Sept. 27, 2005
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College Football Preview: Week 5 |  |
(AP) -- A dismal start to its season has knocked Michigan out of the AP Top 25 for the first time in seven years. With a matchup at unbeaten Michigan State looming, getting back into the poll this week may be a tall order.
The No. 11 Spartans (4-0, 1-0 Big Ten) look to add to their instate rivals' misery when Michigan (2-2, 0-1) stumbles into Spartan Stadium desperate to get its season back on track.
The Wolverines started the year ranked No. 4 and moved up to the third spot, but that lofty standing is a distant memory. Michigan was stunned 17-10 at home by Notre Dame on Sept. 10, the Irish's first win at Michigan Stadium since 1993. After a 55-0 rout of Eastern Michigan on Sept. 17, things got much worse for the Wolverines last week.
John Stocco scored on a 4-yard quarterback draw with 24 seconds left to give Wisconsin a 23-20 win over Michigan at Camp Randall Stadium on Saturday night, snapping the Wolverines' 23-game winning streak in Big Ten openers. Wisconsin hadn't beaten Michigan since 1994.
Ranked 14th coming into the game, the Wolverines tumbled out of the poll Sunday for the first time since Oct. 18, 1998, ending a streak of 114 straight weeks in the rankings.
"I expect (the players) to respond like the people they are. They're people of character," Michigan coach Lloyd Carr said. "They are a group of people who want very desperately to be as good as they can be. I don't worry about their attitude, work ethic and their spirit."
Michigan went ahead 10-0 when Jason Avant caught a 4-yard touchdown pass, and led 13-3 at the half. But the Wolverines allowed the Badgers' Brian Calhoun to account for 214 yards and Wisconsin outscored Michigan 17-7 in the fourth quarter.
Chad Henne completed only 16 of 34 passes for 258 yards, two touchdowns, one interception and was sacked twice. The Wolverines' sophomore quarterback will have to be much better if Michigan is to compete against a surging Spartans squad that will be looking for revenge for last year's triple-overtime loss.
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In that Oct. 30 game at Ann Arbor, Henne went 24-of-35 for 273 yards and four TDs to lift the Wolverines to their third straight win in the battle for the Paul Bunyan Trophy. With the way Michigan State has been putting points on the board, however, Michigan might be lucky to make it to overtime this time around.
The Spartans pounded Illinois 61-14 last week as their offense looked unstoppable for the fourth straight game. Michigan State is averaging 49 points per contest and has outscored opponents 196-83.
Against the Illini, Drew Stanton set a school record with five touchdown passes and the Spartans also set program marks with 705 yards of offense and seven TDs. Michigan State is 4-0 for the first time since 1999.
"It's a natural progression," coach John L. Smith said of the Spartans' offensive evolution in the past few seasons. "Now that Drew has been around here a couple of years and understands it, it's easier to let it grow a bit."
Stanton has completed 73 percent of his passes this season for 1,184 yards, 13 TDs and two interceptions. Seven Spartans have caught touchdown passes, and freshman running back Javon Ringer averages 92 yards per game and 9.4 yards per carry. Jehuu Caulcrick and Jason Teague each average more than 6 yards per carry.
Despite his team's momentum, Smith is well aware of his team's losing streak in the series - and that he is 0-2 against Michigan.
"We've got a lot to prove," he said.
Michigan leads the series 64-28-5 and has taken seven of the last 10 meetings.
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