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'U' looking for more recruits on both lines
Just because MSU football head coach John L. Smith and his assistant coaches weren't on the sidelines last Saturday during the No.
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'U' No. 10 in latest BCS
MSU still is moving up in the polls, even without winning last weekend. But the Spartans (7-1 overall, 4-0 Big Ten) didn't lose either -
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Spartan passer broke barrier
He's part of NFL history, a national champion Spartan and has said he felt like Jackie Robinson. But in East Lansing, most have never heard of him. On Oct.
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Bye week lets players relax
For one week, the football players will get to relax and act like normal students. Members of MSU's football team took advantage of their bye week by playing video games and catching up on some much-needed sleep. "I felt like a normal student, just kicking back having nothing to do," junior defensive tackle Matthias Askew said.
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'U' No. 13 in 1st BCS rankings
With a bye week approaching and almost all of the MSU football team on the road recruiting, the Spartans received a national vote of confidence Monday when they were ranked No.
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Smoker's play key in Spartans win
Minneapolis - Last season, quarterback Jeff Smoker lost the confidence of everyone in Spartan Nation.
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Lone Leaders
Minneapolis - Like a punch from Mike Tyson, the MSU football team confronts its Big Ten opponents with a powerful hit early and tries to knock them out. This tactic worked once more Saturday as the Spartans beat Minnesota, 44-38, in front of a lackluster crowd of 38,778 at the Metrodome.
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Gridders commit no turnovers
Minneapolis - If MSU head coach John L. Smith were a real estate agent, his catch phrase would be, "Turnover, turnover, turnover." Smith not only has turned the No.
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Dukes: forgotten player
After six relatively quiet games, he finally got his chance to make a big hit. And when the opportunity arose, Clifford Dukes left an imprint that Illinois quarterback Jon Beutjer won't soon forget, especially when he stands on the sidelines this weekend in Ann Arbor. The junior defensive end fought around the left end and hit Beutjer with enough power to make any spectator cringe. It was his fourth sack of the season, equal to his 2002 total, which led the team.
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Picking up Texans' QB Carr off waivers good move
Last week was an absolute blowout, with Tennessee's Derrick Mason and the Miami defense assisting Stevie E.
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7-1 start would be best since '66
Despite an early falter, this season's MSU football team has the opportunity to make history.With a win against Minnesota, this would be the best start for a Spartan team since they finished second in the polls in 1966.But with senior defensive end Greg Taplin questionable (sprained knee) for the game and junior defensive tackle Brandon McKinney out, the No.
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The Great Green Hype
Urbana-Champaign, Ill. - On its return from pounding Illinois 49-14 Saturday, MSU left last season's disappointment in Urbana-Champaign, Ill., and leapfrogged Michigan in The Associated Press Top 25 poll. The No.
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Dortch gets 1st career touchdown
Urbana-Champaign, Ill. - The trip was three-and-a-half years in the making. And when junior running back Tyrell Dortch reached the end zone for his first career touchdown, that wasn't enough.
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Smith grabs interception, seals game
Urbana-Champaign, Ill. - Eric Smith might have stepped over the line Saturday, but head coach John L.
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Despite poor start, Gannon worth start against Cleveland
With four games in the past, it is all even between The State News homegrown fantasy football gurus. A new season begins in Week Six - known in college football as Separation Saturday - when fantasy players start showing whether they will be consistent forces each week. Look for good football in Week Six as three of the NFL's weakest teams - Cincinnati, Detroit and San Diego - take the week off.
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Turnover margin key in 'U' success
It seems simple enough, but in recent years, MSU has had a problem keeping control of the football.With the re-emergence of quarterback Jeff Smoker and linebacker Mike Labinjo, one of the major reasons for the Spartans' early success is winning the turnover battle.The past two seasons, the Spartans (5-1 overall, 2-0 Big Ten) gave up the football 52 times and gained it on an opposition turnover 44 times.
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Spartans land recruit in speedy 6-foot-2 star
In the middle of a recruiting season marred with wavering interest and flip-flopping commitments, the MSU football coaching staff finally got some good news Monday night.Tom Dance, a speedy 6-foot-2 all-around athlete from Erie Cathedral Preparatory School, verbally committed to the Spartans after an official recruiting trip this past weekend.
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Rogers injures collarbone
Detroit Lions wide receiver Charles Rogers broke his right collarbone in practice Tuesday. Rogers, a former Spartan who won the Biletnikoff Award last year at MSU, was taken to a hospital and is still being evaluated, according to Detroit Lions officials. Rogers "got tangled up" with cornerback Dre' Bly in the morning practice on Tuesday, head coach Steve Mariucci said. "(Rogers) went up for a pass and went down on his shoulder," Mariucci said.
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2 Spartans awarded for play
For the third straight week, an MSU player was named the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week. Spartans senior defensive end Greg Taplin recorded three sacks to lead the MSU defense in shutting down Indiana, 31-3. Taplin moved into second place in the conference in sacks along with teammate and junior defensive tackle Matthias Askew with six for the season.
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Spartans clobber Hoosiers, 31-3
MSU played its most efficient game of the season on both sides of the ball en route to a Homecoming victory over Indiana, according to head coach John L.