Spartan Football Looks To Regroup For Unbeaten Wisconsin
11/10/2004 12:00:00 AM | Football
Nov. 8, 2004
EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) - If a couple of plays had turned out differently, Michigan State could have been competing for a piece of the Big Ten championship this week.
Instead -- because of late collapses against Michigan and Ohio State -- the Spartans have a losing record and need to win their last three games to earn a bowl bid.
"It's been gut wrenching the last couple of weeks," Michigan State coach John L. Smith said at his weekly press conference Monday. "Now it's gut check time."
The Spartans (4-5, 3-3 Big Ten) will have a prime opportunity to find out what they're made of Saturday against No. 4 Wisconsin (9-0, 6-0) in their final home game of the season. After the unbeaten Badgers, Michigan State has road trips to Penn State and Hawaii.
Win all three, and the Spartans would be bowl-bound. But they'll have to put the past two weeks of disappointment behind them to have any shot of pulling that off.
Michigan State rallied to take a 19-17 lead over Ohio State with 3:06 left to play Saturday. But the Spartans gave up a 58-yard touchdown pass from Troy Smith to Ted Ginn Jr. with 1:37 left, and wound up losing 32-19.
The week before, Michigan State led Michigan by 17 points midway through the fourth quarter before losing 45-37 in triple overtime.
In both cases, the Spartan secondary couldn't match up with speedy, athletic receivers late in the game. The result: two devastating losses that could have been season-changing wins.
Smith and the Spartan coaching staff have taken the heat themselves, trying to shield their players from blame.
But the close calls have taken a toll, even on the typically optimistic and upbeat Smith. He walked out of his post-game press conference Saturday after taking just one question.
Monday, he explained why.
"My parents always told me if you don't have something nice to say, don't say anything at all," Smith said.
"Saturday would have been a disaster. I would have said things I shouldn't have said."
Smith blamed himself and the coaching staff for the team's flat performance and some questionable strategy early against the Buckeyes, which contributed to a 17-0 deficit. Michigan State battled back, only to lose on Ginn's third touchdown of the game.
"Our guys fought back, and I'm proud of them for that," Smith said. "But we've got to learn how to finish."
Damon Dowdell likely will start his second consecutive game at quarterback for the Spartans, subbing for the injured Drew Stanton.
Dowdell completed 29 of 46 passes for 262 yards with a touchdown and three interceptions against the Buckeyes.
Stanton, who separated his right shoulder against Michigan, threw the football in practice Sunday. Smith said it is possible Stanton will be ready for the Penn State game but it is highly unlikely he'd be able to play against Wisconsin.
By TIM MARTIN, The Associated Press
