Buckeye Stew? Spartans have the recipe

Thanks to a little jukin' by Sedrick Irvin, a little chokin' by Joe Germaine and whole lot of pressure applied by the rest of the free world, Ohio State took a dive, falling 28-24.

Once a year, there is a game so vile, a day so slanted to boil the blood of Wolverines everywhere, that the competition is beyond comprehension. And in this year's version, Michigan State squeaked out the Evil Bowl.

What are the ingredients of a for-the-ages upset? The recipe involves effort (or lack thereof) on the part of both teams.

Welcome to the Daily kitchen.

AP PHOTO Michigan State's Shawn Wright (31), Aric Morris (9) and Jace Sayler (80) had all the ingredients for an upset this past Saturday, when they beat then-top ranked and undefeated Ohio State, 28-24.

Buckeye Stew

n One part favorite: Ohio State rolled through this season on a mission of redemption. Its dominance began when every major poll anointed the Buckeyes the team of destiny in the preseason, a spot they didn't relinquish heading into the Michigan State game.

The Buckeyes, led by former Heisman candidate Joe Germaine, were among the most efficient offenses in the nation, averaging more than 30 points per game while allowing just more than eight. The steamroller defense, spearheaded by Butkus Award winner Andy Katzenmoyer, was flattening opponents in an historic manner.

n One part underdog: Michigan State had dropped the enormous Paul Bunyan trophy on its own foot, losing to Michigan earlier this year. The Spartans stood an uncomfortable 4-4 overall and 2-2 in the conference - numbers undeserving of even a lowly bowl bid.

They were decimated by injuries all year, losing senior cornerback Amp Campbell to a devastating neck injury, and morale in East Lansing was nonexistent. A top-five basketball team on campus dominated sports discussion and Nick Saban's team was beyond forgotten.

n Two parts goat: Germaine and tailback Michael Wiley, the bedrocks of the offensive game plan, dropped the ball - literally. They played as if the game was an afterthought, each fumbling once and watching teammates have punts bounce off their pads.

n Four large doses of spread: After this result, we wouldn't even let the Vegas oddsmakers pick for the Daily. The "experts" pegged the State-State tilt at a 28 1/2-point advantage for the No. 1 Buckeyes.

The four-touchdown edge didn't sit well with Irvin and he made his feelings known about the deficit, firing up his teammates. His contention? They'd have to beat the spread and win the game to make a statement.

Not only fighting the Buckeyes, the Spartans were combating public perception and that enemy drove them to victory.

n One large part mild-mannered coach: In his tenure at Michigan State, Saban was waiting for his defining moment. Every great coach has a big win sometime in his career or else he's sent packing. Saban's came on Saturday and it couldn't be at a better time - or location - for him. In the early 1980s, Saban was fired from Ohio State, so winning in the Horseshoe was a bit of vindication. But his frantic search for his wife Terri after the game encapsulated all the frustration of this rocky season.

n Ten parts statehood: As it always does with John Cooper, the bottom line was his inability to win big games. The loss to Michigan State, combined with the stigma of Michigan's 8-1-1 dominance over Cooper's team, made for great headlines nationwide ("Cooper Ready to Fly South - Away From Michigan Border" and "The Mitten Slaps Cooper Again.")

Bottom line: the Buckeyes didn't believe it was a pressure situation, worthy of the "big game" moniker. Michigan State did.

Better wash your apron, Lloyd, there's less than two weeks until Michigan's five-star meal.

- Mark Snyder can be reached via

e-mail at msnyder@umich.edu.

11-11-98