Spartans in biggest state football rivalry

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When game times for this weekend’s Big Ten games were announced, a friend of mine, who happens to be a Michigan fan, texted me, “Michigan-Ohio State at noon on ABC. Great, now the whole nation can laugh at us again.”

Such has become the state of the so-called greatest rivalry in sports. But for the second straight year, the other game being played in the state of Michigan on the final weekend of the season — MSU vs. Penn State — will be more compelling and an overall more important game than U-M vs. Ohio State.

The Spartans and Nittany Lions will be playing for a lot more than the Land Grant Trophy this weekend (3:30 p.m., ABC). Both teams could go to several possible bowls, depending on the outcome.

The Spartans are looking at the Champs Sports Bowl, Alamo Bowl, Insight Bowl or Little Caesars Pizza Bowl depending on how they fare this weekend.

The Nittany Lions are looking at the Capital One Bowl, Outback Bowl, Champs Sports Bowl or a possible at-large BCS berth if they defeat the Spartans.

In Ann Arbor, the Wolverines are playing for bowl eligibility — which isn’t likely, according to Las Vegas, which has U-M as nearly two-touchdown underdogs.

The Buckeyes will be playing for an unprecedented sixth straight victory against U-M.

Although the origins of the MSU-Penn State rivalry are questionable, the past few years have turned this gimmick-trophy game into a legitimate Big Ten rivalry.

The 2004 Spartans went to Happy Valley hoping to become bowl eligible, but lost 37-13.

The following year, Penn State came to East Lansing hoping for a Big Ten championship while the Spartans again needed to win to reach bowl eligibility. ESPN’s College Gameday came to East Lansing for the game and the Nittany Lions eked out a 31-22 victory and celebrated the Big Ten championship at Spartan Stadium.

In 2006, the Spartans had little to play for, but then-sophomore quarterback Brian Hoyer got his first career start and threw a school-record 61 passes. The Spartans fought valiantly, but the Nittany Lions, who trailed most of the game, came back to win 17-13.

Then, in 2007, Mark Dantonio’s first season as head coach, the Spartans were 6-5 but likely needed to beat Penn State to make a bowl game for the first time in four years. Down by 17 in the second half, the Spartans mounted a comeback that included a successful fake punt and sealed a victory — perhaps the marquee victory in Dantonio’s tenure here.

Last season, the Spartans went into Happy Valley with a share of the Big Ten title on the line and were blown out, 49-18, but it was the most important game in the short history of the rivalry.

The rivalry has become more important each season and although this weekend’s game won’t decide the conference crown, it’s as important — and relevant — as almost any game in this rivalry’s history.

The Michigan-Ohio State game, on the other hand, only has one important storyline: either U-M makes a bowl or it doesn’t.

The MSU-Penn State game affects every bowl-eligible Big Ten team. A Penn State win could put them in the BCS and slide every Big Ten team up a bowl, or an MSU win could have the Spartans playing in a more favorable bowl than Northwestern. There are endless possibilities for every bowl-eligible Big Ten team.

Meanwhile, “The Game” only affects one team: U-M.

So while the Wolverines likely will watch the Buckeyes celebrate on their field — again — most Big Ten fans will be able to leave the TV on and watch an important Big Ten game that likely affects their respective teams.

Chris Vannini is a State News football reporter. He can be reached at vanninic@msu.edu.

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