Most of the folks who will pull for him Saturday night will be on the other end of the emotional rooting Saturday afternoon.
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“(I’m) more fundamentally sound technique-wise and way more confident than previous year”, he said.
Senior Kahlea Copper had 30 points, 10 rebounds and 4 steals for the Rutgers Scarlet Knights, but the eye-popping number is 3 for 3. The Spartans avenged one of those losses back in September when they beat the Ducks, and now they’ll have a chance to pay back the Buckeyes as well.
“It was awesome”, MI State co-defensive coordinator Mike Tressel said.
CM: From everything I’ve heard about Cook, there’s no way he’d miss this one. “We’re becoming an elite program and the spotlight is on, and this is an opportunity to make a statement”. ‘So at this point in time, while we’re not ideal – we’re not 10-0 – I guess we’re one game away from what everybody thought would happen….
MI State’s running game started very strong this year, but has tailed off as the season has progressed.
The passion created by what many call the greatest rivalry in college football runs deep on both sides and extends well beyond the late-November Saturday each year when MI and Ohio State meet in what’s simply known as “The Game”.
OSU’s matchup with MI State stands to have major ramifications on the Big Ten East Division, as will the Buckeyes’ regular season finale at MI a week later.
Ohio State (10-0, 6-0) has had problems against Cook in the past.
Of course, if Ohio State does not take care of business in the Horseshoe, then all the skeptics can claim that the Buckeyes have, indeed, been fraudulent all along. And MSU has won the Rose Bowl and the Cotton Bowl in the last two seasons.
DeWeaver was watching it on TV with good friend Vayante Copeland.
The Spartans did get a reprieve – the present of the botched punt for the ages to defeat MI. Then tune in Friday to watch our Special Report. Penn State is no push over, especially at home. He’s one of the most athletic linebackers Dantonio has ever coached and he has become the best of the bunch this season. It’s reasonable to expect Ohio State to come out slinging it. MSU defensive linemen Lawrence Thomas and Malik McDowell had offers from the Buckeyes, as did safeties Demetrious Cox and Montae Nicholson.
So it is back in the football bunker for MSU.
Underdog Spartans: MI State quarterback Connor Cook says he’s shoulder is good. There’s something to be said about everyone knowing the team has a better chance of moving the ball and getting everyone involved. “So, I think we have put ourselves in the hunt for a few of those players”. Ohio State, on the other hand, is worst at the beginning of games, ranking 33rd in the first quarter in offensive S&P+. “And it’s gonna be like that more and more as we keep winning”.
A few sportsbooks flooded with Ohio State money increased the line from 13 to 14. He has been in touch with everyone else.
“I’m trying not to think about that, because obviously it’ll be emotional for me”, Decker said. Check out his MSU blog at freep.com/heyjoe. The junior extended his streak of 100-yard rushing games to an FBS-best 15 last Saturday in the win at IL with 181 yards on 27 carries, and he leads the Big Ten and is third nationally in rushing yards with 1,425 on 220 carries.
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The facts: 2:30 p.m., BTN; 720-AM.
