Sports: Bigtime Wins, Painful Loses
1998 SEASON: BIGTIME WINS, PAINFUL LOSES
Young, plagued by injuries and post-probation lack of depth, MSU stuns major powerhouses enroute to a 6-6 season. They blow out No. 11 Notre Dame 45-23 on national TV, their first five drives reaching the endzone. They stun Indiana in double overtime with back to back touchdown plays. They 'shock the world' by upsetting consensus No. 1 Ohio State 28-24--in Columbus, no less. Yet they lose to Minnesota 18-19 with a last minute collapse. In a case of deja purdue, they lose a late 11-point lead to the Boilermakers after having a kick blocked--just like last year. They let Colorado State score 23 unaswered points to overcome a 16-0 deficit. They get pounded by Oregon and Penn State.
The ups and downs of the 1998 season reflected the incredible youth of MSU's 1998 football team. Injuries, transfers and other attrition forced fourth-year coach Nick Saban to go with a plethora of teenage players.
Altogether, MSU fielded 12 key first-year players--7 on offense and 5 on defense. MSU was forced to start true freshman Paul Harker at guard, for example, after losing three projected starters and two back-ups to injuries and departures--in a position that was already thin.
The good news: By season's end, even the youngest of Sparteens seemed to play with authority and confidence, bidding well for the future.
Consider the upset of Ohio State on Nov. 7, an epic game that will live on in Spartan memory. For a 28-point underdog to upset the nation's top team in hostile territory is incredible enough. But even more incredible were the amount of key Spartan plays made by rookies. Newcomer Julian Peterson, deployed after starting defensive lineman Robaire Smith's season-ending leg injury, delivered an MVP performance with seven tackles, four sacks and three forced fumbles. First-year cornerback Renaldo Hill and true freshman Cedric Henry made game-saving plays. Linebacker Josh Thornhill, another true frehsman, helped sophomore linebacker T.J. Turner make a crucial fourth-down stop. Defensive lineman Josh Shaw, another true freshman, recovered two Ohio State fumbles. True freshman Craig Jarrett epitomized the Spartans--booting a record 81-yarder against Penn State, along with two 20-yarder muffs. Another first-year player, wide receiver Plaxico Burress, set MSU's record with 65 receptions, and his 1,013 yards is second in MSU history. And MSU called on true freshman quarterback Ryan Van Dyke to pull out two games, Minnesota and Purdue, after starter Bill Burke left with injuries.
That MSU could defeat the likes of Ohio State, and even Notre Dame, with so many youngsters hints at the coaching job performed by Saban and his staff, which, incidentally, includes four rookie MSU assistants. A roller coaster season, of course, includes high points--and Spartan fans were able to enjoy plenty of them.
MSU destroyed Notre Dame on national television, effectively defining the game by halftime with a 42-3 lead. The Irish had gained 280 rushing yards in their win over defending national champions Michigan, but were limited to 118 yards by MSU. The Spartans scored six first half TDs on a punt-block return, an interception return, a power run by Sedrick Irvin, and passes to Gary Scott and Leroy McFadden, and an 86-yard bomb to Plaxico Burress.
Another highlight was the heart-stopping ending in MSU's 38-13 double overtime win over Indiana in Spartan Stadium. Junior Bill Burke, who emerged as quarterback this season, engineered an 86-yard touchdown drive--capped by a nine-yard scamper-stretch for two points--to send the game to overtime. In the first OT, Burke completed a 25-yard toss to Plaxico Burress to send the game to double overtime. In the first play, Sedrick Irvin ran and twisted into the endzone. A last-gasp Hoosier pass was stopped by senior Lemar Marshall's crushing tackle of the intended receiver, who dropped the ball.
The ending of the Ohio State upset will lodge in Spartan memories for a longtime. Holding a 28-24 lead with the clock running out, MSU broke up four straight Ohio State passes into the endzone from the 15-yard line, with Renaldo Hill intercepting the last one. Individually, Irvin became the first Spartan to gain over 1,000 yards for three straight seasons. Burress broke Courtney Hawkins record for receptions in a single season, with 65. Burke set MSU's single season passing record, with 2,595 yards. His 19 TD passes rank second all-time. Senior Sorie Kanu, a four year starter, led the team in tackles, while Marshall tied the single season record for pass break ups with 16.
MSU faced plenty of lows as well, including a 17-29 loss to archrival Michigan and a 51-28 season-ending blowout by Penn State. But the experience gained by young MSU players may pay dividends in the future, as MSU remains well-poised to crack the upper echelon of the Big Ten.
RUINOUS UPSETS BY SPARTANS
MSU's 28-24 win at No. 1 Ohio State was not the first time the Spartans ruined a quest for a the national championship. In 1974, MSU beat undeafeated No. 1 Ohio State 16-13 in Spartan Stadium, sparked by Levi Jackson's legendary 88-yard run. In 1972, MSU won 19-12 against Ohio State, undefeated at 7-0 and No. 5 in the AP poll. Holland native Dirk Kryt kicked four field goals in coach Duffy Daugherty's last season. In 1990, MSU ruined Michigan's quest for a perfect season by upsetting the No. 1 Wolverines 28-27 in Ann Arbor.
SATURDAY SPECTACULAR!
is a new CD featuring all the Big Ten fight songs and alma maters, with Spartan Marching Band director John Madden conducting the Brass Band of Battle Creek. Part of the proceeds will go to the MSU Athletic Dept. in support of the Spartan Chariot, a new tradition that adds grandeur and excitement to the opening of football games at Spartan Stadium.
The CDs are $15 each (cassettes $12) and can be ordered directly from Chariot Records, Marshall, MI, at 616-781-7168.