Spartans Try To Extend Home Streak On Senior Day
NOAH TRISTER,AP Sports Writer
EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) — The date was Nov. 21, 2009. Michigan State allowed four touchdowns in the third quarter of a blowout loss to Penn State, part of a tumultuous finish to a frustrating regular season.
That was the last time the Spartans lost a home game. For two years since then, Michigan State has defended its stadium with tenacity and flair, turning back every visitor while remaking the program's image. On Saturday against Indiana, the 12th-ranked Spartans will play in front of their fans in East Lansing for the final time this season.
"We're trying to do all we can to make sure that we do put our best foot forward on Saturday. We'll enjoy it and take it all in," senior quarterback Kirk Cousins said. "I think it's important to play the game like any other game, and really remember that it's Senior Day once the game ends."
Michigan State (8-2, 5-1) can clinch a spot in the Big Ten championship game with a victory and a Nebraska loss. The Spartans lead the Cornhuskers and Michigan by a game in the Legends Division. Michigan State has won 13 straight games at Spartan Stadium, its longest home streak since a 19-game run during the 1950s.
Cousins is part of a senior class that has already won a school-record 34 games. That includes four wins over rival Michigan and a share of last season's conference title. The Spartans are aiming even higher this year.
"We've been able to persevere through some good times, tough times, and then also learn from some good times and sustain," coach Mark Dantonio said. "I think our feelings are it's a great senior class."
It was hard to envision this type of turnaround when Michigan State lost 42-14 to Penn State to finish that 2009 regular season. In the days that followed, a dormitory brawl would lead to several suspensions, forcing the Spartans to play short-handed in the Alamo Bowl.
Those ugly memories seem well in the past now. Michigan State is 19-4 since the start of last season, and Spartan Stadium has been the site of two of the most dramatic finishes in college football — the fake field goal that beat Notre Dame in overtime in 2010, and Cousins' last-ditch heave toward the end zone that stunned Wisconsin last month.
The Spartans don't want to make a habit of needing those kinds of dramatics. Indiana (1-9, 0-6) is still trying for its first win of the season against a Football Bowl Subdivision team, and Michigan State is favored by around four touchdowns this weekend.
"They've got a lot playing for," Indiana coach Kevin Wilson said. "Our goal this week in going to Michigan State is to put a plan together that we think will give us a chance to win. Part of that is going to be weathering the storm against a good team."
Last season, the Spartans nearly lost their final home game, needing a late rally to beat Purdue.
While Michigan State takes on Indiana, Michigan will be hosting Nebraska at the same time. If the Spartans and Wolverines both win, Michigan State would clinch a spot in the title game — but Dantonio insists rooting for Michigan is a bridge too far.
"Sorry, I can't. We just have to do it our own way," Dantonio said. "I'd be letting too many people down if I did. But we're in control of our own destiny, and we're not going to worry about what goes on in another game right now."
Indiana showed potential as a spoiler in its last game, two weekends ago at Ohio State. The score was tied late in the third quarter before the Buckeyes pulled away for a 34-20 victory. Freshman quarterback Tre Roberson threw for 174 yards and ran for 70 for Indiana.
"He's been productive in the last four games," Dantonio said. "We need to be prepared for Indiana as they come here, because 1 and 9 is one thing, but they're getting better and they're playing their best football I think at the end of this season. And anything can happen in this game."
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