OF COURSE it couldn’t be easy. Despite leading 27-10 at halftime, the Spartans came within a score of 2nd ranked Michigan before Heisman Trophy-Candidate Jabrill Peppers returned the 2-point conversion try for the insurmountable lead. Luckily, Mark Dantonio’s ego prevented his team from putting the pressure back on the Wolverines, who were all too familiar with a last second collapse.

Not sure exactly what has happened to East Lansing this season, but for us, it’s just nice not to get the shit beat out of us like so many of the last few years. It starts with defense and running the ball, two things Jim Harbaugh has certainly returned to Ann Arbor. It’s the type of football that is sustainable, unlike the pass-happy NFL.

Michigan State actually came out with the perfect drive, up 7-0 and eating up half the opening quarter. I think it was a championship response with Spartan Stadium on fire for Michigan to march down and tie it promptly. Several weird coaching calls, like State’s going for it and being stopped on multiple fourth downs instead of taking field goals that might have made the end a tie or turning it over unnecessarily to give Michigan a last second first-half field goal seemed quite costly.

Sometimes a little humbling can go a long way. When I arrived in Ann Arbor in 2006 THEY WERE SO COCKY, having never experienced much humiliation on the big stage. That all changed under Rich Rodriguez and even Brady Hoke at the end. It’s just nice to be in the conversation again.