Michigan-Michigan State: Bulletin Board Material No Stranger To Football Rivalry

It’s a rivalry that divides households, families, and even homerooms.

Michigan (5-0, 1-0) and Michigan State (5-0, 1-0) meet Saturday for the 103rd time before what may be an NCAA-record crowd at the Big House.

While Michigan has dominated the series over the years, many define the rivalry by the clever rhetoric instead of the actual play on the field.

Sure, Michigan-Michigan State has produced the type of quips that you can change the names and use them for any school.

But the following verbal shots have struck a nerve, much like Cassius Clay guaranteeing victory over Sonny Liston or Joe Namath predicting his Super Bowl win over Baltimore.

The first one came from Spartan head coach Daryl Rogers back in 1978. To Michigan fans, the rivalry had taken a back seat to Michigan-Ohio State. After all, Michigan was in the midst of a six-game streak over Michigan State, and it seemed like the Big Ten title was always at stake when the Wolverines and Buckeyes met. Add in the fact that Michigan was perceived to be the superior academic university and loved to flaunt it.

Well, in what was a shock to even the Spartan athletic family, Rogers had two words for the Ann Arbor faithful, and they weren’t Merry Christmas.

Speaking to a banquet just days before the Michigan game, Rogers promised his followers that the Spartans had a surprise for those “arrogant asses.” The Spartans went on to win the game 24-15, halting an eight-game losing streak to Michigan.

The comment, of course, created quite a stir. Other schools, especially Ohio State, added “arrogant” to their other childish descriptions of Michigan alumni and fans. The Michigan faithful could care less, as they simply remind Spartans, or Buckeyes, or Hawkeyes, that arrogance is bliss.

Several years later, tailback Michael Hart found the perfect moment to even the score. Just after the comeback victory over Michigan State in 2007, Hart voiced his take on the victory: “Sometimes you get your little brother excited when you’re playing basketball and stuff, let them take the lead, and then you just come back and take it back.”

Spartan folks were miffed, to say the least. Even new Spartan coach Mark Dantonio was upset by the “little brother” comment. After praising his team’s play despite the loss, he took a shot directly at Hart. “I'm very proud of the way our football team handled themselves after the game. You don't have to disrespect people. If they want to make a mockery of it, so be it,” he added, "Their time will come."

Michigan State has gone on the win the next two meetings, 35-21 in 2008 and 26-20 in overtime last season. Word has it Michigan State has put together quite a dynasty, if you can call a two-game winning streak a dynasty.

Michigan leads the overall series 67-30-5 and has captured seven of the last 10 meetings.

(Spartan coach Dantonio, who is recovering from a November 18 heart attack and subsequent blood clot in his leg, has been communicating with his assistants via text message. He may attend Tuesday's press conference.)