mitchell down
It follows Seth Mitchell around wherever he goes, like the rain cloud in a cartoon looking to bring down his day.
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All Raiders should be benched
It was an utter blowout for Styf in Week 9. With a huge outing, Styf narrowed the gap between the gurus in total points and tied the season series at 4-4.
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Team loses player, QB's streak over
As MSU head football coach John L. Smith described the season-ending injury to junior defensive tackle Greg Yeaster, he went through the motions as well from behind the podium at his Monday afternoon press conference."He was making a move, it was almost like he was stepping over to run down the line, and the turf gave way, and then it caught.
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Trailing was unfamiliar for Spartans
MSU was in need of a big play. In unfamiliar territory, trailing 27-13 with a little more than six minutes remaining, the Spartans knew they would have to score quickly. But with Michigan in possession of the football and senior running back Chris Perry rolling to a career day, the odds appeared low. So MSU head coach John L.