I picked the Spartan football team to go 7-5 at the start of the season.

That was based on research and analysis. In my heart, I always want them to go 10-2 or 11-1 and end up in the Rose Bowl.

Even though I thought State would be a middle of the pack Big Ten team, it still hurts when my team loses in the fashion they have the last couple weeks. The Notre Dame loss was the worst. I didn't think State would win, but when the team fought like it did, I thought they could pull it out.

I won't rehash what happened, but that loss hurt almost as much as hearing your girlfriend say she doesn't wanna be with you anymore. The ND loss hurt so much that I made a (friendly) bet with a friend for the Michigan/MSU game. Seems innocent enough, right? I took Michigan at -6.5. Granted, it was later in the day, after I had drowned my sorrows and had the close of the game run through my head 1,657,789 times, but that showed me how much Green and White blood runs through my veins. I felt so down about a loss that I went with the enemy.

I have since gotten out of that bet. MSU needs to get out of the dumps. A win at Wisconsin tomorrow, and State could be on their way to a shot at the Big Ten title. That shows you how much I think of this Big Ten.

State can get on a roll. That has to start in Madison. Camp Randall is a very tough place to play and an even tougher place to win, but I don't think "No way State wins this game" when I see the Badgers on MSU's schedule. And Wisconsin playing Northern Illinois, Fresno State and Wofford to this point in the season (Bret Bielema apparently graduated from the Bill Snyder/Any SEC Coach School of Scheduling) doesn't have me at all rattled.

So get it done, fellas. You can build on a 2-2 start. A 1-3 start with Michigan coming up, presumably undefeated after they roll over Indiana, could cause panic in the locker room and the stands. And I don't know if I can take many more Saturdays like last week.

And I don't know if I'll get through next week if we lose tomorrow. I know waaaaaaaaay too many UM fans.

If the Lions continue to start Matthew Stafford, there's a chance he would end up being Peyton Manning, who went from going 3-13 and taking every snap his rookie year in 1998 to becoming one of the seven best signal-callers in football history.

I'm don't see that happening. Manning came out as a senior. He finished second in the Heisman Trophy race and beat virtually every team on his schedule outside of Gainesville and Lincoln.

Stafford came out after his junior year. His Georgia teams, outside of an inflated preseason ranking last summer, were average at best. Had Stafford waited until 2010 to enter the draft, he would have likely been, at the highest, the fifth quarterback selected.

That's why Daunte Culpepper should start the remaining 14 games for the Lions. Stafford isn't ready. There's no harm in sitting the young fella and giving him a chance to analyze defenses and coverages from the sidelines for a season or two. Some people argue you can't sit him because of the $72 million tied into him. I say that's the reason you should sit him. Don't worry about instant gratification. Worry about getting a solid return on a long-term investment.

If Stafford starts all 16 games this season, the Lions could go 2-14 at best, leaving them in the running for the No. 1 overall pick. That means Detroit would have to shell out another, say, $65 million ($30-$35 million guaranteed) on someone who has never taken a snap in the NFL.

If Culpepper starts, here are the games I say the Lions have a REALISTIC shot at winning. He doesn't even have to put up stellar numbers in order for them to win these games. All he has to do is not kill them.

Sunday vs. Washington - This one is really a pipedream since I know Stafford will get the start. I know the Redskins have beaten on the Lions throughout the series history (40 games) like Chris Partlow beat on Bug's dad in The Wire, but these aren't the same Redskins. No one has confidence in quarterback Jason Campbell, who led Washington to a win over Detroit last season. If this game were played in Washington, I wouldn't give the Lions a shot in Haides at winning.

Nov. 1 vs. St. Louis - This is the game everybody has circled as the game the Lions finally get a W. I know it's early, but through two games (20 offensive drives), the Rams have scored 7 points.

Nov. 22 vs. Cleveland - Cleveland has less playmakers than the Lions. Don't give me Braylon Edwards. The only way he may ever have another good game his entire career is if every team on Cleveland's schedule for the next decade or so signs Jaren Hayes week by week.

Dec. 6 at Cincinnati - I'd be willing to bet that by kick-off this game, at least 35 percent of Cincinnati's starters will be locked up somewhere.

That's four wins. Four more than last year.

Those four wins are difference between paying Russell Okung (Oklahoma State Offensive Tackle) or Taylor Mays (USC Safety) $65 million and $35 million.

I know because of revenue sharing, no matter if no one shows up to Ford Field, the Lions would still make money hand over fist. But you have to be able to field a team. Paying two number one overall picks hampers that process.

So start Daunte Culpepper and let Matthew Stafford sit and learn for a while.

Or watch the fans continue to revolt.

If Matthew Stafford starts the remainder of the Lions 14 games, there's a possibility the team could win two games (at home Nov. 1 and 22 vs. St. Louis and Cleveland, respectively). Winning just two games would most likely sew up the number one overall pick in next year's draft.

After guaranteeing Matthew Stafford $41.7 million of a $72 million contract, the Lions can't afford to have what would amount to around $80 million of guaranteed money (and at least $130 million total) sunk into two players still wet behind the ears. Not only would that murder the team's salary cap and scale, it could hurt morale in the locker room, since it's widely known that a number of NFL vets have a problem with the league's rookie pay scale.

I'm not sure how much of an upgrade Daunte Culpepper is over Stafford at this point in his 11-year career, but he has to be at least mediocre to Stafford's awful. If Culpepper plays last week, the Lions have a shot to beat Minnesota. Culpepper doesn't throw those two picks to Chad Greenway. The attack would have been much more balanced, as Stafford threw a total of eight passes until late in the third quarter.

With Culpepper at the helm, the Lions have a shot at winning four games. That's not an endorsement for Culpepper or the rest of his mates. It's more of an indictment against some of the team's on Detroit's schedule.

In Part Three: the games the Lions could win with Culpepper starting.

The announcement of the Sunday's Lions game vs. the Washington Redskins being blacked out locally has me thinking about something: is Fox gonna show The Neverending Story or Home Alone at 1 p.m.?

There's other things that announcement means, though.

It means The Stafford affect hasn't taken affect. His play in the team's first two games has been awful to watch. Matthew Stafford has the lowest passer rating (40.5) of any of the 32 starting quarterbacks in the NFL. And I've seen blood-alcohol contents listed in newspaper police briefs that are higher than his completion percentage (barely 50 percent).

It means fans still refuse to pay for a putrid product. Despite what many people continue to believe, the economy has nothing to do with the Lions not being able to sell out games (about 10,000 tickets remain available for Sunday's game against Washington).

If the Lions were consistently in the playoff picture by the first snowfall, Ford Field would be on jam every Sunday. It's the same reason the Pistons streak of sell-outs was snapped in February and the same reason Tiger ticket sales took a dip after last season. People want to spend their hard-earned money to cheer a winner. In the last five years, I've gone to Lions games not to see the home team, but to see the likes of Clinton Portis, Terrell Owens and Jay Cutler.

Changes need to be made. They may not put butts in the seats, but they'll help the team stay afloat.

Part II coming soon.

Even though I picked MSU to lose to Notre Dame last Saturday, taking the L still hurts.

That game could have been ugly. Notre Dame put 14 points on the board in 5 minutes. I hadn't even settled in to watch the game before State was down two scores.

I could hear it loud and clear. "Same Old Spartans (SOS)." I could hear that coming from MSU fans and followers of other area teams. It looked like the heart-breaking loss to Central Michigan last week stayed with the squad.

But somehow, MSU rose up to take a one-point lead into the locker room. The game went from looking like Tila Tequila to Halle Berry in a hurry, and, as a friend astutely pointed out, I became MUCH more confident in State pulling out its seventh straight win at Notre Dame stadium. A hundred times more confident than I was going into the game. Those Same Old Spartans would have quit after getting down early and lost, 45-7. These Spartans fought valiantly and nearly pulled it out.

You know how the game turned out. Both teams fought hard throughout the second half, with ND escaping with a 33-30 win, thus helping its head coach's case as to why he should not be sent back to Nal Hutta.

There were some questionable calls made in the game: State blitzed a lot in the game, but I wish they would have done it more early on. The secondary continued to play soft coverage. The running game remains shaky at best.

The bad thing about the loss is that MSU should have played for OT after signal-caller Kirk Cousins (no more dueling QBs, Coach D. Keith Nichol should be used like Michigan uses Denard Robinson AT THE MOST) overshot tailback Larry Caper for what would have been the winning score. I know Cousins played masterfully up until the Play That Shall Not Be Named happened, but don't put him in that position.

There were 35 seconds left in regulation and State had the ball at ND's 18-yard line. I know we didn't have any more timeouts, but run the ball up the middle, let Brett Swenson nail a chip shot, and you head into OT.

MSU is two plays away from being 3-0. I'm not gonna play "coulda, shoulda, woulda" but this went from potentially being a special season, to now being a campaign that must be salvaged, starting with a win at Wisconsin Saturday. A 1-3 start with a game against Michigan on the horizon would send local media outlets and message boards into a tizzy (yea, I used that word).

But I don't see the start as State taking a step back. I picked MSU to finish 7-5 this season and said 2010 is the year we win the Big Ten. I thought the defense would be better, but I questioned the ability of the team to challenge for a New Year's Day bowl after losing 97 percent of its rushing attack and a senior QB who knew how to manage a game.

What I see is a fairly young team (at a number of key positions) working its way into a lather. Yea, I think State will finish middle of the pack in the conference, but the team is much more talented than in past years.

I don't see a collapse happening. In years past, a start like this would have meant a 4-8 finish and fans calling for the coach's head. Coach Mark Dantonio will rally the troops and State should be able to go 6-3 the rest of the way.

So, no, these aren't the Same Old Spartans.

At least I hope they're not.

My alma mater (MSU) plays one of its fiercest rivals - Notre Dame - Saturday in South Bend.

Like clockwork at this time of year, I'm reminded of some of the great plays State has made to beat the Irish in their place every time we've gone to Notre Dame Stadium since 1993.

Jason Teague streaking up the right sideline in overtime to seal a 44-41 victory in 2005.

Greg Taplin's 40-yard interception return for a score in State's 22-16 win in '03.

Charles Rogers' 47-yard 4th-quarter TD catch from Ryan Van Dyke to sew up a 17-10 triumph in 2001.

Rogers exploits on the football field in his time at MSU have been well documented.

The Saginaw High School grad broke a number of the school's receiving records and won the 2002 Biletnikoff award, given to the best receiver in college football.

Drafted 2nd overall by the Detroit Lions in the 2003 NFL Draft, Rogers had star written all over him, with his size and blazing speed. He caught 22 passes for 243 yards and three touchdowns in his first five games in Detroit before breaking his collarbone.

Rogers career, and personal life, haven't been the same since.

During the 2005 season, Rogers was suspended four games by the NFL for violating the league's substance abuse policy for a third time. The Lions filed a grievance against the wide out, seeking to recoup $10 of his $14.2 million signing bonus. Once the suspension was up, Rogers played in only nine games, starting three. He caught just 14 balls for a shade under 200 yards and one score.

Prior to the start of the 2006 season, Rogers was released by the Lions. He hasn't seen a football field of any kind since.

Rogers, has, however, seen his share of jail cells. He's been arrested for allegedly assaulting a woman (the charges were dropped). Earlier this year, he was jailed for violating his probation from an earlier charge. Today, he was arrested in Novi for driving under the influence of alcohol after being found by police unresponsive behind the wheel of his car.

Rogers needs help. But the days of him needing help so he can get back on the gridiron are over. Aside form his own, he has seven mouths to feed. Seven little ones to serve as a role model for. Chuck has to get right for his children and family. As a man, he must want to be around to see his kids grow up. That won't happen at the rate he's going.

I'm sure depression stemming from the way his professional career has turned out has played a major role in his battle with alcohol and drugs, but Rogers has to see the bigger picture. Football is nowhere to be found in the frame.

I realized something during the Basketball Hall of Fame inductions last Friday night - other than the fact that Michael Jordan had a Mike Tyson/Rickey Henderson moment during his entire speech.

The NBA, the league I have loved since I knew what it meant to dribble, needs to establish its own Hall of Fame.

The NFL has its own, in Canton, Ohio. The National Baseball Hall of Fame inducts only individuals who played professionally (There's a College Baseball Hall of Fame in Lubbock, TX). The College Basketball Hall of Fame inducted its first class in 2006.

So why on the night where the Greatest Player of All Time and one of the hardest working coaches of all time (Jerry Sloan), along with David Robinson and John Stockton, are being enshrined, do they have to share that moment with a women's basketball coach?

Nothing against C. Vivian Stringer, but she did not belong in that Hall Class.

I understand the impact she has had on the women's game. She's in the top 3 in all-time wins. She was inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame in 1993. She even has an award named after her - The C. Vivian Stringer Medallion Award of Sport for Women's Coaching, handed out for the first time in 2002. But I'm not sure if 20 percent of those in attendance at last Friday's ceremonies know who Stringer is. That number would probably smaller if not for Don Imus and the events of spring 2007, where the radio host used some colorful language to describe some of the players on Stringer's Rutgers squad.

I'm not trying to downplay Stringer's accomplishments, because there are some males who don't deserve to be in the Basketball Hall, either. There are 13 referees in the Hall, along with the likes of Mirko Novosel, who coached Yugoslavia to medals in the 1976 and 84 Summer Olympics.

Sure, those people should be recognized, but to have them share busts with the likes on Jerry West and Magic Johnson seems absurd. Honor them through TV coverage during the enshrinement ceremonies. Educate people on their impact and accomplishments, but having Bob Houbregs (University of Washington star and All-American in the 50s who played a whopping FIVE YEARS and 9.7 minutes/game in the NBA) enshrined with Wilt Chamberlain and Larry Bird is like giving Vin Diesel a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and putting it between Marlon Brando and Sidney Poitier.

Get this right, Commissioner Stern I don't wanna see LeBron James and Dwayne Wade inducted alongside John Tesh...even though he composed the best theme music for anything EVER (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V_h7Lm7C9Nk).

27-20, MSU, late in the fourth.

"If I were Butch Jones, I'd go for two if I scored here."

Those were the exact words that came out of my mouth before Central Michigan scored to make it 27-26 REALLY late in the fourth quarter of today's game between Central Michigan and Michigan State in East Lansing.

"I was thinking the exact same thing. Please don't let 'em get it," my boy Ro said.

CMU didn't cash in on the two-point conversion, but everything else went the way of the squad from Mount Pleasant.

I love my school, but losses like this one make life as a State fan difficult because it does nothing but give other local fanbases (you know who you are) ammunition.

I wouldn't have minded it if I knew Central was the better team. Hell, I wouldn't have minded it had they recovered that picture perfect onside kick and didn't move the ball. THAT would have been AWESOME.

Didn't happen.

I understand that CMU quarterback Dan LeFevour picked our secondary apart, particularly our supposed "shutdown" corner, C.L. Rucker, who got picked on like that fat kid in "Bad Santa" today, but why would MSU head coach Mark Dantonio call for such soft coverage to be played on Central's last drive?

Nine-yard completion after nine-yard completion helped CMU get in position to win the game; and that's what happened.

I don't wanna hear any of that"Same Old Spartans" jazz, because I odn't believe that's what this is. I honestly think the Spartans may have been looking ahead to next week's showdown at Notre Dame.

But that's no excuse for losing AT HOME to a MAC TEAM. Now Central's win will be featured in the "A Block" of SportsCenter tonight, probably remixed with highlights from Toledo and Appalachian State winning at Michigan the last two years. Sure, CMU has been picked by many to finish atop the MAC this fall, but that doesn't do anything to soften the blow.

State better regroup, or the season for this year's Big Ten Title darkhorse could quickly spiral out of control. Road games at the Irish and Wisconsin are on the horizon; and now starting 1-3 is a very strong possibility.

And if that happens, the Oct. 3 matchup against You Know Who could make or break State's season.

Now if you'll excuse, I've got a few expletives to hurl and a cell phone to shut off.

When Matt Millen served as president and general manager of the Detroit Lions, he was as good at that job as Joe Jackson would be at raising Michael's kids.

Lions' fans wanted him out. And after eight long, excruciatingly painful years, he was gone - three games into what would turn out to be the worst season turned in by anyone since the people who wrote the last season of "Martin."

Millen went back to what he was actually good at: analyzing the game of football. ESPN hired him, and Millen, starting this season, will provide color commentary for a number of college football games...including tomorrow's huge showdown between Michigan and Notre Dame in Ann Arbor at the Out Hou...I mean, Big House.

The announcement that Millen would be a part of the broadcast team for that game was made months ago and since then, I've heard several people bellow, "how could ESPN let that (expletive) back in this state?"

I don't see what the big deal is.

If you suck at one job, does that mean you shouldn't be able to find a position you could thrive in?

I have no problem with the guy being game fully employed. If you recall, Millen was pretty decent when it came to analyzing plays for FOX prior to taking the GM job with the Lions and stealing money for 5 years (I won't say he stole for the entire 8 years because somebody had to hire him). As long as he doesn't say anything about the pro prospects of Tate Forcier or Golden Tate, viewers should be OK.

Plus, it's not the color guy who makes the game-watching experience. It's the guy on play-by-play. I'm pretty sure not a lot of people remember Al Michaels' color guy during the "Miracle On Ice." And the only reason I remember Marv Albert's color guy (Mike Fratello) from the "Oh, a spectacular move....By Michael Jordan" call is because I'm a geek.

Millen should be an afterthought in these parts by now. He should also be an afterthought for UM fans halfway through the first quarter by tomorrow.

On Friday night in Springfield, Mass., the greatest athlete of my lifetime will be inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

In the last 25 years, Michael Jeffrey Jordan has done more for one sport (outside of Tiger Woods) than any other athlete.

He, along with Magic and Bird, made the NBA "mainstream." He showed that black males could be marketed effectively. He had a tireless work ethic. He was cold-blooded. He won. A lot.

My affection for Jordan began at an odd time. It was the spring of 1989. I was 8 years old and the Chicago Bulls had been pitted against the Bad Boy Detroit Pistons in one of the most physical playoff series on record. Each time Jordan would drive to the cup, somebody (Rodman, Salley, Laimbeer) would knock him to the crowd. My cousin, who I watched all the games with, would bust out laughing when Jordan would start wincing in pain (that pain is said to have spawned the "Jordan Rules" and paved the way for the "Superstar Call.").

"What's so funny about that," I'd ask.

"(Jordan) thinks he's the @#%$. He needs to be knocked on his @*&," she answered.

"Well, that's not what basketball is. And based on your, and the crowd at the stadium's reaction, he must be really, REALLY good. I don't think you'd be so excited if that was Will Perdue on the ground."

"Get outta here, boy," she ordered.

I was hooked after that.

I read up on Jordan. So much to the point that I am now a walking Michael Jordan encyclopedia.

I had my mom buy me an "I wanna be like Mike" T-shirt.

I had an aunt buy me a red, replica "Bulls 23" jersey for Christmas one year.

I drank Citrus Cooler Gatorade every day for a two-year period.

I cried like Adam Morrison the day, in October 1993, Jordan announced his first retirement.

I refuted any argument that the retirement was an 18-month suspension for gambling (I've since backed down on that stance).

I compiled a collection of at least 150 Jordan cards.

At one point, I had almost every Bulls game from 1996-98 on VHS. Had I been smart enough to keep those tapes, I would have worn the DVDs out by now.

I hated the comeback with the Wizards for one reason and one reason alone: not even Mark Twain could have written a better ending than the one in '98 in Utah.

All basketball fans, even those who despised Jordan, have more than a couple of memories of the 6'6" guard from North Carolina. So at some point this weekend, pay homage to the Greatest Of All Time. Buy "Come Fly With Me" off Amazon. com. Watch a couple of the hundred hours of programming NBATV is showing this week. Drink a Citrus Cooler Gatorade. Sing the song from that silly commercial.

"Sometimes I dream..."

Noon Sept. 5 vs. Montana St.
This is one of the few "gimmes" on MSU's schedule this season. All I wanna see in this game is if the team can keep the penalties down on both sides of the ball and if the offensive line can establish dominance early.
Win

Noon Sept. 12 vs. Central Michigan
This could be a trap game for the Spartans, as the team may be looking ahead to the next week's game: at No. 23 Notre Dame. If State isn't careful, darkhorse Heisman candidate, CMU QB Dan LeFevour, and an underrated group of receivers could carve the MSU defense up. Look for this one to be a shootout in the first half, with MSU taking over late in the 3rd and pulling out the win.
Win

3:30 p.m. Sept. 19 at (23) Notre Dame
Look for State to win, 63-10, with Charlie Weis being canned after the game and sent back to Tatooine. Well, that's what I want to happen, anyway. This one is tough, especially since MSU hasn't lost in South Bend since No Limit Records was hot. But I can't see that losing streak lasting too much longer for ND. Look for Irish QB Jimmy Clausen and WR Golden Tate to hook up for a couple scores, as ND eeks out a close one.
Loss

TBA Sept. 26 at Wisconsin
You know the face you make when you get your first whif of someone letting loose? That's the face people make at me when I tell them State's losing this game. I guess some people don't remember the Badgers had State dead to rights last fall, only to lose the game on a last-second field goal. Also, that game was in November AT MSU. This game is in early fall in Madison. Wiconsin running back John Clay will be the star of this game.
Loss

TBA Oct. 3 vs. Michigan
MSU hasn't won back-to-back games against its arch rival since the Kennedy administration. That stat will change come October. I'm hoping UM comes into this one undefeated (they're first four games are against Western Michigan, Notre Dame, Eastern Michigan and Indiana), so it looks better when State routs them.
Win

Noon Oct. 10 at Illinois
If this game was in East Lansing, I'd be more confident. But Illinois could have one of the 15 best offenses in the country this season. At this point in the season, I don't think State could keep up with Illinois in a shootout.
Loss

Noon Oct. 17 vs. Northwestern
MSU handled Northwestern in Evanston last fall. That was a team that won 9 games. This Northwestern team won't have its top three receivers from a year ago, or its top running back.
Win

7 p.m. Oct. 24 vs. (22) Iowa
How State lucked into getting Iowa two years in a row at home, I don't know. But I'll take it. Last season, the defense made big plays late to seal the win for MSU, and that could be the case this year, as well.
Win

8 p.m. Oct. 31 at Minnesota
Night game. New stadium. Juiced up crowd. Best wide receiver in the conference in Eric Decker.
Loss

TBA Nov. 7 vs. Western Michigan
Should be easy win for State. The weather should make it a little difficult for Western QB Tim Hiller to get going. Think last year's Florida Atlantic game.
Win

TBA Nov. 14 at Purdue
Purdue will be awful this season. That is all.
Win

TBA Nov. 21 vs. (9) Penn State
Everyone and their mother is predicting this game will be for the Big Ten championship. Maybe next year.
Loss

Final prediction: 7-5 (4-4 Big Ten), birth in Insight Bowl

I've been having heated debates with friends over the past month or so about the prospects for our alma mater, Michigan State, this football season.

Everyone seems to believe the team will be world beaters this season and finish with 9 or 10 wins (NOT including a bowl game). They have the right to believe the team will build off its success from last season, when it finished 9-3 and played in its first New Year's Day game since the 2000 then-Citrus Bowl.

They see the improved defense - led by preseason Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year Greg Jones - that features nine starters who are juniors or seniors.

They see our special teams, led by one of the best kickers in the nation, senior Brent Swenson.

They also see a schedule that, right now, features only three games against ranked opponents. All of which are about a month a part. And two of those (Oct. 24 vs. Iowa and Nov. 21 vs. Penn State) are home games. There are also games against teams (Wisconsin and Northwestern) that are set to take a step back from the success they had last season, and two games against in-state opponents that should be cakewalks.

I, however, sit on the other side of the fence.

I know I'm gonna get killed for this, but I think MSU this season will be a middle-of-the-road Big Ten team in 2009.

The offense lost 97 percent of its rushing yards when Javon Ringer left East Lansing last spring. What makes the loss even worse is that no other back on the roster showed anything that led coaches, or fans, to believe there was an heir to the starting halfback throne.

A look at the depth chart lists redshirt Freshman Caulton Ray as the starter and two true freshmen (highly-touted backs Edwin Baker and Larry Caper, respectively) as his back-ups. Now-senior A.J. Jimmerson and sophomore Andre Anderson were supposed to take the reins; but Jimmerson is listed only as a kick returner, while Anderson isn't even mentioned on the depth chart. Sure, the O-Line will open up some holes for the young guys, but how much of a groove can you get into as a back when you're in for three plays, then out for two or three series?

Although his numbers weren't spectacular, the loss of senior quarterback Brian Hoyer could be a big one, as well. I don't doubt the skill and talent of sophomore Kirk Cousins (listed as the starter on the depth chart) or transfer Keith Nichol. They'll have a packed house pulling for them in 7 of the team's 12 regular season contests, but what happens in a tight spot on the road? Will they fold under the pressure? The quarterback battle, according to coach Mark Dantonio, will continue throughout the season, as both signal-callers will get PT.

The QBs have several targets to hit; and, hopefully, the wideouts perform better than last year, when they recorded several drops in some key spots. I just don't see all that adding up to a huge year for MSU.

I think 2010 is the year MSU makes the jump and challenges for the Big Ten Title and what would be its first Rose Bowl berth in 23 years.

Yes, there will be more talent on the roster in 2009, but it's young talent, especially on the offensive side of the ball.

So 7-5 is the mark for MSU in 2009. But I wouldn't be upset if I end up being wrong.

Check back for game-by-game predictions for the Spartans.