By Michael J. Happy
CBS SportsLine Staff Writer
Sept. 26, 1998

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Broccoli, spinach and anchovies.

You want a taste of the Michigan Wolverines' 29-17 victory over the Michigan State Spartans on Saturday, then stuff your face with broccoli, spinach and anchovies.

Nearly four miserable

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hours of enough fumbles, interceptions, dropped kicks, missed field goals and penalties to leave a bad taste in everybody's mouth -- although it was extra bitter to swallow for the Spartans, who fell to 1-3.

"We've got a long ways to go," Spartans coach Nick Saban said after the Big Ten opener for both teams. "We did not execute today."

How bad was it? Well, one Spartans drive midway through the third quarter best describes the entire stinking afternoon at Michigan Stadium:

THE SPARTANS TOOK OVER the ball at their own 27 after a Wolverines punt with about six minutes left in the quarter.

Quarterback Bill Burke overthrew wide receiver Plaxico Burress on a deep pattern on first down, which isn't easy to do considering Burress is 6-foot-6.

Next came two consecutive 5-yard penalties for illegal motion against the Spartans, making it second-and-20 from the 17.

Burke found Burress over the middle for an 11-yard gain, then missed him on a similar play on third-and-9. But the Wolverines gave the Spartans a helping hand by clobbering Burke (17-of-33 for 158 yards, one TD and one interception) after the throw and receiving a 15-yard penalty for roughing the passer. So now the Spartans had it first-and-10 from their 43.

Got it so far?

Running back Sedric Irvin got the call to start the next series of downs but was stopped after gaining just one yard. The Wolverines stacked eight men up front and took Irvin out of the game for most of the second half. Irvin finished with 107 yards on 21 rushes, but had just 22 after halftime.

THE SPARTANS DIDN'T HAVE an

Michigan State receiver Plaxico Burress fumbles in a game that is filled with turnovers, penalties and other miscues Saturday before a record crowd in Ann Arbor. (AP)

illegal motion call for a few plays, so they obliged with their third of the drive, which made it second-and-14.

"We shot ourselves in the foot with a lot of penalties, particularly in the third quarter," Saban said. "We have to eliminate those types of mistakes."

The next six plays alternated; completion, sack, completion, sack with a 5-yard Spartans penalty for an illegal substitution in the mix.

Craig Jarrett finally punted the ball away after a 13-play, 13-yard drive, which took more than six minutes and caused the 111,238 fans in attendance -- another record-breaking crowd -- to feel like they needed to brush their teeth.

Yuck!

"We just did not make plays and execute to our potential," Irvin said. "They played well, but it's not that they played that much better. It's what we didn't do."

WHAT THE WOLVERINES WERE ABLE to do that the Spartans couldn't was make the big play. Michigan's offense sputtered almost as badly as Michigan State's, but the defending co-national champions got two touchdowns in dramatic fashion.

First, running back Anthony Thomas --13 runs for 106 yards and one touchdown -- found a hole off right tackle, fought off safety Sorie Kanu, then went untouched for about the next 60 yards and scored to tie the game at 10 late in the first quarter.

Said Michigan coach Lloyd Carr: "Those are the kind of plays we need to constantly have."

He got another from quarterback Tom Brady, who put the game out of reach early in the fourth quarter with a 48-yard strike down the center of the field to flanker Marcus Knight. The play gave Michigan the ball at the Michigan State 1, setting up Brady's 1-yard sneak on the next play for the game's final score.

"We mixed up our offense much better today," said Brady, 15-of-21 for 208 yards, one TD and one interception. "I learned a lot today."

As we all did.

WE LEARNED THAT MICHIGAN STATE ISN'T nearly as good as it appeared to be against Notre Dame. The Spartans' offensive line, which gave up six sacks Saturday, is awful, and their defense is susceptible to big plays.

We also learned that 2-2 Michigan isn't as bad as they looked in their losses to the Irish and Syracuse. The Wolverines' defense finally showed some sign of life vs. the Spartans -- even without preseason All-America safety Marcus Ray, who sat for a second consecutive game because of his alleged contact with an agent. Ray was put on indefinite suspension last Thursday and will learn his fate by the middle of next week.

"The defense is coming together every week," Michigan safety DeWayne Patmon said. "We are a lot better team than we were against Notre Dame and Syracuse."

But most important, we learned that neither the Wolverines nor the Spartans are good enough to win the Big Ten.

Five turnovers (three by Michigan and two by State), a combined 14 penalties for 124 yards and countless missed tackles won't cut it against Ohio State.

Just like broccoli, spinach and anchovies won't cut it for dinner.

Michael Happy is a sportswriter on CBS SportsLine's staff.