1999 UM vs. MSU: "Plax and Robaire"

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Recap

Box Score

Quotes

MSU head coach Nick Saban

“I feel fabulous, not just for me personally, but for our players. That is as happy as I’ve ever seen them. I know how much this game means to our fans and I’m happy for them.”

QB Bill Burke

“I think we’ve just come to a point where we’ve expected to win close games and we’ve expected to compete with the best teams in the country. “

WR Plaxico Burress

“I was telling the coach to just put the ball in my range and I’m going to go there and get it. I’m out there to make plays. It’s the biggest game of this program and I’m so glad to come out with a double. I was feeling like nobody out here was going to stop me today. That’s the attitude I need to have coming into every game.”

UM head coach Lloyd Carr

“They are an outstanding football team. I think that the game was won up front, and Michigan State controlled that aspect of the game all game long on both sides of the ball.”

MSU manager Pat Green

“Isaac, this team is sweet but Saban is always yelling at me. It’s annoying.”

Personal Story

This was probably the biggest football game that I can recall at MSU. Both teams were undefeated and highly ranked coming in. Many thought UM had the best team in the nation.

There was a pretty big argument on campus that week about kids selling tickets. Several students were selling it for $200/300 a pop.

I personally knew of a kid who lived in Wonders Hall who sold it for $300 and the local news did a story on him. They blocked out his face because apparently, the cops had a sting operation looking for scalpers.

After the game, many people thought this was the year State could win the National Championship. They had a legit offense with two big weapons in Plax and Duckett and an aggressive defense led by Robaire Smith.

They would later lose to Purdue and Wisconsin in humiliating losses but saved for the best for last as they beat Florida in the Citrus Bowl. A 10-2 season and one of the best in MSU history.

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