MICHIGAN STATE SPARTANS

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They are calling it the dream season on a Michigan State men's soccer team that, quite frankly, is experiencing a fantasy-like run.

"I feel like pinching myself, because we thought we had the pieces in place to do this, but we got off to such a slow start, so this was all a little unexpected," said Spartans goalie Avery Steinlage, a sophomore from Spring Lake High School.

AP File PhotoQuarterback Darryl Clark has a lot of options in Penn State's version of the spread offense.

EAST LANSING -- Penn State's supposedly high-tech Spread HD offense doesn't look much different to Michigan State's defensive players than any other spread attack.

And the Spartans even watched it on high-definition television as they prepared for Saturday's 3:30 p.m. game in State College against the No. 7 Nittany Lions, with at least a share of the Big Ten championship at stake.

"Someone brought it up the other day and I had no clue what they were talking about," sophomore middle linebacker Greg Jones said. "I did watch it on the HDTV we have in the locker room and could see it even more clearly.

AP PhotoPenn State coach Joe Paterno worked with former Michigan State coach George Perles to begin the year-end tradition.

EAST LANSING -- George Perles and Joe Paterno were visionaries. They just didn't think it would take 15 years to see the season finale between Michigan State and Penn State achieve the perennial importance of Michigan-Ohio State.

However, four coaching changes -- all by MSU -- and 14 generally inconsequential regular season finishes later, the Spartans and Nittany Lions are finally playing for a lot more than a bid from a second-tier bowl or self-respect.

A whole lot more.

AP PhotoMichigan State's Chris Allen gets a bucket after getting past IPFW's Zach Plackemeier in the Spartans' 70-59 win over the Mastodons on Wednesday.

FORT WAYNE, Ind. -- Michigan State went into its first of five games away from Breslin Center hoping to get a lesson in how to win on the road.

The fifth-ranked Spartans completed that task Wednesday night with what junior forward Raymar Morgan called a "disappointing" 70-59 victory against Indiana-Purdue-Fort Wayne in Memorial Coliseum.

They also got unexpected schooling in how to come from behind to win, and how to avoid the most stunning upset of the young college basketball season.

For years, Michigan State's football program was known as one that had a fragile mentality – one that could just as easily upset the top team in the conference as lose to the worst team in the conference.

In less than two years, head coach Mark Dantonio has helped stabilize the program, helping the Spartans stay even-keeled. During his weekly Big Ten teleconference, he says the players are responsible for the turnaround.

Paul L. Newby II | The Grand Rapids PressMichigan State's Brandon Long celebrates with teammate Deon Curry after the Spartans' win over Purdue, which set up a showdown with Penn State for a share of the Big Ten title.

EAST LANSING -- The last time Michigan State practiced for a conference championship game, running backs coach Dan Enos was the Spartans' quarterback and freshman wide receiver Keshawn Martin was four months from celebrating his first birthday.

Penn State did not join Big Ten for three more years, people wondered when 25-year Nittany Lions coach Joe Paterno would retire and George Perles was the MSU football coach and athletic director.

AP PhotoMichigan State's Tom Izzo agreed to play at IPFW partially as favor to Clarkston native and former Indiana guard Dane Fife.

EAST LANSING -- Indiana-Purdue Fort Wayne may be the Mastodons, but Michigan State is the Elephant Man of college basketball.

Coach Tom Izzo's Spartans are a true curiosity when it comes to putting themselves on display against anyone anywhere at anytime.

The slogan is meant to imply MSU will play Duke in Durham, Kentucky in Lexington, North Carolina in Chapel Hill, UCLA in Los Angeles and Kansas in Lawrence.

EAST LANSING -- In the fall, Michigan State football coach Mark Dantonio roots for Ohio State every week except when the Buckeyes are playing the Spartans.

And, who can blame him?

Dantonio grew up in Ohio, spent two of his early formative coaching years in Columbus as an OSU graduate assistant coach, was the Buckeyes' defensive coordinator from 2001-03 and helped them win a national championship and his former boss and good friend Jim Tressel is the Ohio State head coach.

EAST LANSING -- In his final season as Michigan State's head men's soccer coach, Joe Baum still has a chance to accomplish something he did twice as a Spartan player.

MSU is in the hunt to win a national championship, and one of the favorites at that.

EAST LANSING -- Pete Newell stood among the giants in basketball, although not because of his modest contribution to Michigan State tradition.

Nevertheless, Newell, who died Monday at the age of 93, was the head coach that ushered Michigan State College into Big Ten competition during the 1950-51 season.