Hail Hail! The Michigan Man!

The ES can't help hisself.  It's 26-10 Utah in that dump of a stadium in AA land.   Let the rant begin.

Let's be honest.

Brady Hoke is the greatest coach in the history of University of Michigan football. Hoke and his coordinators should immediately be rewarded with lifetime contracts and $1 million bonuses for their ability to put together a solid game plan in today's match against the Mighty Utes.  Methinks this Michigan football offense, with Devin "Trip-toe Through the Tulips" Gardner and the defensive scheme from Greg "Dance Around Reality" Mattison has many years of mediocrity to come.  Reward them!  Now!  What a fantastic misuse of talent!

Is this the second coming of Rich Rod?  No, this is better!  This time... this guy is a MICHIGAN MAN.

LOL.  Today, the only savior for the Michigan faithful is nature - aka lightning.  God, it must sting for them to actually feel like a Spartan the past 40 years pre-Dantonio.  Welcome to our world.

Enjoy your disaster and buy an industrial sump-pump, cause from what I see, it's going to be a shit-storm the rest of the year in Ann Arbor.

"We are supposed to be playing on the big stage."

People around the nation wonder why there is such hatred between the Michigan State faithful and the Michigan faithful.  Give the Wolverines (yes, the ES uses the word GIVE deliberately) a victory in an unearned BCS bowl berth with pitiful Va Tech coaching decisions, and the AArogant Wolverine Nation thinks they own the world.  To wit, scUM AD David Brandon, in USA Today: "We've had a bumpy three years, but we're Michigan," Brandon said. "We're supposed to be playing on the big stage. We're supposed to be playing against formidable competition. We're supposed to be in the national hunt. For years and years and years, that was Michigan. That's what we want Michigan to be in the future.":

Matter of fact, NO YOU ARE NOT SUPPOSED TO BE PLAYING ON THE BIG STAGE.   You need to earn it.  Michigan State earned it with 22 wins the LAST TWO YEARS, including double-digt wins against YOUR FOOTBALL TEAM each year, and didn't get a BCS berth.  And, Michigan State was in the Conference championship game.  And, Michigan State isn't supposed to play on the Big Stage -- no, MSU needs to earn it, just like every other team.

You know what, screw you and your Aarogant Aass.  This pisses the ES off to no end.  Now you know why there are thousands of t-shirts worn across the Big Ten that state "Muck Fichigan!"

Formidable competion? Don't get me wrong, congrats for the win over VaTech, but the ES argues that VTU is anything but formidable -- the.Hokies looked handcuffed by their coaches, and still outgained scUM by twice as many yards; stupid VaTech coaching decisions led to scUM victory with Christmas gifts that would have made Jesus Christ proud. 

Gimme a break Brandon, you embarrass the college football nation.

With the Spartans' record the past three years, the ES could say, "we are supposed to play on the Big Stage." But, let us let our performance dictate things - as the ES said, we had our fate in our hands, losing to Wisky and thus losing our bid for a BCS. I accept that.  But, to think that "we are supposed" to get a BCS bid is absolute height of arrogance.  Screw you. 

Once again, thank you Aan Aarbor, you once again lay claim to the ownership of Aarogant Aasses.

Harbaugh to 49ers

Harbaugh to 49ers: $5 million/5 years = $25 million deal.

Whew, we're safe and should kick the Yellow Belly arse for many years to come.

Michigan: "You officially suck"

The Sloth lays it on the line with his NEW "effing sports blog". Here's a sample with his take of watching Rich Rod and Michigan duke it out in the gutter.

"The net effect? Michigan has already lost Rodriguez recruits with the uncertainty surrounding Rodriguez, and is quickly pissing away the recruiting window to close on pending recruits with a new staff for the 2011 season. It is looking more and more stupid, and very publicly, for not having already fired a coach that everybody (even Mark May, for Chrissakes) agrees should have been fired, and for not having a new coach ready to step in and transition into the job.

Congratulations, University of Michigan, what was already a lousy situation (from your perspective, not mine) is even worse (or better). You officially suck, perhaps even worse than my beloved Spartans or any of my various beloved Detroit sports teams have ever sucked. Your football program is in the shitter, and you have successfully alienated some of your most-successful program alums (Harbaugh, Miles, among others)."

SIMPLY FANTASTIC. ES is all warm and fuzzy, thanks Sloth!

UM: Keep Rich Rod and Appalachian values

The ES is here at the Peanut Barrel, in absolute tears laughing and talking to Joe about Terry Foster's column in the Detroit News about Rich Rod as scUM coach and his performance at the Michigan annual football banquet last night. Please, pray god he sticks around; he is Ann Arbor's answer to John L. Smith.

• "Someone described Rich Rod as a guy giving a bad speech to the bride and groom at a wedding. The only difference is the best man is usually tanked so he has an excuse."
• "This was one of the most embarrassing moments in Michigan football history. It is something Buckeyes and Badgers and Spartans will laugh at for years to come."
• "Usually, we see performances like this from Lions coaches when they finally realize they have no shot at winning."
• "After Rodriguez embarrassed himself and the program by playing "You Raise Me Up" at the annual football bust I would have asked the DJ to play "Hit the Road Jack."
• "A Michigan man? He looks more like a mess of a man."
• "And the weak and sniffling Rich Rod hardly looked like a Michigan man.

Let us be real... Are we at Michigan State the only ones who see the significant contribution this man, Rich Rodriguez, has made to the history of football and to the integrity of the University of Michigan? He has done no wrong, being absolved of all possible NCAA rules misconduct. He has improved the program from 3-9 to a resounding 7-5 powerhouse, in a matter of three years. Graduation rates on the team are not significantly worse. More importantly, he has instilled sound Appalachian West Virginian values into the culture of Michigan athletics - values of "spread and ready" and "shotgun" if you will... And, "he wants to be a Michigan man" - that is called loyalty... what more do you want Michigan faithful. Keep Rich Rod!

Media loves to hype scUM

Are the media buying the hype on scUM after one game? Certainly, they are... they are creating the hype, and watching it, too. One week after nary a vote in the AP Poll, scUM jumps to #26??? After one game, sure, thumping national football power UConn at home 30-10. The coaches poll is a bit more reasonable, vaulting scum from Not Ranked to #35, while Mich State wallows at #36. We shall see about scUM and Dick Rod when they travel to take on the #27 Irish, who just sneaked past Purdue, at a 3:30 tilt on Saturday. The ES will hear the game from the road, traveling back from the Fla Atlantic-MSU thriller NOT.

Michigan football violations: count it as fact. Keep Rodriguez!

Oh, and by the way, the allegations of major NCAA rules violations by Michigan football team?

The ES will say two things:

1. Read it (in PDF).

2. Those scUM alumni and fans who disagree just refuse to think U of M can do any wrong. Yes, sorry, the Wolvies are no longer the poster child of care-free college sports.

Yes, oh yes, this is a free country. So, believe what you want. For the ES' sake, he spoke with high sources at scUM (scUM regents) that acknowledged the coaching staff was misguided in their decisions. If you don't believe the ES, you are foolish, misguided, and not very smart... Yes, Spartan fans and Wolverine naysayers, expect this to stick.

What will happen? The NCAA may state these as serious violations, but it IS previously the public poster-child of college football, so even the ES believes the NCAA will go light on scUM. The biggest issue is the purpose of "quality control staff" and in the allegation it seems like RR hired them on with the intent to circumvent the rules. (hey, RR - you dummy - get your players to enforce, you don't need to hire additional staff).

But, the staff issue is the biggie. If RR can explain it, then the ES sez a slap on the wrist at most - just a warning. If he can't explain it satisfactorily, maybe a few scholarships, and maybe a postseason ban. MAYBE.

The ES hopes not. We Spartans need RR around as long as possible - he is the best thing to ever happen to Michigan football!

Higher Frequency of Football Trifecta (MSU win, scUM & ND loss) since 2007

TRIFECTA HISTORY – Past 41 years (since 1968). Weekends: 479. Occurred: 17 times.

The ES looked back over his lifetime, 41 years long now, to see how often his weekend football Trifecta had occurred. Again, the ES Trifecta is defined as: on the same weekend for there to be a Michigan State victory AND losses by Notre Dame and Michigan. Note, on some weekends over the past four decades not all three teams played. But, again, the TRIFECTA makes for a PERFECT football weekend when all three events are combined.

Is it happening more frequently than the ES remembers in the past? A resounding YES. There IS a changing of the guard with RR in AA-land and Chuck E Weis in South Bend... and the Big Green is a beneficiary with Mark Dantonio. The statistics, plain Ws and Ls are below.

• * From 2007 – 2009, the Trifecta occurred 7 times (7 times over 36 weekends = 19.4% frequency) .
  
• * From 1968 – 2006, the Trifecta occurred 10 times (10 times over 443 weekends = 2.3% frequency).
• * Six times in the past 41 years has a weekend included either MSU defeating Michigan and ND losing, or MSU defeating ND and Michigan losing.
• * Twice has the Trifecta occurred in back-to-back weekends: the first weekends of the 2007 season, and the past two weekends.
  
• * There has not been a Trifecta three times in a row in the past 41 years. With Michigan a 13 point underdog to Ohio State, Michigan State a 3 point 'dog to Penn State, and Notre Dame a 6 point favorite hosting UConn… can it happen again?

The year-by-year break out is below.

2009 (2)
11/7. Michigan vs Purdue. L, 36-38. ND vs Navy. L, 21-23. MSU vs WMU. W, 49-14.
11/14. Michigan at Wisconsin. L, 24-45. ND at Pitt. L, 22-27. MSU vs Purdue. W, 40-37.

2008 (2)
10/11. Michigan vs Toledo. L, 10-13. ND at North Carolina. L, 24-29. MSU at N’western. W, 37-20.
11/1. Michigan at Purdue. L, 42-48. ND vs Pittsburgh. L, 33-36. MSU vs. Wisconsin. W, 25-24.

2007 (3)
9/1. Michigan vs. Appalachian St. L, 32-34. ND vs Georgia Tech. L, 3-33. MSU vs UAB. W, 55-18.
9/8. Michigan vs. Oregon. L, 7-39. ND at Penn State. L, 10-31. MSU vs BGSU. W, 28-17.
11/10. Michigan at Wisconsin. L, 21-37. ND vs Air Force. L, 24-41. MSU at Purdue. W, 48-31.

2006 – 2004: none

2003 (1)
9/20. Michigan at Oregon. L, 27-31. ND vs MSU. L, 16-22. MSU at ND. W, 22-16.

2002: none

2001 (2)
9/8. Michigan at Washington. L, 18-23. ND at Nebraska. L, 10-27. MSU vs CMU. W, 35-21.
11/3. Michigan at MSU. L, 24-26. ND vs Tennessee. L, 18-28. MSU vs Michigan. W, 26-24.

2000 - 1999: none

1998 (1)
9/12. Michigan vs Syracuse. L, 28-38. ND at MSU. L, 23-45. MSU vs ND. W, 45-23.

1997 - 1988: none

1987 (2)
10/10. Michigan at MSU. L, 11-17. ND at Pitt. L, 22-30. MSU vs Michigan. W, 17-11.
11/21. Michigan vs Ohio St. L, 20-23. ND at Penn St. L, 20-21. MSU at Wisconsin. W, 30-9.

1986-1985: none

1984 (1)
10/6. Michigan vs MSU. L, 7-19. ND vs Miami-FL. L, 13-31. MSU at Michigan. W, 19-7.

1983 (1)
9/17. Michigan at Washington. L, 24-25. ND vs. MSU. L, 23-28. MSU at ND. W, 28-23.

1982-1980: none.

1979 (1)
11/10. Michigan at Purdue. L, 21-24. ND at Tennessee. L, 18-40. MSU vs Minnesota. W, 31-17.

1978-77: none.

1976 (1)
11/6. Michigan at Purdue. L, 14-16. ND at Georgia Tech. L, 14-23. MSU vs Indiana. W, 23-0.

1975-1968: none.

Confirming Michigan Arrogance - Gutter Talk

Two whiners that confirm scUM arrogance. Didn't they ever learn from their mamas that if you're an idiot, it's best to shut your piehole instead of opening your mouth and removing all doubt? So much for congratulating your opponent, scUM sinks into the gutter this week:

#1 For those of you who didn't hear the WJR Paul W Smith - Mark Dantonio swashbuckling this week, here's a summary of the Ann Arbor arrogance:

Host Paul W. Smith, a Michigan graduate, was asking Dantonio about the looks on the faces of Michigan State fans when the Wolverines sent the game to overtime. Dantonio said: "Well Paul, hold on a second Paul. Hold on a second. Because the look I saw on Michigan's faces were, 'Oh no, the Spartans beat us again.' That's the look I saw when I walked off the field." Dantonio finished by saying: "No, you're missing my point. I'm tired of talking about Michigan. I'm tired of talking about Michigan. You're missing my point. We got it done on Saturday. End of story."

Even when the sad Yellow Bellies lose, they can't help but talk about themselves first, instead of talking about the OTHER TEAM (in this case, Michigan State), that won. This is arrogance personified. Thanks for the confirmation, Paul W! What an ass.

#2 - Just listen to the radio broadcast of scUM radio network's Frank Beckman, talking about the "Big Bad Wolf" that is MSU which defeated the Yellow Bellies. It starts out with a broadcast of George Blaha and Michigan State, but then the last half is of the Michigan radio crew. HAHAHAHA. Again, arrogance personified by Mr. Arrogant Bastard hisself, Frank Beckman.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uke8u9Y1yh0

God, I love beating scUM and watching them squirm and whine. What little sissies.

Michigan State Spartans favored by 4 at Illinois

The early line out of LSVC in Las Vegas is that your Michigan State Spartan gridders are a 4-point favorite at woeful Illinois this weekend. Iowa is favored by a TD at home over scUM. Ohio State is favored by 16 at home over Wisky. Minny is favored by 4.5 at home over Purdue. Northwestern is favored by 23 at home over Miami-Ohio. Indiana is a 6.5-point underdog at Virginia.

Oh yes, maybe after Michigan State's resounding victory at home over scUM, where we snatched victory from the jaws of defeat -- despite pounding the little yellow men all day -- is clearly the dawn of a new era. No, these ain't yer Same Old Spartans. Time to continue the momentum this weekend against an Illinois team running a similar offense as scUM. It was nice to see the Spartan defense dominate the line of scrimmage (such as holding scUM to under 30 yards rushing is a nice feat), and also nice to see very solid play at QB from Keith Nichol and the Spartan offensive line. The most complete effort of the season for the Big Green vs. scUM in a game they HAD to win.

The AP axed scUM from its Top 25 this week:

RK	TEAM	RECORD	PTS
1	Florida (54)	4-0	1486
2	Texas (1)	4-0	1416
3	Alabama (5)	5-0	1404
4	LSU	5-0	1290
5	Virginia Tech	4-1	1200
6	Boise State	5-0	1185
7	USC	4-1	1108
8	Cincinnati	5-0	1004
9	Ohio State	4-1	994
10	TCU	4-0	940
11	Miami (FL)	3-1	931
12	Iowa	5-0	823
13	Oregon	4-1	676
14	Penn State	4-1	564
15	Oklahoma State	3-1	563
16	Kansas	4-0	513
17	Auburn	5-0	428
18	Brigham Young	4-1	403
19	Oklahoma	2-2	370
20	Mississippi	3-1	357
21	Nebraska	3-1	333
22	Georgia Tech	4-1	311
23	South Florida	5-0	238
24	Missouri	4-0	215
25	South Carolina	4-1	200

Dropped from rankings: Houston 12, Georgia 18, Michigan 22, California 24

Others receiving votes: Wisconsin 157, Houston 142, Georgia 115, Stanford 50, Utah 31, Michigan 25, Boston College 12, Notre Dame 9, Pittsburgh 3, Arizona 2, West Virginia 2,

WE KICKED THEIR ASS

Michigan State.... kicked..... THEIR.... ASS!

Congrats, sure it took OT, but Michigan State DOMINATED the football game and thrashed the Wolverines in a 26-20 OT pounding. MSU smoked scUM all day long, but with 10 minutes to go the Yellow Bellies made a run for it. But for the most part, WE KICKED THEIR ASSES! Michigan State had its best defensive performance of the season. It was beautiful. The ES will have some footage from the very loud Spartan Stadium posted a bit later, but CONGRATS, the better team won.

MICHIGAN - F-YOU, YOU ARROGANT ASSES, WE BEAT YOUR TAIL TWO YEARS IN A ROW. ADMIT IT, MICHIGAN STATE ATHLETICS IS MORE DOMINANT!

ES Game Day Preview: MSU 30, Michigan 27

Michigan (4-0, #22 AP, #30 Sagarin) at Michigan State (1-3, #59 Sagarin),

Saturday, October 3, 2009. 12 Noon.
TV: Big Ten Network
Weather: 51 degrees, 40% chance rain.
Latest Line: Michigan State favored by 2.

Tickets available.

ES will tweet from the game with comments posted in the right column; live chat will be available on the website.

Injuries: Michigan - QB Tate Forcier (shoulder), probable; C David Molk (foot), out. Michigan State - OL Joel Foreman (knee), probable; WR Mark Dell (shoulder), probable; S Trenton Robinson (doorknob), probable.

Prediction: MSU's Greg Jones blindsides scUM's Forcier in the first quarter, knocking him senseless and out of the game. MSU runs adequately behind Glenn Winston, but enough to free up QB Kirk Cousins to use his rocket arm to score TDs through the air to BJ Cunningham, Blair White, and Mark Dell. MSU's defense? Who knows, who cares. Michigan State needs to prove itself defensively, and scUM is overrated and untested on the road. The ES will split the difference, thinking Spartan DBs won't play great, but will play just well enough to win. Willthis scUM team actually go 5-0? Hey, go jump in a lake and take yer smelling salts. Spartan special teams will be the difference in the game, with a few FGs out of Brett Swenson. That's enough detail for me on this game.

Give it up to an improved coaching effort and better play out of MSU in its best game of the year, at home. There's a reason a 1-3 team is favored by 2 at home over a 4-0 team.

Halftime: MSU 14, scUM 14. Final Score: Michigan State 30, scUM 27.

Early predictions... Cold and wet for Saturday

This has been the Spartans’ best week of practice yet – certainly, with the Yellow Bellies coming to town, it has made it much easier for the team to be focused. Hopefully it translates to tackling and making plays. Maybe we can blitz and knock out Forcier early - we need to rattle his cage.

Here is a preview, with sound bites, from the Big Ten Network.

Adam Rittenberg/ESPN predicts a 38-37 scUM victory. CFN/Scout predicts MSU to win 34-31. CBS Sports/Harmon Forecast predicts scUM 30-24, but two of five pundits pick Sparty. NBC Sports predicts scUM 41-37.

Weather prediction for the game: 54 degrees and showers. Bring your poncho.

More Predictions... Detroit News/Wojo (wait, I am sober, right?): MSU 38-33. Freep/Snyder& Shelton: scUM 35-31. Rivalry, Esq.: take your pick... scUM by 10 or MSU by 7.

Donovan Warren = AA. Arrogant Ass

Michigan Arrogant Asses Personified: Exhibit 1. scUM CB Donovan Warren: "we are still Michigan and this is our state.” You read that Kirk Cousins? Time to LIGHT HIM UP!

Other notes for Michigan State v scUM:
College Football News experts: 4 of 5 pick MSU, CBSSports gives a bland preview, Bleacher Report provides three keys to victory for both teams, AnnArbor.com notes from Dick Rod that "Michigan won't have a full walk-through Friday when it arrives in East Lansing for its first road game of the season", SpartyMSU predicts a scUM "will be beaten this week", Freep's Shannon Shelton talks about MD closing practice to "pesky reporters"... more later.

SPARTY HATES MICHIGAN

Feel the hate... there's lots of hate of scUM to spread around. The ES is oft-criticized by fellow citizens, and even fellow (though, obviously, not very important) members of the Spartan Nation, for his outspoken and consistent hatred of the scUM Yellow Bellies. And, why else all the hate mail and rage from the lowly Ann Arbor-ite blogs this time of year?

World masses, the ES ain't alone... the soldiers in Green and White share their hatred as well. As often stated, unless you're Brent Muskyberger, a Michigan alum, or lazy-white-trailer-trash-settlin'-for-Blue&Gold-on-tv-instead-of-gettin'-a-degree, you hate them Yellow Bellies too. Yes, just about everyone hates arrogant scUM. As Spartan DE Trevor Anderson says, "it's sickening."

Join the national movement - everybody's doing it. Hate the Michigan Wolverines.

Schedule strength: MSU #32, scUM #105

Now, why would a 1-3 Michigan State team at all be favored over a #22, 4-0 Michigan Yellow Belly team? The ES looks a bit deeper into the OPPONENTS PLAYED to get a better sense at where these teams stand heading into rivalry weekend. Again, this early in the season, the ES uses Sagarin rankings because not only do they rank every team, but also every Division I-FCS and FBS team; Sagarin is also a component in the BCS rankings, as if that matters.

Michigan State is #59 in the Sagarin rankings. scUM is #30.

Michigan State schedule ranking is #32, with a 71.7 score:
Montana State (home): #141, W.
Central Michigan (home): #57, L.
Notre Dame (away): #32, L.
Wisconsin (away): #31, L.

scUM schedule ranking is #105, with a 63.9 score:
Western Michigan (home): #90, W.
Notre Dame (home): #32, W.
Eastern Michigan (home): #159, W.
Indiana (home): #68, W.

Summary: Both teams played Notre Dame about even, with the W to Michigan's home field. MSU played CMU to within one point and lost; Michigan beat Indiana by three. Both teams pounded the worst team on their schedule (Montana State, EMU). Michigan handled WMU easily at home; the Spartans laid an egg on the road at Wisconsin.

A big edge in this game goes to Spartan Stadium and MSU's home field, as scUM has not yet traveled away from The Hole in the Ground this year. The rockin' nature of the Big Green Stadium will certainly rattle Mr. Forcier and his sore shoulder this week.

INJURIES ON THE FRONT LINES: The Doctor is trying to save the redshirt of several freshmen, but injuries and ineffectiveness on the offensive and defensive lines may lead to MD playing Henry Conway at offensive tackle and Blake Treadwell in a pass rush situation. LG Joel Foreman is questionable (ankle); OT J'Michael Deane (leg) is questionable.

Reversal: MSU now favored by 1 over scUM

Funny what a day might do... the betting lines out of Las Vegas have shifted to Michigan State's favor over the Michigan Yellow Bellies this week - Caesars/Harrah's has MSU favored by 1; the Las Vegas Hilton has the Big Green favored by 1.5; all the rest have it an even/pick 'em spread.

When were the Spartans last favored in the series while scUM was the only ranked team of the two? Has it EVER happened? Obviously, the bookies are giving the Spartans the nod via their home field as an advantage, scUM with the weaker schedule, and the "sore shoulder" status of scUM QB Tate Forcier....

scUM favored by 1 over Michigan State

Early movements out of Leroy's Casino in Las Vegas point to scUM as a slim, 1-point favorite over your Same Old Spartans. Purdue is favored by 8 at home over Northwestern; Minnesota is favored by 3 at home over Wisconsin; JoePa is favored by 4 at Illinois: Ohio State is favored by 17.5 at Indiana; Iowa by 21.5 at home over Arkansas State.... and, Notre Dame is favored by 13.5 at home over Washington.

Your national AP poll this week:

RK	TEAM	RECORD	PTS
1	Florida (55)	4-0	1490
2	Texas (1)	4-0	1420
3	Alabama (4)	4-0	1400
4	LSU	4-0	1225
5	Boise State	4-0	1203
6	Virginia Tech	3-1	1190
7	USC	3-1	998
8	Oklahoma	2-1	979
9	Ohio State	3-1	957
10	Cincinnati	4-0	946
11	TCU	3-0	896
12	Houston	3-0	844
13	Iowa	4-0	788
14	Oklahoma State	3-1	591
15	Penn State	3-1	470
16	Oregon	3-1	462
17	Miami (FL)	2-1	452
18	Kansas	4-0	418
18	Georgia	3-1	418
20	Brigham Young	3-1	349
21	Mississippi	2-1	340
22	Michigan	4-0	271
23	Nebraska	3-1	256
24	California	3-1	206
25	Georgia Tech	3-1	185

Dropped from rankings: Florida State 18, North Carolina 22

Others receiving votes: Missouri 175, Auburn 171, South Carolina 154, South Florida 145, UCLA 41, Utah 25, Wisconsin 20, Notre Dame 7, Arizona State 4, Stanford 2, North Carolina 2,

Get Yer Hate Michigan Gear

Yes, the ES has his Anti-scUM gear available. If you order this week, you can get delivery just in time to wear to the scUM game on October 3. Just click on each of the shirts below - this is some of the merchandise... much more is available. Enjoy! GO STATE!

Michigan State - Michigan scheduled for 12 noon on Oct. 3

The Michigan State - Michigan game will be a 12:00 noon kickoff on the Big Ten Network. MSU's losses the past two weeks certainly diminshed the "prime time" value of the game beyond a rivalry. ABC picked up the Penn State at Illinois game for 3:30 pm and Wisconsin-Minny will also be a Noon game.