The Little Brother Scale after Week 8

The Little Brother Scale is a trolling topic. I won’t argue that.

The term hits a nerve with both Michigan and Michigan State.

It bothers the Spartans for its meaning that their program is the little brother to Michigan.

It bothers the Wolverines for its meaning over recent years since Mike Hart uttered those words.

When I started the topic prior to the season, I expected both teams to have a strong year and keep the debate lively.

Michigan State hasn’t been able to live up to expectations.

Saturday’s game was hard fought and perhaps would have went the other way if it was played in East Lansing. But, in the end, Michigan snapped the streak and beat the Spartans, 12-10.

It is hard to hand the balance of power in the rivalry to the other team after just one win, especially a 2-point victory, but when you break it down, Michigan State has taken a step backwards this season no matter what it does the rest of the year.

Michigan has all its goals in place for this season. The Wolverines can win the Big Ten title this year and still beat Ohio State in the process. That would certainly send a message that it has regained control of the state and even the Big Ten as a whole.

The Wolverines are now leading my scale. They will lead the scale for the rest of the season as long as they don’t completely tank down the stretch.

What interests me now that Michigan is back on top is where this rivalry will go from here.

Mark Dantonio said he will be glad to see Denard Robinson go, but is that really true? Michigan State has been able to contain Robinson as well as anyone. Will a new Michigan quarterback with a new offensive scheme really make it easier for the Spartans?

Michigan will be a new team next season without Robinson and it yet to be known if the Spartans will be able to bounce back in Maxwell’s senior year, but MSU will lose key pieces on defense.

I expect Michigan to continue to be strong under Brady Hoke for his recruiting and solid coaching staff. Michigan State may not have the resources and depth to stay in the mix in the Big Ten year after year.

Only time will tell.

For now, Michigan can enjoy just being back in the driver’s seat.

LITTLE BROTHER SCALE: Michigan 16½, MSU 15½ 

What ND/EMU are saying about Michigan/MSU

As I do each Thursday, I thought I would see what the opponents for MSU and Michigan are saying about Saturday’s games.

Notre Dame

Earlier this week, the focus for Notre Dame was on moving past Michigan State.

Brian Hamilton, of The Chicago Tribune, has a piece about Brian Kelly quickly having his team forget about last week’s win and thinking about Saturday’s game with the Wolverines

"As soon as we got in the locker room, (Kelly) brought us down to earth," tailback Cierre Wood said. "He said celebrate, but also know this isn't anything. We haven't reached our peak yet. We haven't done anything."

As of Sunday, Notre Dame (3-0) has a sparkly No. 11 ranking, its best since late 2006. It has a bitter rival visiting for another night-game spectacle. And it has the memory of what happened under similar circumstances last year, as it is possible facial bones never set properly after the Irish fell on them.

The article also talks about the injury issues for the Irish as safety Jamoris Slaughter is now out for the year with a torn Achilles’ tendon. Three of the four starters in the Irish secondary are now in their first year of solid game action.

Eastern Michigan

It has already been a long season for Ron English and Eastern Michigan, as the Eagles are off to a 0-3 start.

It probably won’t get much better on Saturday when the Eagles head to East Lansing to face a Michigan State team eager to get the taste of last week’s game out of its mouth.

Joe Rexrode, of The Detroit Free Press, spoke with English about facing MSU and English didn’t see much weakness in the team.

"They look pretty good to me. That's an excellent football team," English said. "I know they dropped a few spots in the polls after that loss, but I think by the end of the year you'll see Michigan State back in the top 10."

The Eagles (0-3) don't appear to have much of a shot at their first win over MSU in nine tries Saturday. They are coming off a 54-16 loss at Purdue, and English's focus is on improvement this week before an off week and full immersion in Mid-American Conference play.

EMU ranks 120th out of 120 FBS teams in rush defense (312.3 a game) and 116th in total defense (514.3). English said his team has been "feast or famine" against the run -- solid for several plays before yielding a big one.

Another interesting note about this game is that EMU running backs coach is Mike Hart, the very same Mike Hart that made the “Little Brother” comments that have sparked the MSU run over Michigan for the last four seasons.

Hart is not taking interview requests this week.

Little Brother Scale After Week 1

Week 1 of the season provided a lot of opportunity for debate.

It also opened the door from some Michigan State players to throw in their two cents on Denard Robinson.

MSU coach Mark Dantonio quickly addressed the situation and was clearly disappointed with his players.

If anyone knows the anger that some thoughtless comments can make, it’s Dantonio.

He has seemingly carried Mike Hart’s “Little Brother” comment and built the MSU program around it.

What the MSU players did was simply stoop to the same level that Dantonio detested in the first place.

It’s understandable that Spartan players are a little cocky when it comes to Michigan, but they need to take more pride in just beating the Wolverines. Don’t wake a sleeping giant.

That’s not to say that Michigan can just turn things around over a few insults, but it doesn’t help the Spartans in any way.

Regardless of what Dantonio or Brady Hoke say, the roles of the fan bases have shifted over this four year period and the players have to be aware of that.

Michigan State fans went from being the victim to the antagonist and the Wolverines have went from the antagonist to the victim.

Spartan fans are relishing this new role all while forgetting how much they despised Michigan for doing the same thing. Michigan fans hate the idea that MSU fans can rub it in their face only because they can’t effectively do the same right now.

When it comes to this week’s Little Brother Scale, MSU widens the gap a little bit.

Regardless of what your opinion is of Boise State, Friday was still a good win for the Spartans.

Had Michigan simply competed in Saturday’s loss to Alabama, it would have sent a positive message for the future of the Wolverines.

However, Denard Robinson continues to show that he can’t be an effective passer and the Michigan offense has a clear and exploitable offense when facing a top-level defense.

Unfortunately for the Wolverines, the Spartans appear to have that type of defense.

Even worse for Michigan, the Spartans know it.

LITTLE BROTHER SCALE: MSU 17.5, Michigan 14.5

The Little Brother Scale

"Sometimes, you get your little brother excited when you're playing basketball – let them get the lead…..And then you come back."

Who knew that quote from Mike Hart on Nov. 3, 2007 could be so impactful.

Was it necessary to say? No.

Was it the truth at the time? Yes.

At that time, the perception in the state to those not entrenched in the rivalry was that MSU was inferior to Michigan, or the “little brother” to the Wolverines.

But since that quote, the tables have started to turn.

Michigan State has won four straight over the Wolverines, three of which have been by 14 points or more.

Head Coach Mark Dantonio has almost adopted an inferiority complex in his absolute dislike for Michigan and Hart’s quote. That passion has carried the Spartans to a new level and control in the state’s biggest rivalry.

Has Hart’s quote ultimately become some sort of curse for the Wolverines? Probably not. But, it sure did wake a sleeping giant in East Lansing.

As the 2012 season is set to begin, I thought it would be fun to take the “little brother” quote and use it as a measuring stick each week following the games of both teams.

While MSU has a long way to go to catch Michigan in the overall history of both programs (i.e. winning national championships and regular BCS bowl appearances), there is little doubt that State has the superior product on the field right now compared to Michigan.

The Wolverines may be winning the recruiting battle, but I don’t factor that in. Wins and losses are what matter the most. If the recruiting pans out and develops as it should, it will show on the field.

Right now, the Spartans are in the head of the Wolverines. Michigan fans, players, and coaches can deny it all they want, but they are.

That MSU defense looms large over the abilities of Denard Robinson. A potential fifth straight loss to MSU, in the Big House no less, has the Wolverine world anxious about the Oct. 20 meeting.

Right now, MSU is the talented junior in high school that is seeking a championship to validate his talents. Michigan is the freshman with a lot of potential, but not been good enough to beat his older brother.

THE LITTLE BROTHER SCALE: MSU 17, Michigan 15