With seven yards to the end zone, three minutes on the clock and the weight of a state’s expectations on his shoulders Saturday against Michigan, the call came in for Brian Hoyer to throw the ball on third-and-a-career. U-M, the down-and-out rival trailing by a touchdown in the defining game of its season, needed one stop to force a field goal.
The horn sounded throughout the latter half of Saturday night’s MSU hockey game at Munn Ice Arena, but it wasn’t the horn to signify a goal being scored — it was the horn to signify a fire. Thankfully Munn didn’t go up in smoke, and despite a few stoppages, the errant false alarm didn’t disrupt the No. 12 Spartans’ performance as they won Saturday’s game 2-0 and took 3-of-4 points during the weekend series against No. 18 Northern Michigan.
One year ago, Blair White was a walk-on at MSU, stuck on special teams while occasionally seeing time at wide receiver. Saturday morning, he was an afterthought — just another wide receiver filling a role as the No. 3 man on the MSU depth chart. But by Saturday evening, Blair White was a household name for MSU football fans across the country, as the junior hauled in four catches for 143 yards and a touchdown — the first of his career — in MSU’s 35-21 victory over Michigan.
The MSU volleyball team suffered another rough weekend, losing to No. 19 Illinois and No. 18 Purdue. The Spartans, on a five-game losing streak, have now fallen to 11-10 on the season and 3-7 in the Big Ten. The team struggled mightily against Illinois on Friday, falling quickly in three sets (25-17, 25-18, 25-17). MSU seemed overmatched, as Illinois used long rallies in the middle of all three matches to open up insurmountable leads.
When the No. 8 MSU field hockey team played No. 10 Iowa on Saturday, both the Spartans and Hawkeyes lived up to their billings, playing a tough match with Iowa eventually coming out on top 4-3 in overtime. Iowa, who before the game had outscored its opponents 25-6 in the first half, stayed consistent — jumping out to a quick 1-0 lead despite MSU possessing the ball for most of the first half.
Another week meant another loss for the Michigan football team, who fell to the Spartans 35-21 Saturday at Michigan Stadium. The loss, U-M’s fourth straight, snapped a winning streak against MSU that dated back to 2001. It also was the first time the Wolverines lost to the Spartans at Michigan Stadium since 1990.
Sophomore goalkeeper Avery Steinlage stopped six shots and recorded his third straight shutout Sunday at DeMartin Stadium at Old College Field. But the Spartans offense couldn’t find the back of the net to earn the victory against Valparaiso, and the game ended in a 0-0 tie.
The MSU women’s soccer team had never lost a home game or gone into overtime at any point during the season. After hosting South Dakota State on Sunday, only half of that statement still holds true.
Ann Arbor — Six straight losses to Michigan — over. Eight consecutive losses at Michigan Stadium since 1990 — over. Snarky putdowns of “little brother” and guarantees of victory against MSU — over.
In the MSU hockey team’s first conference game the Spartans got a taste of the CCHA’s brand new shootout rule.
Michigan vs. Michigan State. The in-state rivalry is by far the biggest game of the year for the Spartans, and the players aren’t afraid to admit it.
With a 2-5 record, the Wolverines are at risk of snapping their streak of 33 consecutive bowl game appearances — the longest in the nation.
Ohio State exposed MSU’s biggest flaw that everyone already knew about — speed kills the Spartans. With Michigan becoming the latest Big Ten team to employ a version of the spread offense, this could theoretically be another long day for the MSU defense. That being said, U-M’s offense lacks playmakers, and the Spartans — with the exception of last week — have played their “bend but don’t break” defense to perfection.
Every year, football reporters from The State News and The Michigan Daily engage in an epic war of words to rally their respective schools before the MSU vs. U-M football game. Read on for this year’s not-so-lighthearted exchange of jabs.
Every year, football reporters from The State News and The Michigan Daily engage in an epic war of words to rally their respective schools before the MSU vs. U-M football game. Read on for this year’s not-so-lighthearted exchange of jabs.
Sophomore MSU hockey defenseman A.J. Sturges was released from Lansing’s Sparrow Hospital on Tuesday after a weekend fight left him with injuries.
Ever since that fateful day when the MSU women’s basketball team found out it wasn’t headed to the Big Dance, it’s wanted to prove to the nation that a mistake was made. The Spartans, who finished 23-14 overall, felt they deserved to be in the 2008 NCAA Tournament.
The No. 24 MSU men’s soccer team entered Wednesday’s nonconference game having won three straight games against top 20 teams. But MSU head coach Joe Baum was worried his team might underestimate Cincinnati and come out flat in the midweek game.
After two maturity-gaining road losses in the beginning of October, it looked as if no one could stand in the way of the MSU women’s soccer victory train. But after three straight quality conference wins, the Spartans (13-4 overall, 5-3 Big Ten) hit a break in the tracks when traveling to Wisconsin — getting shut out 2-0 on Sunday against the Badgers.