Notes: MSU, Nebraska sparking rivalry; Dantonio talks concussion protocol

Michigan State has only faced Nebraska in three Big Ten games, but the matchup has already started to spark a rivalry.

Saturday's game marks the ninth meeting overall between the Spartans and Huskers, with the latter holding a 7-1 series advantage. The most recent meetings have come in the last three seasons -- after Nebraska joined the Big Ten Conference in 2011 -- and each one has been more critical than the next.

In the Huskers' inaugural Big Ten season, the Spartans fell 24-3 in Lincoln. In 2012, Nebraska narrowly defeated MSU in East Lansing (28-24) en route to the Huskers' first Big Ten Championship appearance.

Last season, the Spartans clinched a share of the Big Ten Legends Division title by recording their first-ever win over Nebraska, 41-28, at Memorial Stadium.

But MSU coach Mark Dantonio isn't concerned with the past. He's only looking ahead to Saturday's meeting -- and it's going to be an important one.

"Two competitive football teams, two teams that don't want to lose, don't like to lose -- nobody does -- but play with a lot of effort, play with a lot toughness, play with a lot of desire," Dantonio said. "And you see that on the field. Up tempo, but you see, you can feel the adrenaline, you can feel the emotion from both football teams whenever you go, you can feel the emotion. And that's exciting and that's what makes college football so great, so unique. "

Nebraska (5-0, 1-0) is the only undefeated team remaining in the Big Ten, and kicked off conference play with a 45-14 victory over Illinois last Saturday. The Spartans (3-1, 0-0), on the other hand, are kicking off their conference season with one of the toughest opponents they will face this year.

"It's a big football game for us, period," Dantonio said. "I think it's not so much Nebraska, it's winning our first Big Ten game, it's going to 4-1 as much as anything. We have great challenges down the road, we have a great program, so I'm going to see how we play. But it's going to be very exciting when you drive it home."

After breezing to victories over Eastern Michigan and Wyoming the last two weekends, Nebraska will give MSU's defense its biggest test since a Week 2 loss to Oregon.

Led by senior running back Ameer Abdullah and sophomore quarterback Tommy Armstrong Jr., Nebraska currently leads the Big Ten in rushing offense (354.8 yards per game) and total offense (572.6 yards per game). The Huskers also rank second in the Big Ten and seventh in the FBS in scoring offense (45.4 points per game).

Abdullah, who has already rushed for more than 200 yards in three games this season, currently leads the Big Ten in all-purpose yards (212 yards per game) and ranks second in rushing (166.6 yards per game).

Armstrong, who started eight games for the Huskers in 2013 as a redshirt freshman, was 9 of 21 for 143 yards against the Spartans last season. He also had two touchdowns, one interception and one fumble in the loss, but will bring much more experience and confidence to East Lansing this Saturday.

"This year he's more experienced," Dantonio said. "That's his only loss that he's had on him since he's been a starting quarterback was last year. And I'm sure he wants some of those plays back."

CONCUSSION PROTOCOL

In light of the recent concussion controversy at the University of Michigan, Dantonio was asked about MSU's protocol at his weekly press conference Tuesday.

Dantonio said MSU relies on its medical staff, and has a neurologist on the sidelines during games. He also went into great detail about the program's entire concussion procedure.

"We establish the baseline for every player, when they walk in the door," Dantonio explained. "That baseline test is given to a young man who has got a possible concussion. And it's called an impact test.

"And then when they're cleared and they pass their baseline test, there's no headaches, there's no problems, then that's when they're brought back into the fold. But they're again brought back in limited, gradually."

In a situation where a player is diagnosed with a concussion on a Sunday, Dantonio said there would be immediate communication between the coaching and medical staff.

"The information comes to me immediately, directly, and they tell me that he's got an issue and that we got to keep him out," Dantonio said. "Then we work to try and bring him back gradually. They work through our weight room on treadmills or such or lifting lightly, and then progress to working out heavily and then running heavily."