Hoosier players: This is a must win

It's time for the IU football team to ditch the old cliches: This is not just another game. \n"It's fair to say (this is a must-win game). Every game that we have is a must-win game," junior cornerback Tracy Porter said. "Put in the predicament we're in now, this is a must-win game for us." \nThe situation IU finds itself in is simple. There are four games left on the schedule, and the Hoosiers must win two to achieve their goal of playing in a bowl game for the first time since the 1993 Independence Bowl. \nThis week's game against Michigan State (4-4, 1-3 Big Ten) is a must-win game not just because it is the next one on the schedule. It's also important because it is one of only two home games left, players said. Not to mention it's homecoming.\n"This is a marquee win right here," freshman buck Josh Bailey said. "If we get this win then we'll go from here, but yeah, this win would definitely contribute to us going to a bowl." \nThe only other time the Hoosiers will have a chance to defend their home field this season will be against No. 2 Michigan in two weeks. \nIU has not been this close to bowl eligibility this late in the season since 1994. Under then-head coach Bill Mallory, the Hoosiers started 5-1 before losing four Big Ten games in a row. Needing one more game to get their sixth, IU went to Purdue and won 33-29. \nComing off their worst game of the season -- a 44-3 loss at Ohio State last weekend -- the players see a lot of similarities between where they were after the Illinois game and where Michigan State is right now. \nMichigan State is fresh off a comeback victory against Northwestern last week -- a victory similar to IU's come-from-behind 34-32 win against Illinois on a last-second field goal by sophomore kicker Austin Starr. One week later, IU rode the momentum to an upset of then-No. 15 Iowa at home. \n"You can look at what we did -- we had a big comeback win at Illinois. That kind of helped us, fueled us for the Iowa game," senior offensive lineman Justin Frye said. "(The Spartans are) probably feeling pretty good, which they should. They're going to be fired up coming in, expecting to win, and we're going to do the same thing."\nPlayers and coaches know Saturday's game at Memorial Stadium will have a lot on the line. But nobody should forget the battle for the Old Brass Spittoon, which has been awarded to the winner between Michigan State and IU since 1950.\nIt's not the Oaken Bucket, but winning the Spittoon this week would get IU one step closer to the goal it set before the season started. \n"In terms of setting goals, a bowl game is important to this team. As a coach, you try to use it as motivation," IU coach Terry Hoeppner said during his press conference Tuesday. "If we play like we are capable of playing ... it's attainable"