It was a chilly late afternoon Saturday in East Lansing. As I maundered around the field of Spartan Stadium, I couldn’t help but take a moment to appreciate the magnitude of what was going on around me.

After experiencing firsthand some of the more legendary game day environments of the Big Ten, I expected something less from Michigan State — certainly a tier or two below Michigan’s Big House, Ohio State’s Horseshoe or Wisconsin’s own Camp Randall.

After all, what can you really expect from the Wolverine State’s second fiddle?

But I guess, in the grand scheme of things, stereotypes are meant to be shattered. As Wisconsin drove Michigan State back to their goal line with the clock winding down, the stadium erupted in roars of support. What’s this? They’re becoming louder?

First down and just a yard to go. I couched down, aiming my camera at tailback Anthony Davis, expecting a routine gash to open up in the Spartan line. Stuffed. Quarterback John Stocco takes the snap and tries to take it in on the keeper. Stuffed again. The crowd begins to foam at the mouth.

Half deafened by the thunderous cries of “Go green, go white” echoing around me, I vainly searched down field for the discarded treasure chest where the Spartans suddenly acquired these Defense +5 herbs.

A bark breaks through the roar of the crowd. I turn around and come face to face with Zeke the Wonder Dog, Spartan Stadium’s resident Labrador-pointer mix. Before that moment I knew something significant was transpiring on that field, but what I could not tell.

They say animals know when ill weather approaches, and looking into the telling eyes of this Frisbee-catching canine prognosticator, I realized for the first time the stage was set for some grand Deus Ex Machina — a series of events destined to rock the foundation of our gridiron nation.

Needless to say, neither Zeke nor myself was astonished with what occurred next. Stocco drifted a pass incomplete to tight end Tony Paciotti and, once again, Anthony Davis failed to take it home to even the score before the mid-game break. Four and out from the one-yard line — I should be astonished right? But my tale endeth not here.

At halftime I walked through the concourse under the grandstand for a moment to compose a few thoughts. Suddenly a woman, a local freelance photographer, approaches me. She asks me if I got any good shots. “A few,” I respond apathetically, far more interested in just enjoying a few precious minutes of warmth before heading back out on to that wind-swept field.

She tells me she shoots highway accident scenes to sell to Michigan rags. “Fascinating,” I thought. “A wreck photographer — somewhat macabre — but an interesting experience, no doubt, given the opportunity.”

Little did I realize, in a matter of minutes I would get just that opportunity.

From the opening kickoff to the moment Spartan safety Jason Harmon rushed up the ladder to lead the euphoric Michigan State student section in triumphant chorus, the Wisconsin Badgers found themselves utterly, meticulously and methodically dominated.

Rather than hurl the battered, bruised, gashed and lacerated emotional bodies of the reader into that metaphorical pile of salt left by the Spartans on the Badgers’ back lawn, I’ll assume folks in Badgerland know the grizzly details of this sordid affair.

Although the Spartans and the riotous crowd in attendance deserve a great deal of credit for the stunning upset, the once-mighty Badger defense will surely need a brief-yet-productive period of soul searching before moving on to challenge the Iowa Hawkeyes Nov. 20.

Granted, Iowa sports a less fearsome rushing attack than the Spartans, but the way the Wisconsin run defense filled holes in the line Saturday, Michigan State head coach John L. Smith himself could have put up triple figures on the ground. Hell, I’ll go as far to say Joe Paterno might have busted a run or two.

But that’s beside the point. Saturday regretfully came, and now has mercifully left. As the eyes of the nation shift from Iowa City to Columbus next Saturday, Wisconsin’s season is far from concluded. With a little bit of luck and a heaping spoonful of refocused energy the Badgers can still capture a Rose Bowl bid or, at least, trip to Orlando to play in the Capital One Bowl. One scenario depends on forces outside the realm of Badger control, the other, still a respectable end to a fine campaign, remains within grasp.

For many people it may seem as though the fairy tale has ended. Much like a child discovering the non-existence of Santa Claus by stumbling upon a stash of Christmas gifts hidden in their parents’ closet, the situation arrives as somewhat of a shock. Well, it’s time to face up to reality. Wisconsin is a well-coached, hard-working squad that, prior to Saturday, performed well above its ability.

So close that closet door, Badger fans. Who knows, maybe when this is all said and done, they’ll still be something under the tree after all.