With Michigan State facing Penn State today for a shot at the Big Ten title, I can't help buy recall the best, and certainly most amazing, game I ever witnessed at Spartan Stadium. The date was November 29, 1997 (the Saturday after Thanksgiving). The beaten and bruised Spartans thrashed the #4 Nittany Lions, 49-14.
One aspect of journal keeping that is wonderful is that I can often go back and see what I wrote about particular events in my life. Here are my observations of the game the day after:
"...I saw the greatest college football game ever played in Spartan Stadium. I realize that sounds like grand hyperbole, but I swear it's true! I have never witnessed, in person, a better game at Spartan Stadium...Michigan State rushed for over 400 yards, with Marc Renaud and Sedrick Irvin gaining over 200 yards each. An absolutely unexpected and awesome display, the likes of which I may never see again...Michigan State took out all the anger and frustration from the season and directed it squarely at Penn State. I've described the game as similar to the scene in A Christmas Story when Ralphie beats the hell out Scut Farkus, the bully who has terrorized him all school year."
Now for some perspective on the 1997 season. In Nick Saban's third season, the Spartans began the campaign 5-0 and things looked promising. However, after that charmed beginning, everything unraveled. A missed fieldgoal in the waning moments against Northwestern resulted in a 19-17 loss and State fell to 5-1. The Spartans limped back to Spartan Stadium for a showdown against undefeated (and eventual co-national champion) Michigan. It was a game that lost most of its luster after MSU's disappointing loss to Northwestern. The Wolverines won 23-7, in the game that featured Charles Woodson's famous one-handed interception. Then MSU was trounced by Ohio State 37-13. That wasn't the worst of it, though. The next Saturday, the Spartans blew a 21-10 lead with about two minutes and change remaining against Purdue, losing 22-21. That truly terrible game, in which MSU head coach Nick Saban reportedly told his assistant coaches he'd kill himself if Purdue came back to win, deserves its own blog entry. (To make matters even worse, later that day I ventured to Ann Arbor to see a Ray Davies concert at the Michigan Theater. Before the show, I was forced to watch Michigan beat Penn State in a restaurant full of Wolverine fans). Following the Purdue debacle, the Spartans salvaged a win against woeful Illinois.
I recall that Michigan State had a bye week between the Illinois game and the Penn State game. That gave me two weeks to churn over how disappointing the season had been. I had bought the tickets several weeks earlier, when the season had gotten off to such a promising start, but as the game approached I was becoming as disenchanted as I'd ever been about MSU football (at least until the 2002 and 2006 seasons, that is).
On game day, my expectations were extremely low. After all, Penn State entered the game with only one loss, and in the two weeks prior to the MSU game had demolished both Purdue and Wisconsin. Historically, Penn State had been a huge thorn in MSU's backside, anyway. Since the Nittany Lions had joined the Big Ten, they'd beaten the Spartans four consecutive times from 1993 to 1996. Three of those four losses were particularly heartbreaking, with the final score not decided until the last few minutes. (The only one of of those losses that wasn't close was a 59-31 beatdown in '94, when PSU went undefeated). There was absolutely no reason to believe that MSU's luck would change on this slate grey, freezing cold, late November Saturday.
As the game began, I fully expected the Spartans to just lay down. I remember shouting several sarcastic comments throughout the first half (something I rarely do), even though the Spartans got off to a 7-0 lead and took a modest 14-7 lead into halftime. I think I was probably upset that the Spartans missed two field goals in the half that would have made ths score 20-7.
One aspect of journal keeping that is wonderful is that I can often go back and see what I wrote about particular events in my life. Here are my observations of the game the day after:
"...I saw the greatest college football game ever played in Spartan Stadium. I realize that sounds like grand hyperbole, but I swear it's true! I have never witnessed, in person, a better game at Spartan Stadium...Michigan State rushed for over 400 yards, with Marc Renaud and Sedrick Irvin gaining over 200 yards each. An absolutely unexpected and awesome display, the likes of which I may never see again...Michigan State took out all the anger and frustration from the season and directed it squarely at Penn State. I've described the game as similar to the scene in A Christmas Story when Ralphie beats the hell out Scut Farkus, the bully who has terrorized him all school year."
Now for some perspective on the 1997 season. In Nick Saban's third season, the Spartans began the campaign 5-0 and things looked promising. However, after that charmed beginning, everything unraveled. A missed fieldgoal in the waning moments against Northwestern resulted in a 19-17 loss and State fell to 5-1. The Spartans limped back to Spartan Stadium for a showdown against undefeated (and eventual co-national champion) Michigan. It was a game that lost most of its luster after MSU's disappointing loss to Northwestern. The Wolverines won 23-7, in the game that featured Charles Woodson's famous one-handed interception. Then MSU was trounced by Ohio State 37-13. That wasn't the worst of it, though. The next Saturday, the Spartans blew a 21-10 lead with about two minutes and change remaining against Purdue, losing 22-21. That truly terrible game, in which MSU head coach Nick Saban reportedly told his assistant coaches he'd kill himself if Purdue came back to win, deserves its own blog entry. (To make matters even worse, later that day I ventured to Ann Arbor to see a Ray Davies concert at the Michigan Theater. Before the show, I was forced to watch Michigan beat Penn State in a restaurant full of Wolverine fans). Following the Purdue debacle, the Spartans salvaged a win against woeful Illinois.
I recall that Michigan State had a bye week between the Illinois game and the Penn State game. That gave me two weeks to churn over how disappointing the season had been. I had bought the tickets several weeks earlier, when the season had gotten off to such a promising start, but as the game approached I was becoming as disenchanted as I'd ever been about MSU football (at least until the 2002 and 2006 seasons, that is).
On game day, my expectations were extremely low. After all, Penn State entered the game with only one loss, and in the two weeks prior to the MSU game had demolished both Purdue and Wisconsin. Historically, Penn State had been a huge thorn in MSU's backside, anyway. Since the Nittany Lions had joined the Big Ten, they'd beaten the Spartans four consecutive times from 1993 to 1996. Three of those four losses were particularly heartbreaking, with the final score not decided until the last few minutes. (The only one of of those losses that wasn't close was a 59-31 beatdown in '94, when PSU went undefeated). There was absolutely no reason to believe that MSU's luck would change on this slate grey, freezing cold, late November Saturday.
As the game began, I fully expected the Spartans to just lay down. I remember shouting several sarcastic comments throughout the first half (something I rarely do), even though the Spartans got off to a 7-0 lead and took a modest 14-7 lead into halftime. I think I was probably upset that the Spartans missed two field goals in the half that would have made ths score 20-7.
I have no idea what happened to the Spartans in the 20 minutes between the first and second halves, what Saban told them or what magic pills they ingested, but the second half of that game was truly amazing. Irvin and Renaud ran all over the Lions, and MSU outscored Penn State 35-7 to win 49-14. (The Spartans actually scored the last 35 points of the game). I literally had to pinch myself to make sure it wasn't all a dream. I left Spartan Stadium on a high that I never expected 3 1/2 hours earlier. (The only real downer was that I had to go to work that night from 6 to 10 PM. Those were the days when I was a bookstore assistant manager and had terrible hours. I was in no mood to work that night and would have much preferred celebrating the football win). This game still ranks as the Spartan football game I ever saw in person.
I don't know if this year's Spartans will be able to duplicate the magic of that 1997 game. Having to play in State College instead of East Lansing will be a difficult obstacle to overcome. However, I do trust Dantonio to have the guys ready, and stranger things have happened, just ask Sedrick Irvin, Marc Renaud, and yours truly.
I don't know if this year's Spartans will be able to duplicate the magic of that 1997 game. Having to play in State College instead of East Lansing will be a difficult obstacle to overcome. However, I do trust Dantonio to have the guys ready, and stranger things have happened, just ask Sedrick Irvin, Marc Renaud, and yours truly.
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