The No. 17 MSU men’s soccer team is on a roll. After easily winning both games in this weekend’s Michigan Invitational in Ann Arbor, the Spartans are prepping for a road trip to California for their last two nonconference games before kicking off the Big Ten schedule against Ohio State on Sept. 27 at DeMartin Stadium at Old College Field.
To MSU football head coach Mark Dantonio, Saturday’s 29-27 upset loss to Central Michigan presented an unfortunate feeling of déja vú from his first year leading the Spartans.
The Detroit Lions’ season opener against New Orleans was full of positives. Quarterback Matthew Stafford slung the ball across the field, the defense came up with a touchdown and cornerback Anthony Henry racked up 11 tackles and an interception.
As Tom Saxton watched film of the No. 11 MSU women’s soccer team this past week, the team’s head coach was extremely disappointed with the way the Spartans lackadaisically attacked the low-pressure defense thrown at them last week by Illinois State.
The MSU men’s golf team finished seventh in the 2009 Topy Cup, its first tournament of the season.
Breslin Center has seen many great moments — both in and outside of the sports world — since it opened in 1989. The building, which opened on Nov. 9, 1989, hosted an early celebration open house for its 20th anniversary this past Wednesday. In honor of all the great memories at Breslin Center, The State News sports desk pulled the brain trust together to rank the Top 10 moments in Breslin Center history.
The MSU men’s soccer team might not have established a go-to striker up top, but they are receiving offensive contribution from more than just one player. In Sunday’s 4-0 victory against Wright State, four different Spartans recorded goals, upping the total to nine goals scored by six different players in the team’s first four games.
Saturday’s game had many MSU fans bringing a phrase that many thought was dead and buried back to life — “Same Old Spartans.” The 29-27 loss to Central Michigan, which featured eight MSU penalties and included a crucial offsides call in the final seconds, was too eerily reminiscent of the days of Bobby Williams and John L. Smith, where the team lacked discipline and frequently melted down in crucial situations.
The No. 7 MSU field hockey team had an up-and-down trip to Syracuse this weekend, defeating No. 9 Old Dominion, but losing to No. 8 Syracuse in overtime.
Sophomore Kirk Cousins appeared to emerge as the front-runner in MSU’s ongoing quarterback competition Saturday, completing 13-of-18 passes for 164 yards and one touchdown.
With only one chance to play in East Lansing this fall, the No. 20 MSU women’s golf team capitalized this weekend at the 26th Annual Mary Fossum Invitational, out-shooting No. 7 Purdue on the final day for a 3-stroke come-from-behind victory at Forest Akers West Golf Course.
Nine up. Nine down. The No. 18 MSU volleyball team’s season has gone accordingly, playing up to task in each of its nine games this fall, en route to a 9-0 start.
Steve Smith was watching the MSU football team take on Central Michigan on Saturday from his personal luxury box at Spartan Stadium when third-year MSU women’s basketball head coach Suzy Merchant walked in and began to chat with him.
Junior goalkeeper Avery Steinlage could have lain down and taken a nap, jumped online to talk to friends or caught up on homework in the first half of the Spartans’ 4-0 victory against Wright State on Sunday.
For junior linebacker Greg Jones, something wasn’t right before the game started.
The MSU football team’s defense couldn’t find an answer for Central Michigan quarterback Dan LeFevour when it mattered most, as LeFevour led his team on two big drives in the final minutes, the first earning the Chippewas a touchdown and the final resulting in a 42-yard field goal with three seconds left, leading Central Michigan to a 29-27 win over the Spartans on Saturday at Spartan Stadium.
Another game for the MSU women’s soccer team, two more goals for Lauren Hill.
In-state rival Central Michigan rolls into Spartan Stadium this Saturday, where they have beaten MSU twice in the last 20 years.
This is an interesting game for the Spartans. Central Michigan brings a talented team into Spartan Stadium but struggled in its season opener against Arizona, losing 19-6. Quarterback Dan LeFevour has proven himself to be the real deal for the Chippewas, but MSU’s defense is hungry and ready to go following last week’s game against Montana State in which it only allowed three points.
It’s a fan’s worst nightmare: Seeing a starter go down and having an unproven backup take the field. But for coaches and players, it’s business as usual. Coaches constantly tell players to practice as if they are going to start for that exact reason.