12 The Michigan Daily - Friday, October 8, 1999 FRIDAYFocus Best o f t e brawl While the Michigan-Michigan State rivalry doesn't have the national notoriety of other rivalries, it sure gets its share of publicity in Michigan. And for good reason, as the two schools have provided many memories. * By T.J. Berka Daily Sports Editor The Michigan-Michigan State rivalry, while high on emotion and neighborly feuding, has been low on key national games in comparison to rivalries such as Michigan-Ohio State or Michigan-Notre Dame. But like any other intense rivalry, there have been moments that have defined the battles between the Wolverines and Spartans. Out of the 91 contests between the two schools, I tried to pick the 10 best Michigan-Michigan State games of all time. It was a tough task, but after much research, I finally trimmed it down from 91 w to 10. Without further ado - drumroll please - the top State games of all time. MICHIGAN 13, MICHIGAN STATE 7 SEPT. 25, 1948 10 Michigan-Michigan After winning the national champi- onship the season before, the Wolverines travel to East Lansing to play Michigan State College at Macklin Field, the Spartans' brand new facility. The Spartans had lost their three pre- vious games to Michigan by scores of 40-0, 55-7, and 55-0, so when Dick Rifenberg caught a touchdown pass from Tom Peterson four minutes into the game to make the score 6-0, it looked as if it could be another Michigan romp. But the Michigan State defense stiff- ened and the game turned into a defen- sive struggle. But in the beginning of the fourth quarter, Lynn Chandois hit Henry Minarik with a touchdown pass to put the Spartans up 7-6. It looked as if Michigan defensive back Wally Teninga got the interception, but the officials awarded the touchdown to State. Peterson eventually put the Wolverines on top to stay with a five- yard run later in the quarter, but this game put the rivalry in the state's con- sciousness to stay. Charles Woodson's Heisman cam- paign took off in game No. 4 in our list, as he made a phenomenal one-handed inter- ception while tip- toeing the Michigan State sideline. PILE PHOTO No. 8 MICHIGAN 16, No. 15 MICHIGAN STATE 6 SEPT. 11, 1975 /No. 2 MICHIGAN STATE 9, No. 5 MICHIGAN 0 *Ocr. 6, 1956 In a rare meeting in which both the Wolverines and Spartans were ranked, Michigan was carried by running backs Gordon Bell and Rob Lytle to the victory. On a chilly afternoon at Spartan Stadium, the Wolverines and Spartans played to a hard-hitting 6-6 draw through three quarters. Michigan's Bob Wood and Michigan State's Hans Nielsen each kick two field goals. But Bell - who ran for 11 1 yards on the day - put the Wolverines ahead with a 19-yard run in the fourth quarter. Wood hit a 25-yard field goal to close the scoring and send State to its sixth straight loss to the Wolverines. Michigan ran for 258 yards - IlI for Bell and 105 for Lytle -to wear out the Spartans. During a monsoon at Michigan Stadium, the Spartans sloshed by the Wolverines in the only contest in which both Michigan and Michigan State were ranked in the top five. The record crow d of 101, 001 -unde- terred by the terrible weather - watched the Wolverines and Spartans battle for field position. Michigan State finally won the battle, as John Matsko kicked a 20- yard field goal halfway through the third quarter to open the scoring. The teams continued to struggle on offense until the Spartans recovered a Michigan fumble. Backup running back Dennis Mendyk put the nail in the cof- fin in the fourth quarter, running for a four-yard touchdown run. This game started an eight-game unbeaten streak for the Spartans over Michigan. No. 7 MICHIGAN 17 No. 9 MICHIGAN STATE 10 Oct. 10, 1964 Ists hard to believe that any game could top the 1990 debacle. But as far as situations go, this game did. The Wolverines came into the game having not beaten the Spartans since 1955. Only a 12-12 tie in 1957 was Michigan State's only blemish during that time. It seemed as if 1964 was going to be the same old thing in this series. The Spartans had a 10-3 lead heading into the fourth quarter and if linebacker Tom Cecchini hadn't forced two Michigan State fumbles deep in Michigan territory, the deficit would have been much worse. *BBut Michigan still had life going into the final quarter at Michigan Stadium. And halfback Rick Sygar was sure to make the Spartans pay for it. With seven minutes remaining in the game, Sygar caught a touchdown pass from quarterback John Timberlake to bring the Wolverines within one point } at 10-9. sfThe Wolverines missed the tying extra point though, and it looked as if the spell that State had upon Michigan was bound to continue. But the Wolverines got the ball back and drove it down to the Michigan State 31 with less than three minutes to go. On the next play. Sygar took a hand- off from Timberlake and circled to the right. After running toward the right hash- mark, Sygar set his feet and threw>a pass. The pass landed in the hands of flanker John Henderson, who raced into the end zone to put the Wolverines up, 15-10, with 2:33 left in the game. The ensuing two-point conversion bumped the score to 17-10. FILE PHOTO Sygar and the Wolverines had bro- Bill Henderson's 31-yard touchdown reception on a halfback option from Rick Sygar culminated a Michigan comeback ken the jinx. The eight-game winless from a 10-3 deficit and provided us the top Michigan-Michigan State game of all time. streak was over. MICHIGAN STATE 17, No. 12 MICHIGAN 11 Oc. 10,'1987 The Spartans intercepted Michigan quarterback Demetrius Brown seven times and got 185 yards rushing from Lorenzo White to upset the Wolverines. White scored two touchdowns in the first half to help spur Michigan State to a 14-3 lead. Brown kept throwing the ball to Michigan State safety John Miller - who had four interceptions on the day - to quell Michigan momen- tum. ' Brown finally did get the Wolverines back in the game in the fourth quarter, throwing a touchdown pass to Jamie Morris and the subsequent two-point conversion to John Kolesar to bring the Wolverines within three. After John Langeloh put State up 17- 11. Brown looked as if he was going to lead Michigan to a improbable win. But he severely underthrew a pass to Greg McMurtry at the Michigan State 10 and safety Harlon Barnett intercepted it to kill the Michigan threat. The Spartans eventually won the Rose Bowl in 1987: No. 5 MICIGAN 10, No. 21 MICHIGAN STATE 0 Oct. 14, 1989 This game was a tale of two halves, as Michigan dominated the first half but was forced to hold on for dear life in the second half. The Wolverines, led by Tony Boles and Leroy Hoard, ran for 129 yards against the Spartans in the first half. A Hoard touchdown -- coupled with a J.D. Carlson field goal - gave Michigan a 10-0 lead at halftime. Michigan State quickly scores in the second half to make the score 10-7. After that, the Wolverines survive a State onslaught. The Spartans penetrated the Michigan 20 three other times in the second half but came up empty. Langeloh missed a 35-yard field goal and had a 37-yard. field goal blocked. And finally, with 10 minutes to go, Michigan safety Tripp Welborne stuffed Blake Ezor on a fourth-and-one play in the fourth quarter to kill the Spartans for good. 5 MICHIGAN STATE 28, No.7 MICHIGAN 25 Nov. 4, 1995 In Nick Saban's first year as Michigan State head coach, the Spartans needed a big victory to start to reemerge as a Big-Ten contender. On a frigid evening in East Lansing, Saban got it. The Spartans took a 14-3 lead into halftime, and defensive tackle William Carr ran three yards for a touchdown in the third quarter to cut the lead to 14-11 after three quarters. And that's when all hell broke loose. Tshimanga Biakabutuka scored on an I1-yard run to give Michigan its first lead. Greene answered with a one-yard run to put the Spartans back on top. Michigan took back the lead when No.1 MICHIGAN 27 Wolverines back down the field. With four seconds to go in the game, Grbac hit Derrick Alexander with a six-yard touchdown pass to bring Michigan with- in one point. But instead of going for the extra point and the tie, coach Gary Moeller went for the two-point conversion and the win. Brian Griese hit Mercury Hayes for a 25-yard touchdown pass. On the next drive, Tony Banks drove the Spartans downfield. On the drive, Charles Woodson missed an easy inter- ception, which turned into a 22-yard reception by Derrick Mason. Mason also caught an 1-yard pass on fourth-and-11. The officials gave Mason a first down, although replays seemed to indi- cate that he was short. In arguing the call, Michigan drew a 15-yard unsports- manlike conduct penalty. The Spartans,' spurred by that luck, got the victory when Banks threw a 24-yard scoring pass to Nigea Carter with 1:24 left. No. 5 MICHIGAN 23, No.15 MICHIGAN STATE 7 Ocr. 25, 1997 This game made the top four for one reason - Charles Woodson. The cornerback intercepted Michigan State quarterback Todd Schultz twice, including a remarkable one-hand side- line pick at the Spartan 20 which still makes highlight shows to this day. That play, and his interception in front of Octavis Long, MICHIGAN 28, No.12 MICHIGAN STATE 14 Ocr. 12, 1968 The Spartans had come into the game with a streak of dom- ination against the Wolverines, going 10-1-1 in the last 12 meetings against Michigan. Michigan State, as was the norm against the Wolverines, dominated the time-of-possession battle. On the afternoon, the Spartans ran 90 plays to Michigan's 55. But the Wolverines held a 13-6 lead for the first two-and-a- 2 MICHIGAN STATE 28 OcT. 13,1990 The Wolverines, with a fresh No. 1 ranking, participated in one of the more controversial games in this series. The last play of this game at Michigan Stadium is still debated to this day.. Michigan had a chance to break a 14- 14 tie before halftime, but kicker J.D. Carlson missed a 30-yard field goal4 a miss that would prove to be fatal later.