Spartans' Biggest Rival in Full Meltdown as Gridiron Prowess Falters
The Michigan State Spartans will enter their yearly bout with bitter rival Michigan a team surging. After all, a commanding win over the Iowa Hawkeyes is no small feat, no matter the program.
The Michigan Wolverines will take their home field against the green and white about as cold as they've been all season. They just took their third loss of the season and fell out of the Top 25 rankings altogether in a 21-7 defeat at the hands of a solid Illinois team.
The reigning national champions are a shell of what they were a year ago this time. The passing attack is non-existent, the run game anemic, and the defense is nowhere near the level it was -- despite maintaining some of the best talent in the country.
The loss against the Fighting Illini was particularly heinous for the Wolverines, who were taken to task in the media after the game. The play of quarterback Jack Tuttle has been uninspiring, to say the very least, and CBS' Brian Jones pulled no punches on the maize and blue.
"I understand coming out of a bye it takes maybe a few series to get back up to speed, to real game," Jones said. "But this is pathetic. And Jack Tuttle, way to get off to a good start ... in the wrong direction. This guy couldn't hit the side of a building, wide open tight end there. He's open again on the corner route, just hit him! Layer the ball over there, no touch on these passes. ... And right here, man he's running towards the light. Turns out it was a bus because he gave up the ball! Come on, you got to take care of the rock baby."
Jones' criticism continued after the loss.
"I know Michigan is playing with one arm behind their back because they have a quarterback who can't make the dang rudimentary throws," he said. "And he can't even throw it. That's embarrassing. That's an indictment of that coaching staff. You had two weeks to get ready for this football game, you're on your third quarterback and none of 'em know how to complete a forward pass. Are you kidding me?"
The fans are starting to turn on first-year head coach Sherrone Moore, likening him to failed Wolverines head coach Brady Hoke.
The Spartans will take the field in the Big House reinvigorated by their momentous victory. The Wolverines are just trying to keep from spiraling.
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