1-0 Spartans ready for Washtenaw's other team - Eastern

For Eastern Michigan, the goal is a strong season opener. The team must also try not to be discouraged by its status as a four-touchdown-plus underdog or by the 47-0 shellacking Michigan State gave it three years ago.

The intrastate rivalry resumes at 1 p.m. Saturday at Spartan Stadium. Michigan State - which was embarrassed by back-to-back losses to Central Michigan earlier this decade - is vowing not to take the Mid-American Conference for granted.

"This may be the best Mid-American team we've played since I've been here in terms of their ability to make plays and move the football as well as their experience on defense and their style of play," Michigan State coach Nick Saban said of Eastern Michigan.

AP PHOTO Amp Campbell (above) turned the tide in Michigan State's victory over Oregon on Sept. 2. The Spartans hope that Campbell's heroics won't be needed as they face MAC stalwart Eastern Michigan.

"This will be a challenge for us and I think it's very important for our players to have... the respect they need to have for their opponent," he said.

Saban needn't worry about his key players taking Eastern Michigan for granted.

"We take it one game at a time. We don't worry about anybody else," said strong-side linebacker Julian Peterson, a standout in the Spartans' 27-20 victory over Oregon on Sept. 2.

"We're not looking past anybody," added star flanker Gari Scott. "You've got to play them like any other team."

Eastern Michigan coach Rick Rasnick isn't cowed by the underdog status of his team, which was 3-8 last season and faces a 30-point-plus disadvantage against the Spartans.

"I've been there before. I could care less about those types of things," Rasnick said. "That's what Michigan State should be; I'm surprised it's not higher. I think it's relatively low going into this contest."

Rasnick also has clearly defined goals for the Eagles' first game.

"To play the best football game we can possibly play," he said. "To not make mental mistakes, particularly in our opener.

"Fortunately we have more experience than we've had in the past, so that should help us in our opener."

Michigan State, which started 0-2 last year, is led by quarterback Bill Burke, who hit on 18 of 31 passes last week for 205 yards.

Burke's top receivers are Scott, who grabbed six aerials, and height-endowed split end Plaxico Burress, target for five.

Tailback Lloyd Clemons stepped into the top rushing job and logged 122 yards.

"We played with a lot of toughness in the game," said Saban, who wants to establish the Spartans as a hard-nosed football team.

He warned that the Eagles won't be pushovers.

"With 14 starters back and 44 lettermen, they have a very experienced team," he said. "I think the strength of their team probably starts with their quarterback, the type of offense they run, which is wide-open."

The Eagles are led by quarterback Walter Church, who connected on 213 of 355 passes last season, and tailback Eric Powell, who charged for 473 yards.

Powell has a hamstring injury and plans to miss the Michigan State game. Taking his place is scheduled to be junior Reggie Gage.

The top receiver is Jermaine Sheffield, who had 62 receptions for 953 yards last year.

"It's a question of whether or not physically we can get it done," Rasnick said. "But we know exactly where we want to attack.

"They've been susceptible to certain things and we're going to try and take advantage of it."

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