Mel Tucker names favorite Spartan Stadium memory, at Michigan's expense

This fall, Michigan State University will celebrate 100 years of football at Spartan Stadium, which opened in 1923.

The Spartans have won nearly 70 percent of their game played at home in the century since, compiling a record of 383-166-13 (.693) in the 562 games played on the banks of the Red Cedar River.

Last week, at Big Ten Media Days, MSU football coach Mel Tucker was asked his favorite memory of Spartan Stadium. The fourth-year head man didn't need to take any time for consideration before providing an answer.

“My favorite moment was two years ago when I saw Ken Walker score five touchdowns against the school down the road in front of me," Tucker said, instantly.

Tucker, of course, is referring to the Spartans' 37-33 win over rival Michigan on Oct. 30, 2021 in a matchup between undefeated, Top 10 opponents. It was the first time since 1964 that both program's were inside the Associated Press' Top 10 rankings, and the first time since 2010 that each rival entered the contest with a record of 5-0 or better.

As can be expected, the rivalry game drew a national audience.

“That was a madhouse," Tucker said. "Fox Big Noon was there, ESPN Gameday was there, Barstool was there."

Kenneth Walker III was easily the game's most outstanding player, as he rushed for 197 yards along with those five touchdowns on 23 carries, willing Michigan State to victory in an all-time classic.

“We were down 16 at half, and by the time the game was over people were falling out of the rafters," Tucker said. "I mean, that’s the Woodshed. That’s what I remember, and that’s what makes it great. We have great fans and it’s high expectations. It can get hostile in there, and that’s what we want it [to be].”

There are some, like 97.1 The Ticket's radio talk show host Mike Valenti, who expects Spartan Stadium and the surrounding area to be even more hostile this year when Michigan State hosts Michigan on the Oct. 21. That game will begin at 7:30 p.m. — the first ever night kickoff between the rivals played at Spartan Stadium.

The disdain between the Spartans and Wolverines has only grown over the last nine months, due to last season's incident in the tunnel at Michigan Stadium. The 2023 contest will be the first meeting between the two rivals since that unfortunate occurrence, and emotions will be running high in East Lansing.

At media days, Tucker said he didn't know if "reining in" the intensity of the in-state rivalry was possible.

"I don’t know how you do that," he said. "There’s not a day that’s gone by that I haven’t heard something about that game. I mean, every day of my life I hear about that game. So, I don’t know how you rein that in. It just is what it is."

Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh called for "mutual respect" between the two programs at Big Ten Media Days.

“We have that for Michigan State, mutual respect,” Harbaugh said. “And it is great competition.”

Asked whether or not he believes the Spartans reciprocated mutual respect to the Wolverines, Harbaugh replied: "That's unknowable for me to know that." Harbaugh said he and Tucker have not spoken since the tunnel incident last October.

While Tucker called the events which occurred in the tunnel last year "unacceptable" at the time, and issued immediate suspensions to eight MSU players involved, the incident will not impact the Spartans' approach to the rivalry game.

“From the day I got here, in my initial press conference, I’m not shying away from the challenge of the rivalry," Tucker said. "It’s the biggest game of the year for us. And it’s always going to be like that as long as I’m the coach here.”

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