MICHIGAN SPORTS

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STATE COLLEGE, Pa. -- Michigan State began this football season on the West Coast end of Interstate 80 at the University of California-Berkeley, and will end the regular season some 2,700 miles to the east of it at Penn State.

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. -- George Perles and Joe Paterno discussed and pushed openly for this, because Perles couldn't stomach Michigan's smug superiority in pointing to Ohio State as a bigger rival than his Michigan State team, and because Paterno's years on the national stage left him unwilling to cede the last weekend every year to a bigger game after Penn State finally crashed the Big Ten Conference.

Both, for similar reasons, envisioned Michigan State and Penn State quickly building a more austere season-ending rivalry than Michigan-Ohio State, yet with similar championship bearing.

AP PhotoBrian Hoyer filled in for an injured Drew Stanton as a sophomore at Penn State in 2006.

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. -- Michigan State quarterback Brian Hoyer shouldn't be undone by the dizzying atmosphere he'll encounter once again in Penn State's Beaver Stadium.

He made his first career start there, and his second, and his third.

Well, that's how it seemed when he threw a school-record 61 passes against the Nittany Lions in the 2006 season finale.

AP File PhotoJeff Garcia was 37-of-45 for 316 yards against Detroit last season in a losing effort.

ALLEN PARK - If the Detroit Lions are going to beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday, Lions coach Rod Marinelli knows he has to turn the game into a track meet, as in Jeff Garcia running and a lot of Lions chasing him.

Garcia, the Bucs' veteran quarterback, lost two fumbles in last year's game between the two teams and was a big reason why the Lions won, 23-16. In that game, though, Garcia completed 37 passes in 45 attempts for 316 yards and, at one point, completed 18 straight passes.

"You've got to rush him extremely hard, because one thing you can't do is start getting too soft with him, because then he'll sit and pick you apart,'' Marinelli said. "Somebody's got to shoot his gun at him, if you miss you've got to overlap your rush lines, save your speed, and stay alive. You've just got to chase him all over the field.''

AP PhotoDetroit's Rodney Stuckey, right, had zero points and five turnovers against Boston on Thursday.

AUBURN HILLS -- When the season began, expectations were high for Rodney Stuckey.

He played great in the playoffs last year and followed that with a strong summer in Las Vegas on Detroit's summer league squad and later as part of a select group of players that helped prepare Team USA for the Olympics.

But with great expectations comes the great burden of living up to them.

AP PhotoDetroit's Tomas Kopecky tips a shot into the net against Edmonton on Thursday.

CALGARY, Alberta -- Tomas Kopecky intends to take a break from playing jokes on his buddy, Marian Hossa, and trying to get under his skin like he normally does.

He can't risk disrupting his new linemate's concentration.

"Now I have to keep him as relaxed as possible, make sure he's ready for the game,'' Kopecky said.

He has known Hossa since they were school kids in Slovakia. He spoke to him regularly when Hossa was pondering where to sign last summer. Hossa stayed at Kopecky's house for a few weeks before training camp.

NEW YORK -- One pass and a bit of patience made all the difference.

Less than 24 hours after the University of Michigan tamed UCLA with an effective 1-3-1 zone defense, Duke picked the scheme apart, leading to critical open 3-point looks and quick hits into the post for lay-ups.

AP PhotoMichigan's Manny Harris (3) drives past Duke's Brian Zoubek (55) and teammate Jon Scheyer, left, during the first half on Friday.

NEW YORK -- For the second straight night, shooting struggles placed the University of Michigan men's basketball team in an undesirable predicament.

Yet, the Wolverines' recent history had proven that with a few timely shots, a deficit could be wiped out, allowing their heart to give them a chance.

AP PhotoTomas Holmstrom congratulates goalie Ty Conklin after beating the Edmonton Oilers 4-0. Holmstrom did not practice Friday and will not play Saturday against the Flames, coach Mike Babcock said.

Update from Friday's practice in Calgary: Tomas Holmstrom did not practice, still bothered by back spasms, and coach Mike Babcock said he will not play Saturday against the Flames. Tomas Kopecky takes his place on the top line. Defenseman Niklas Kronwall practiced and said his twisted right ankle feels much better. He will return to the lineup.

Babcock said the team is not calling up anyone from Grand Rapids. Defenseman Derek Meech will move up to forward, where he played a few games last season. Babcock said Ty Conklin will start in Calgary and Chris Osgood will start Monday in Vancouver.

COLUMBUS, Ohio - The unranked University of Michigan football team will be without quarterback Steven Threet and right tackle Steve Schilling for Saturday's matchup with No. 10 Ohio State, Michigan coach Rich Rodriguez said Friday.

Threet will miss the game because of a shoulder injury he suffered last week. Schilling sprained a knee in practice Tuesday, and will be replaced in the starting lineup by redshirt sophomore Perry Dorrestein.

When the Ohio State-Michigan football game arrived each year, Greg Mathews would find himself in front of the TV.

Or rather, his mother made certain he was watching.

Mathews' mom, Lesia, was raised in Columbus, Ohio, and did her best to steep him in Ohio State tradition.

As Mathews admitted Monday, however, he didn't pay much attention to the rivalry until Michigan's Tim Biakabutuka caught his eye in 1995.

After suffering through the Michigan series during the John Cooper era, Ohio State has firmly established itself as the dominant program under Cooper's successor, Jim Tressel.

Now that there has been a change of coaches at Michigan - from Lloyd Carr to Rich Rodriguez - perhaps the rivalry will regain its balance. Some day.

For now, No. 10-ranked Ohio State (9-2, 6-1 Big Ten) will roll into its Ohio Stadium date with the slumping Wolverines (3-8, 2-5) with nearly every advantage.

Greg Mathews admitted being to partial to sports video games.

And when the University of Michigan wide receiver plays "EA Sports NCAA Football" editions, he said he's partial to teams from Florida, the state in which he grew up. After all, the Orlando native strongly considered Florida State as a high school recruit.

And the Wolverines teammate he likes to make mad when he beats him? Read on to see who is that video game foe:

Lions head coach Rod Marinelli indicated today that it's highly unlikely that center Dominic Raiola (thumb) and receiver Mike Furrey (concussion) will play Sunday against the Bucs but he's hopeful they'll both be ready for the Titans game on Thanksgiving. Defensive end Dewayne White (calf) is not expected to play on Sunday and appears doubtful for the Tennessee game.

There've been a couple of minor skirmishes between some members of the media and Detroit Lions head coach Rod Marinelli. It has some MLive readers wondering what the media has to gain by Marinelli lashing out and demoralizing his team.

But Marinelli doesn't mind the aggressive questioning, says MLive Lions Insider Tom "Killer" Kowalski. Instead, he uses it to his advantage.