Spartans must move on, look to U-M game

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Watching Ohio State run up the score against the Spartans on Saturday was like watching your dog get mercilessly beaten by a crazy neighbor, knowing there was nothing you could do except close your eyes and wait for the madness to end.

MSU’s 45-7 loss to Ohio State was every bit as ugly as the score suggests. Missed tackles, turnovers and miscues on special teams — facets that seldom hurt the Spartans during their six-game wining streak — plagued MSU like a century-old curse.

“It was obviously not a very good game today,” said Mark Dantonio, who lost his first game by more than seven points as MSU’s head coach.

“Inability to tackle, turnovers, and we lost a very good opportunity I think to make an impact on this country.”

Hyped-up games that go so terribly wrong can leave a team demoralized for the rest of the season. Fortunately, there’s no time for MSU to dwell on the misery of this loss.

“We play Michigan this week,” senior defensive tackle Justin Kershaw said. “If that can’t get you going, something’s wrong with you.”

Insert the loss to Ohio State into the history books, toss the game film in the trash and focus on the task ahead because nothing this season will be more important than winning this weekend.

MSU has a debt to pay.

Kershaw is one of 17 seniors at risk of finishing his career without beating U-M, but those players aren’t the only ones thirsting for a victory over their arch rival.

The Spartans owe a win this weekend to the 10,000-plus graduating seniors who’ve been subjected to a pair of the worst defeats MSU has ever experienced during this rivalry.

We were there in 2005 when U-M came storming back from a late fourth quarter deficit to tarnish our perfect season and No. 11 ranking.

We also were there two years later, when the Wolverines dug out of a 10-point fourth quarter deficit to spoil the last chance we had to experience a win from the Spartan Stadium student section bleachers.

Graduating without a win over U-M would be cruel and unusual punishment — especially if we don’t break the curse this year against what’s likely the worst team in U-M history.

Experts across the nation will take two looks at this game before shifting their attention to another matchup.

That’s because on paper, there’s not a trend, stat or player on U-M’s sideline that should have fans believing this game will be close.

U-M has won two games all season. MSU has won six.

U-M was humiliated by Toledo at home. MSU has won two tough games on the road.

U-M will miss its first bowl game since 1974. MSU is already bowl eligible.

But still, there’s a feeling of vulnerability … that feeling that even an NFL Pro Bowl team disguised in MSU uniforms couldn’t beat U-M.

There’s no better opportunity than this year to debunk that myth and give MSU fans something to smile about.

Alex Altman can be reached at altmanal@msu.edu.

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