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Last week was kind of a weird week in the B1G.
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Last week was kind of a weird week in the B1G.
Two things are apparent in the Big Ten as November approaches.
Michigan (3-5, 1-3 Big Ten) enters the stretch on Saturday with a homecoming game against Indiana and needing to win three of four to become bowl-eligible.
While lineman Jack Miller said the Wolverines meant no disrespect to the Spartans, he was not surprised they were offended at the gesture.
The Wolverines did score a touchdown this time — the first time they'd managed that against the Spartans since 2011 — but it came late in the fourth quarter.
It didn't take long for Michigan coach Brady Hoke to issue an apology, taking full responsibility for the action because the stake was used during practice as a motivational tool.
It used to be news when Michigan State beat Michigan, when little brother rose up and knocked the mighty Wolverines down a peg. Now it's routine and the Paul Bunyan Trophy has taken up almost permanent residence in East Lansing.
The Spartans have won six of their past seven games against the Wolverines, only the second time Michigan State has accomplished that in a series that dates to 1898.
Have you seen the line for this week's Michigan-Michigan State game?
Which one-loss team has the edge? So many pivotal games are still to come, and the temperature of the playoff change can be flipped and turned upside down any given week.
If all goes well, the Wolverines could walk out of Spartan Stadium having ruined Michigan State's national-title hopes, but they insist that's not their focus.
The Spartans (6-1, 3-0 Big Ten) have won five straight overall, 13 consecutive games over conference foes and tied the school record with an eighth straight road win in league play.
"You have a better evaluation of your team," Beilein said. "Now your preseason practices should be more on point than they normally would."
That game at the Big House was disappointing, but not shocking (despite my Guaransheed.)
The Big Ten Conference traditionally has been a run-first league and nothing has changed halfway through the current season.
The in-state rivalry game between Michigan and Michigan State will start at 3:30 p.m.
Devin Gardner returned from a second-half injury and threw a 24-yard pass to Dennis Norfleet to set up Wile's tiebreaking kick, but it was the defense that lifted Michigan in the second half.
The Boilermakers kept poking holes in the Spartans' vaunted defense and twice got within a touchdown after falling into double-digit deficits.
Michigan State coach Mark Dantonio believes his eighth-ranked Spartans deserve to be in the inaugural College Football Playoff if they win the rest of their games.
Nebraska has three Heisman Trophy winners in its storied football history. Running back Ameer Abdullah has a shot to become the school's fourth Heisman winner.
Week 6 of the college football season is around the corner ...
Michigan State is off to a historic start on offense and welcomes another high-scoring team to begin Big Ten play against Nebraska at 8 p.m. Saturday at Spartan Stadium.
October is the best month for college football, and it is getting started on the right foot this weekend. The first weekend in October will serve up six games between top 25 teams, which will be a nice breath of fresh air after the last few weeks.
In 2013, Nebraska totaled 392 yards against what would end up as the nation's No. 2 defense, the problem was that the Huskers committed five turnovers and the Spartans won 41-28.
