led ▁to ▁East ▁L ans ing ▁to ▁face ▁the ▁Spart ans . ▁Michigan ▁State ▁took ▁advantage ▁of ▁the ▁match - up ▁to ▁celebr ate ▁the ▁ 1 5 th ▁anni versary ▁of ▁their ▁ 2 0 0 0 ▁National ▁Championship ▁which ▁they ▁had ▁won ▁against ▁Florida . ▁The ▁Spart ans ▁encountered ▁st iff ▁competition ▁from ▁Florida , ▁but ▁pre va iled ▁again , ▁winning ▁ 5 8 – 5 2 , ▁their ▁lowest ▁scoring ▁output ▁of ▁the ▁season . ▁Valent ine ▁again ▁led ▁the ▁way ▁for ▁the ▁Spart ans , ▁total ing ▁ 1 7 ▁points . ▁The ▁school ▁also ▁celebrated ▁the ▁Big ▁Ten ▁champion ▁football ▁team ▁at ▁half ▁time . ▁They ▁followed ▁the ▁victory ▁with ▁a ▁rout ▁of ▁N ort he astern ▁a ▁week ▁later . ▁The ▁win ▁made ▁the ▁Spart ans ▁ 1 2 – 0 , ▁matching ▁the ▁best ▁start ▁in ▁school ▁history . ▁ ▁On ▁December ▁ 2 0 , ▁Den zel ▁Valent ine ▁suffered ▁a ▁kne e ▁injury ▁in ▁practice . ▁The ▁injury ▁required ▁surg ery ▁to ▁repair ▁torn ▁cart il age ▁the ▁next ▁day ▁and ▁Valent ine ▁was ▁expected ▁to ▁miss ▁two ▁to ▁three ▁weeks ▁of ▁games , ▁likely ▁missing ▁games ▁against ▁Oak land , ▁Iowa , ▁Minnesota , ▁Illinois , ▁and , ▁perhaps , ▁P enn ▁State . ▁Though ▁character ized ▁as ▁minor , ▁the ▁injury ▁was ▁expected ▁to ▁have ▁a ▁great ▁effect ▁on ▁the ▁Spart ans ▁as ▁Valent ine ▁led ▁the ▁team ▁in ▁scoring , ▁reb ounds , ▁and ▁ass ists . ▁Er on ▁Harris