from USAToday: about those ol' Spartans

"QUOTE TO NOTE: 'We're not as good as what people thought we are. That team down there [referring to Michigan] still has five recruiting classes that were in the Top 10 throughout the country for the last five years. We're getting better and better, but if we don't execute to the best of our ability we're not a very good football team.' — Michigan State head coach John L. Smith on his assessment of his team during the bye week.

STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL
THIS WEEK'S GAME: at Ohio State, Oct. 15 — There may have been time for a breather in the bye week, but there can be no let-up in intensity as the Spartans face one of the tallest tasks in the country in trying to win at Columbus.

PLAYERS TO WATCH:
QB Drew Stanton — He took the loss to Michigan hard and had an extra week to think about it before playing Ohio State. If Stanton can come through with an outstanding performance vs. the Buckeyes, he should be a serious Heisman Trophy candidate for the rest of the season.

WR Kyle Brown — Caught four passes for 53 yards against Michigan. Brown knows how to get open and is dangerous when he catches the ball in stride. He has caught 21 passes for 315 yards and two TDs.

RB Jason Teague — Freshman stud Javon Ringer has 404 yards and averages 7.9 yards per carry, but Teague can still get the job done. He had 72 yards and looked solid vs. Michigan.

DT Domata Peko — His 74-yard return of a fumble in the fourth quarter for a touchdown allowed the Spartans to tie the game and send it to overtime. Peko plays with fire and is very stout in the middle of the defensive line. He has 26 tackles, one TFL and one sack."

ROSTER REPORT: LB David Herron Jr. is still getting dizzy after coming out of the Sept. 24 game at Illinois, while fellow Kaleb Thornhill has "chronic knees." They should be ready for Ohio State. ... DL David Stanton and RB Javon Ringer are expected to recover fully from slight shoulder injuries. ... CB Irving Campbell and WR Aaron Alexander, who have spent considerable time on the bench with injuries, also are expected to re-join the team shortly.