It pays to play players who start. A tough lesson to learn, but the chance that Clinton Portis would play against the Lions was too tempting to pass up.It was another week and another Stevie E.
As subtle as it seems, a win over Indiana this weekend could be historic for No. 25 MSU. The Spartans finished the 1999 regular season on a three-game winning streak, the last time they won three straight. Spartans players and coaches are glad to have beaten Notre Dame and Iowa but know they can't let their excitement and top-25 ranking get the best of them - or else the Hoosiers might on Saturday. "It's kind of too early for that kind of stuff," senior quarterback Jeff Smoker said of the Spartans debuting in the AP poll.
With its captain on the sidelines in street clothes, the MSU defensive line has made a name for itself this season.It has rotated in 10 different players and stands second in the nation in rushing defense behind Ohio State, giving up just 54.4 yards per game.
Fred Russell's final collegiate rush in his home state came to an abrupt stop Saturday. The Inkster, Mich., native needed only one-and-a-half more yards to reach his season average of 123.5 yards per game, and he was about to pick up a much-needed first down for the Hawkeyes on a fourth-and-one in the fourth quarter. But Kevin Vickerson would have none of that.
East Lansing was the capital of bizarro-world Saturday as MSU and then-No. 13 Iowa battled it out, resembling
Two incompletions didn't spoil Jeff Smoker's day. All his receiver wanted was a little attention, so it didn't matter when he dropped the second pass. With a boyish grin on his face, something that seemed so far away during the past year, Smoker tossed a Frisbee with little accuracy to "Zeke the Wonder Dog," the black Labrador that usually is a halftime show but somehow became an invaluable portion of the postgame festivities after MSU's upset win over then-No.
Top 10 lists are great and all, but haven't you even wanted someone - anyone - to give you more than 10, but less than 100?
When the MSU football team ventures to Minnesota this October, it may need to alter its travel plans. Big Ten officials announced Wednesday the conditional change of MSU's scheduled game against the Golden Gophers at the Metrodome in Minneapolis from Saturday, Oct.
Had it not been for Michigan State swooping in and offering Eric Smith a scholarship to play in a BCS conference, the Groveport, Ohio, native might be playing football in the Ivy League right now."I thought about (playing for an Ivy League school)," Smith said.
Perennial superpro Marshall Faulk, the Rams running back, has a spot on the bench for several weeks as he nurses his knee and broken bones in his hand. Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb is nearing bust status if he doesn't return from his bye week to post big numbers in Week Four. Rams quarterback Kurt Warner is on the bench. Oakland quarterback Rich Gannon is playing like he should be on the bench. Redskins quarterback Patrick Ramsey has made 300-yard passing weeks a norm. And the ageless Jets passer Vinny Testaverde is posting big stats. The NFL has been anything but predictable so far this season. Stevie E.
Before this season, the MSU football team was seeing nines.Almost every "expert" predicted the Spartans would once again sit near the cellar of the Big Ten conference.
Monquiz Wedlow has never been happier to hold a cheerleader's megaphone. The only problem - no one had a camera to take a picture of him and MSU head football coach John L.
South Bend, Ind. - Greg Taplin has traveled a long way. But the 40-yard jaunt after his interception in Saturday's win over Notre Dame were the final baby steps he needed to get himself out of John L.
South Bend, Ind. - Presents: Gifts brought to you on celebrations. Presence: A gift Jeff Smoker brings to the field. The senior quarterback was hurt and didn't fully practice until midweek.
It's the stuff legends are made of. And like Paul Bunyan and his blue ox, the Mike Labinjo story continues to grow each time it's told.
The door at the trainers' office inside the Clara Bell Smith Student-Athlete Academic Center has seen more action than many Spartans players have lately. Injuries were a factor in Saturday's 20-19 last-second loss to Louisiana Tech and also will play a major role this weekend as MSU heads to South Bend, Ind. Senior quarterback Jeff Smoker said his team needs to get healthy during the week and be ready for the long haul. "I sure hope (we're) not (tired) because it's a long season," Smoker said.
The MSU offense came to a halt without its star quarterback on the sidelines in its 20-19 loss to Louisiana Tech on Saturday.So, the Spartans are hoping that he'll be able to return for this Saturday's game at Notre Dame.X-rays were negative on senior quarterback Jeff Smoker's right big toe, meaning it is not broken, and he is listed as questionable for Saturday's game."Jeff is (the starter) right now," head coach John L.
With Jeff Smoker in at quarterback, MSU amassed 186 yards of total offense in the first quarter and most of the second.
Like two war-torn generals meeting after a battle, Jeff Smoker hobbled over to Luke McCown to congratulate him after MSU was beat by Louisiana Tech on Saturday in the final minutes. Though he watched his team lose a 12-point lead in the final minutes from the sidelines, Smoker, on crutches, was still smiling as he and McCown met for the first time. The two senior quarterbacks shook hands and Smoker told McCown he led his team to a "heck of a comeback." The Spartans never trailed in the game until the final two seconds, after McCown completed an 11-yard pass to wide receiver D.J.