It’s not often that there’s a head-on train wreck in Michigan, but one will happen on the fourth Saturday in October (10-25-08) when the Michigan State Spartans invade the Michigan Wolverines Great House in Ann Arbor for a classic. showdown of epic proportions.
This season, the excitement is real as Michigan State sophomore coach Mark Dantonio meets new Michigan coach Rich Rodriguez for the first time.
As if there weren’t enough problems in the Big Ten with Jim Tressel at Ohio State, Rich Rodriguez decided to shoot out of his hugely successful West Virginia program and delve into Michigan’s storied football past.
Tressel has been two legs and bad news for every other Big Ten team since he arrived on the scene. In 7 years at Ohio State, Tressel compiled a 73-16 record (82% winning percentage), went 14-0 and won the 2002 National Championship, played in 2 other BCS National Championship games, won 4 Big Ten titles and went 6-1 against archrival Michigan.
Just as Jim Tressel has achieved an outstanding record of success at Ohio State, Rich Rodriguez has done so at West Virginia. In 7 years in West Virginia, Rodriguez has gone 60-26 (69% winning percentage), has gone 32-5 in his last 3 years (86%), won 4 Big East titles and led the Mountaineers to 6 straight bowl games. appearances. Rodríguez is one of only two current Hispanic football coaches in the NCAA.
Mark Dantonio led the Spartans to a 7-6 record in his first year and an appearance in the Champs Sports Bowl against Boston College. All 6 of Dantonio’s losses were by 7 points or less and 4 of the 6 losses were away games.
More important is the fact that Dantonio came to Michigan State from Ohio State, where he was defensive coordinator on the Buckeyes’ 2002 National Championship team, which was ranked No. 2 nationally in scoring defense and No. 3 nationally. national land defense In 2003, his defense ranked No. 1 nationally in rushing defense and No. 9 nationally in total defense.
Mark Dantonio is an excellent coach and a worthy opponent for Ohio State or Michigan. Dantonio’s defensive players kick butt and take names. Give him two more years of recruiting “his kind of players” and the Spartans will be consistently in the Top 25 nationally.
Last year, Dantonio’s freshman team lost to Michigan 28-24 at home late in the season. Considering the caliber of Rich Rodriguez as a coach, the competition will be even tougher this year when Michigan State travels to Michigan on that fateful fourth Saturday in October.
Five of Michigan State’s first 8 games are at home and even if the Spartans lose to Ohio State at home the week before playing Michigan, they could be 7-1 heading into the Big House in Ann Arbor.
It’s doubtful Michigan will lose its first two home games like it did last year against AA Appalachian State (34-32) and Oregon (39-7). If the Wolverines get past Wisconsin, Illinois and Penn State (they beat Illinois and Penn State last season and lost to Wisconsin), Michigan could be 7-0 when the Spartans arrive. Watch for an explosion to occur as an opportunity that is sure to fulfill the preparation.
If Michigan prevails in this epic battle, the Wolverines will definitely have the longer end of the stick as their season-ending game is on the road at Ohio State. If Georgia falters (the Bulldogs are ranked No. 1 in the AP poll entering the season), Michigan may be 11-0 and Ohio State 11-0 when they meet, and then they’ll be playing for a spot. in the BCS National Championship game.
Ohio State is ranked No. 2 in the same AP poll going into the season. Both Michigan and Michigan State received votes for the Top 25 preseason poll, but did not make the cut.
Copyright © 2008 Ed Bagley
