Trevor Anderson News

EAST LANSING -- For the first time in the history of Michigan State's most valuable player award, the football team chose a player who didn't contribute on offense or defense.

Michigan State's Greg Jones went wire-to-wire as the Big Ten's top defensive player.

Penn State needs road win today against Michigan State to remain in contention. Penn State had just defeated Indiana.

EAST LANSING -- Six was an important figure for Michigan State's football team at the beginning of the month, as it represented the number of wins needed to become bowl eligible and likely play in a third consecutive postseason game for the first time since 1995-97. Now with No.

Senior wide receiver Blair White, who joined the Spartans as a walk-on, says although the team won't reach its goal of playing in the Rose Bowl, it still has a shot at a "nice bowl" with a win Saturday against Penn State.

The MSU football team's defense hasn't been the same this season when waking up on game days in a place other than the Kellogg Center.

One big defensive play at the beginning of the game, one major one at the end and about 90 in between was the formula that equaled victory for Michigan State.

Michigan helping Michigan State? Apparently. U-M defensive end Brandon Graham gave MSU defensive end Trevor Anderson - his former teammate at Detroit Crockett High - some up-close insights this week on Purdue's blocking tendencies.

Purdue will look the same to Michigan State, only different, when the football teams collide Saturday in West Lafayette, Ind.

EAST LANSING -- A week after their worst defensive performance of the season, giving up 505 yards to Minnesota, the Spartans delivered one of their best of 2009.

For a day, things were just fine at Michigan State. The sun was out, the air was warm, the stadium was mostly full and the football team was mostly good.

A season that began with lofty expectations for Michigan State might at least be salvaged with a bowl game appearance.

Michigan State starting running back Larry Caper could be healthy enough to play Saturday against Western Michigan.

EAST LANSING -- All of the goodwill Michigan State earned during its three-game winning streak in October vanished after Saturday's loss in Minnesota.

Michigan State coach Mark Dantonio took a bunker mentality to his press conference Tuesday.

The weather forecast early in the week for Saturday night in Minneapolis looked ominous.

Asked this week to assess Minnesota's offense minus star receiver Eric Decker - who is lost for the season with a foot injury - MSU defensive end Trevor Anderson said: "Still good.

Michigan State kicker Brett Swenson would break a Spartans record Saturday if he kicks one field goal against Iowa.

Brett Swenson is on the verge of becoming the most productive kicker in Michigan State history.

After an eerie final two seconds, a 15-13 loss to Big Ten-leading Iowa served as a painful reminder of Michigan State's narrow margin of error.