The Michigan State Spartans spent much of the past two months on a hunt that kept coming up empty. They lost six straight games while wandering the forest, searching for consistency, crisp execution, and better health. Meanwhile, Spartan fans were waiting for a sign of hope that better days were at least on the horizon and not just a careless memory of the past. Last weekend, as dusk fell, the Spartan Dawgs finally got back in touch with the ground game. Then they broke from the crowd, burning the ground under the moonlight at the Big House. The presumed hunters became the hunted, and the Spartans, hungry for something positive to finally happen, eked out a win over those carrion-eating weasels from Ann Arbor. The result was a mix of howling and whining from the two fan bases. It certainly was not pretty. Some would say it was more discord than rhyme. But it got the job done, and the Spartans are still chasing six wins and a possible bowl trip over the holidays. Michigan Sta...
Three was a magic number on Saturday night in Ann Arbor. Yes, it was, it was a magic number. Who needs touchdowns when you can slowly grind the Wolverines into paste three points at a time? 3, 6, 9, 12, 15. Steadily, the lead began to grow, all thanks to No. 37 Liam Boyd, the Spartans’ kicker extraordinaire and resident magician. Although the Spartans were without one, two, and even three running backs, No. 32 Kenneth Williams and Brandon Tullis conjured 127 yards on 35 carries, or 3.6 yards per attempt. When the Spartans needed to pick up yards through the air, “big play” No. 13 Chrishon McCray led the way with 92 yards on six catches (that’s three times two). Three-and-outs? The Spartans didn’t have any, but Michigan had three. Magical. On five of the Wolverines’ seven other possessions, they held the ball for no more than four plays before a punt or a turnover. Turnovers? The Spartans forced four. That’s one more than the magic number! Michigan State also dominated on third down, co...