Spartans savor title chase

EAST LANSING, Mich. - Michigan State has struggled in the past to move on after playing Michigan, letting the usual loss or the rare win affect the rest of its season.

The Spartans are determined not to let that happen this year.

Coach Mark Dantonio hopes his team simply focuses on what's at stake.

"Our focus should be on doing what we can to win the Big Ten championship," Dantonio said. "(Former Ohio State coach) Earle Bruce used to say November is for contenders.

"With three games left, we're contending for an attainable goal."

First, No. 22 Michigan State (7-1, 4-1 Big Ten) has to beat Wisconsin (4-4, 1-4) on Saturday at home.

"It'll be interesting to see how we respond coming off a very emotional game," Dantonio said.

The Spartans won last week at Michigan Stadium for the first time since 1990, setting themselves up to play for a piece of the Big Ten title if they beat the Badgers and Purdue at home before closing the season at Penn State.

Michigan State earned the right to house the Paul Bunyan Trophy - a 4-foot-high prize that goes to the winner of the intrastate rivalry - but it didn't linger around the team for long.

"After our team meeting on Sunday night, they rolled it out of the room," quarterback Brian Hoyer said. "The big part of our preparation this week is getting over that win."

Wisconsin, meanwhile, is hoping to build some momentum after finally getting a victory.

The Badgers rallied last week to beat Illinois after losing four straight, a collapse at Michigan, a 3-point loss to Ohio State and two losses by a combined score of 86-23 to Iowa and Penn State.

"It's a lot easier watching film when you win," quarterback Dustin Sherer said. "The morale is a lot better. Everybody is ready to roll now. For us, it's a big deal because we are a good football team.

"We need something like that game to get our heads back into it."

Wisconsin's win did come at a cost, losing star tight end Travis Beckum to a season-ending knee injury. Beckum finishes third in Wisconsin's record books with 159 receptions and 2,149 yards receiving.

"It's a huge loss," Sherer said.

Tight end Garrett Graham has been dependable, leading the team with 23 catches and 330 yards receiving, and wide receiver David Gilreath showed his potential with a career-high 71 yards and two touchdowns against the Illini.

With Beckum out for the second time this season with an injury, both players will be counted on to become go-to receivers.

"He wasn't there the first two-and-a-half weeks, and we've tried to step it up then," Gilreath said. "Now, we have no choice but to step it up."

Sherer's third start will be a little easier if running back P.J. Hill is back at full strength after being slowed by an ankle injury.

"We want to put them in situations where the young quarterback has to beat us," Dantonio said.