Jim Harbaugh's old khakis will explode if he loses to Michigan State's Mel Tucker again | Opinion

EAST LANSING, Mich. − The sidewalks were empty.

Parking lots deserted. Leaves fell from trees and cartwheeled across the road. Michigan State’s campus looked like a ghost town on Monday morning, and I thought: Man, one disappointing football season and everybody packs up and leaves?

“Where did everybody go?” I asked the only person I could find.

“Fall break,” he replied.

Oh, that’s right. It’s fall, and we know one thing about this time of year: MSU coach Mel Tucker has owned Jim Harbaugh. Tucker has beaten Michigan football for two straight seasons — a fact that fills MSU fans with glee and enrages Michigan fans, right before they start listing off a series of controversial calls from the 2021 game.

Predictably, right on cue, Tucker was asked about his 2-0 record over Michigan at his Monday news conference. “It’s not part of my thinking,” Tucker said.

Hogwash.

I’m certain it has crossed his mind, just as I am certain it bugs Harbaugh, one of the most competitive people I’ve ever met.

"Our guys really want to win this,” Harbaugh said Monday at his news conference in Ann Arbor. “I'm not going to lie to you. I really want to win it."

So, yes, we have established both sides want to win.

I believe Michigan is going to beat MSU on Saturday, which is not exactly going out on a limb. The Spartans are having a down season, and the Wolverines are three-touchdown favorites.

But still, there is still a lot on the line.

Think about it from Harbaugh’s perspective. He has a special team that is positioned to compete for the national championship, if the Wolverines can get past Ohio State.

Give Harbaugh all kinds of credit for the season to this point.

But I think his old khakis would explode if he lost to Tucker for a third straight season.

On the other hand, you have Tucker, who seems to have done everything out of order. Last year’s success was ahead of schedule — yes, finding a future NFL running back in the transfer portal will do that.

And now, you have to wonder about the momentum that he built last year.

But a win would make the entire season for MSU.

In this series, you're born to run

The Wolverines come into this game with some gaudy stats:

U-M is ranked in the top 10 in both offense (42.7 points per game) and defense (12.1 points against). The only other teams to do that? Georgia and Ohio State, which is pretty good company.

Then again, the Wolverines didn’t exactly play a tough nonconference schedule.

"They have a good line and they are well coached,” Tucker said. “Their backs run hard and can make you miss and run you over."

So how could MSU beat Michigan?

Or even keep it close?

It would take a perfect game from MSU’s run defense.

New England coach Bill Belichick famously takes away a team’s strength.

And that’s the formula MSU has to follow.

The Spartans have to slow down Blake Corum, who ranks seventh in the country in rushing yards (901) and 20th in yards per carry (6.17). More specifically, MSU has to eliminate his explosive plays. Corum has 11 of Michigan's 39 explosive offensive plays of 20-plus yards.

Frankly, I would load up against the run and make quarterback J.J. McCarthy beat me with his arm.

That’s not to suggest it would work. But you gotta try to take something.

“He's a really good player,” Tucker said of McCarthy. “He's very confident, hyper-competitive, a good arm. He believes in his arm.”

Tucker has a simple message for his team: Michigan is not perfect.

No team is.

Tucker showed his team clips of opponents producing positive plays against Michigan’s offense, defense and special teams.

“It's about consistency and performance,” Tucker said. “I haven't seen anyone on tape this year who has not given up plays in all three phases. So this is not a game of perfect, it's a game of consistency.”

MSU fans will scream: You know what’s perfect? Tucker’s record against Harbaugh.

And Michigan fans will counter: Just wait until Saturday.

Don’t ya just love rivalry week?

Contact Jeff Seidel: jseidel@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @seideljeff.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Why this year's Michigan-Michigan State game is huge for both — again