Ann Arbor angst creeps into Michigan State fan base

Nicole Auerbach | USA TODAY Sports

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Michigan hadn't even put its finishing touches on its 38-0 thrashing of Northwestern last weekend, and Michigan State fans were already assuming the worst.

The worst is that their beloved Spartans lose to the Wolverines this Saturday. And this fear could very well be realized; No. 14 Michigan has both confidence and momentum from pitching three consecutive shutouts, and is favored at home against a fourth-ranked Michigan State team that struggled to put away two Big Ten bottom-dwellers the past two weeks.

The angst emanating from East Lansing spread throughout the state this week. Spartan fans are sick and tired of hearing about Jim Harbaugh, and his khakis. They're sick and tired of thinking about all their team's injuries. They're sick and tired of hearing that the rise of Michigan must mean the demise of Michigan State.

Fully prepared for Michigan to embarrass the underwhelming Spartans next week. Yikes. — Nathan Armaly (@NathanA01) October 10, 2015

Let's forget that Michigan State has won six of seven against its in-state rival, or that the Spartans have emerged as one of the nation's best teams in recent years. Ignore the three consecutive bowl wins against TCU, Stanford and Baylor. It sure seems like everyone is.

Even Spartan fans themselves.

For better or worse, and no matter what it achieves on a national scale, Michigan State still and will always compare itself to Michigan. The players do — their commemorative rings from last season include the score of their win against the Wolverines — and so do the fans. Part of it is proximity, but the larger part is that Michigan State has played second fiddle to Michigan for much of its football life. Though fortunes have switched in recent years, as Michigan bumbled through its Rich Rodriguez and Brady Hoke eras, there remained a sense of anxiety in East Lansing. Surely, Michigan would rise again.

This needs to be said and preached in the locker room: A loss next weekend will undo years of progress. Thoughts @Graham_Couch @joerexrode? — Grant (@honestlyboxey) October 10, 2015

And it has, even if it's just six games into Harbaugh's first year. All offseason, there were photos and tweets of Harbaugh; anything he did grabbed headlines. Talk radio chattered on and on about the big two coaches in the Big Ten — meaning Harbaugh and Urban Meyer, with Mark Dantonio a presumed afterthought.

Then, everything began coming up maize and blue once the season started. Michigan's season-opening loss to Utah looks better and better each week as the undefeated Utes continue rising in the polls. Michigan State's signature early-season win against Oregon looks worse and worse as the Ducks dropped consecutive home games to Utah and Washington State.

Now, Michigan and Michigan State are set to meet for just the 18th time in the series with both teams ranked. So much is at stake — not just for two Big Ten contenders, but to set a tone for the future.

Or, it's just one game and all of this is completely overblown. ... But try telling that to a nervous Spartan.

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