There’s no preparing for the rivalry that’ll take place in Spartan Stadium Saturday: Michigan vs. Michigan State. Harlon Barnett said you don’t know this game, until you play in it. Harlan Barnett though, he certainly knows it as both a player and a coach. He said that he’s been fired up ever since 1985. He had an easy answer when asked what was the most defining moment of the rivalry for him.
“Minus 48 yards rushing,” said Barnett, simply.
Barnett was referring to the 2013 game, where both teams were back-to-back in the AP Top 25 standings. Michigan State won 29-6 & held Michigan to minus-48 yards rushing, the worst output in Michigan's history. He said not much has changed in this rivalry and called it the best in football.
“When the crowd starts hollering and the lights get hot, that’s when I want to know if you can do it or not,” said Barnett, recalling a saying his dad used to tell him when he was a little kid. “When it’s crunch time, when the game is on the line, can you perform and do what you are supposed to do? Do your job, don’t do anything extra. Doing your job is making a big play.”
The Spartans haven’t won a game in the Big Ten, none since week two before Mel Tucker was suspended and eventually fired. Barnett knows the adversity, the record, and the season they have had means nothing to Michigan.
“To be honest about it, they don’t care that we lost the last four games, they’re going to come after us no matter what, and we would do the same thing.”
Barnett admitted Saturday’s loss to Rutgers was an absolute gut punch and that this year hasn’t been easy on him as a coach. But he said this rivalry… and all that is at stake can help a team refocus… no one needs that more than Michigan State.
