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It's A 'Do-Or-Die Game' For Spartans

It's A 'Do-Or-Die Game' For Spartans image
Parent Issue
Day
14
Month
October
Year
1969
Copyright
Copyright Protected
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Donated by the Ann Arbor News. © The Ann Arbor News.
OCR Text

IT’S A ‘DO-OR-DIE GAME’ FOR SPARTANS

EAST LANSING(AP)—The traditional football game with Michigan, a rivalry dating back to 1898, always is the most important one of the year for Michigan State—and this fall even more so.

The Spartans can all but forget any last Rose Bowl hopes if they lose two in a row in the Big Ten.

“Conference teams have lost two games in the Big Ten and still gone to the bowl—but not very often,” commented MSU Coach Duffy Daugherty.

Daugherty was more inclined to look forward than back to the back-to-back losses to Notre Dame 42-28 and Ohio State 54-21.

“I’m glad we are playing this one at home,” he commented after the two road trip losses. “I just like East Lansing.”

“The home team does have an advantage,” he explained. “After all you can use more men since you can only carry 44 on road trips. It is especially helpful when you want to use some of your specialists, such as your kickers.”

Daugherty had more bad news to face in addition to the Michigan 31-20 beating of Purdue.

Senior end Gordon Bowdell of Allen Park suffered a ruptured spleen from the hard hitting of the game against the Buckeyes. Bowdell already has been operated on and will be sidelined for quite a while.

Bowdell was one of the top MSU receivers, grabbing nine passes for 164 yards. Frank Foreman, who took two Bill Triplett throws in for touchdowns against Ohio State, also has caught nine and has 230 yards on receptions.

Others on the injured list include defensive end Will Martin, whose bruised foot was stomped on again; offensive end Jim Nicholson, still is a doubtful starter because of his foot injury; left end Tommy Love, hobbled by a persistent knee hurt, and scatback Eric Allen, slowed by a sore ankle.

This helped to explain why both Love and Allen netted less than five yards each against Ohio State.

Daugherty said Michigan is sure to be “a big favorite” for Saturday’s game at Spartan Stadium.

“This is a very fine Michigan team,” Daugherty praised. “I said they would be an excellent team before the season started just on the basis of their 8-2 won and lost record last year. And I think they have improved from last year.”

Wolverine quarterback Don Moorhead can either throw or run, Daugherty said.

“If you try to stop their running game they pass,” Daugherty said. “If you spread out to stop their passing they run. They have a lot of good running backs and as fine a defensive secondary as any team in the conference.”

Daugherty added he agrees with Michigan coach Bo Schembechler that you have to throw the record book away in a tradition-filled battle such as this one.

He declared he still thinks the Spartans can prove they are a good team if they can overcome their mistakes and aren’t forced to play catchup football.

“A lot of favorites get knocked off,” Daugherty said hopefully. “Nothing would pick up our squad so much as a win Saturday. It would be a big lift for them. And for me, the students, the alumni and the faculty,” he continued.

Daugherty declared he hasn’t lost confidence in the ability of quarterback Triplett to get the job done. But he added he wouldn’t hesitate to use either of his two callers, Steve Piro or Dan Werner.

PHOTO CAPTION: Triple Option: One of Michigan’s main problems Saturday will be trying to solve Michigan State’s triple option offense here being used with success against Washington. Quarterback Bill Triplett (holding ball in top photo) fakes a handoff to Kermit Smith (41) and gives instead to Don Highsmith (40, middle photo). As Highsmith hits into the line behind Smith, Triplett fades back as if to pass. Triplett has the option of keeping the ball and running or passing.