Monday, September 26, 2005

Michigan in tailspin, with MSU on horizon

By Angelique S. Chengelis / The Detroit News

Go Green, Go Blue Who will win Saturday's game between Michigan and Michigan State? Michigan Michigan State Get results and comments U-M at MSU Kickoff: Noon Saturday TV / radio: ABC / WJR 760, WXYT 1270 Records: MSU is 4-0, U-M is 2-2 Rankings: MSU is 11th; U-M is unranked. Series record: U-M leads, 64-28-5 Last meeting: U-M won, 45-37, in three overtimes in 2004. Related links  NCAA football scores and stats Big Ten Talk Big Ten Weblog U-M schedule U-M roster U-M stats Big Ten schedule Big Ten standings Big Ten stats AP Top-25 poll USA Today / ESPN Top-25 poll Sports Challenge: Pick the college winners weekly, win prizes Game photo galleries U-M 33, N. Illinois 17 Notre Dame 17, U-M 10 U-M 55, EMU 0 Comment on this story Send this story to a friend Get Home Delivery

ANN ARBOR -- This was not exactly the scenario Michigan had expected as it prepares for its annual grudge match against rival Michigan State.

The Wolverines are 2-2 after losing their Big Ten opener at Wisconsin on Saturday.

They are saddled with their worst start since the 1998 season -- which opened with two losses -- and must now prepare for the 4-0 Spartans.

"First and foremost, when you get off to a start like this after very high expectations that you have as a group of people, you have to maintain an attitude that you're not going to be distracted by all the things that go around you," said Michigan coach Lloyd Carr, whose teams have three straight against MSU.

"And you can't begin to point the finger.

"As a group of people, you have to believe in each other, believe in what you're doing and don't let your attitude and work ethic and your purpose be affected. That's not easy. It's particularly not easy for kids this age. The main thing is we have to keep fighting and believing that we can be a good football team if we can make some corrections in terms of the mistakes we're making."

Michigan last lost consecutive regular-season games in 1999, to Michigan State and Illinois.

The Wolverines, who gave up two fourth-quarter touchdowns to Wisconsin, said they have to regroup immediately.

Co-captain Jason Avant said after Saturday's loss that he anticipated considerable negative reaction from students, from fans via email and from the media.

"We have to come together as a team, because we're all we've got," Avant said.

Sophomore quarterback Chad Henne said the mental comeback will come from practicing hard this week for a Michigan State team that is proving to be electrifying offensively.

The Spartans are ranked third nationally in total offense, averaging 594.25 yards, and fifth in scoring, averaging 49 points.

"We've got to boost our enthusiasm up and play hard and come out and just have fun and play like we've been playing," Henne said. "The last couple weeks we were prepared, and we were executing, and we just have to take that to the field from practice to the game."

Senior defensive lineman Pat Massey, a co-captain, said U-M will not lose focus this week with MSU looming large.

"I don't think we need a loss to get our attention for Michigan State," Massey said. "I know the guys on this team, and I know they're going to get up for every game. We've got to learn from this game.

"... I've lost games at Michigan before, and we always rebound, and that's what we're going to have to do."

You can reach Angelique S. Chengelis at angelique.chengelis@detnews.com.