One of college football’s biggest stories this year has been Michigan State quarterback Jeff Smoker’s ability to overcome last season’s substance abuse problem. But now that Smoker has demonstrated that he is reliable, Michigan State might have to depend on him too much.

With back-to-back losses to Michigan and Ohio State, the Spartans dropped to 4-2 in the Big Ten. In each of the defeats, Michigan State was unable to provide an effective rushing attack, as the Spartans totaled 36 rushing yards against Michigan and only 5 yards against Ohio State. Smoker set school records in passes attempted against the Buckeyes, completing 35 of 55.

Smoker leads the Big Ten in total offense with an average of 262.2 yards per game, but the Spartans’ rushing offense ranks last. Consequently, the Spartans may have little choice but to ask Smoker to carry the offense for the remainder of the season.

“This is his calling, he better step up to the plate,” Michigan State coach John L. Smith said. “He’s going to have to bear the brunt of this deal. We’re going to rely on him a lot more.”

HOGGING IT: Just like every other program, Minnesota plays for pride, prestige and a better win-loss record. But during certain weeks, Minnesota plays for something extra, something that no other school can claim: yet another trophy.

With this Saturday’s game against Iowa, the Golden Gophers will battle for the rights to “Floyd of Rosedale,” a bronze statue of a pig that has been traded between the two schools since 1935. It marks the fourth time in six weeks that Minnesota will play for a different piece of commemorative hardware, as earlier this season the Gophers lost The Little Brown Jug to Michigan but won the Governor’s Victory Bell from Penn State and Paul Bunyan’s Axe from Wisconsin.

“We play for more trophies that anybody in the country,” Minnesota coach Glen Mason said. “Some are more meaningful that others. I know that our guys take the axe very seriously and they take the pig very seriously.”

The Gophers’ emotional investment in Paul Bunyan’s Axe could hardly have been more evident in last week’s contest against Wisconsin. After defeating the Badgers with a last-second field goal, kicker Rhys Lloyd led a surge of teammates to the Wisconsin sideline, snatched the axe and paraded it around the Metrodome before the crowd.

Despite the Gophers’ pride in possessing the axe, Mason says something is missing without Floyd the pig in Minnesota’s trophy case for the last two seasons.

“I used to say good morning to Floyd every morning and he hasn’t been around for awhile,” Mason said. “I do miss him.”

P.E.? REALLY? Suspended Ohio State running back Maurice Clarett is flunking two classes — African American studies and physical education — according to two letters obtained by the Columbus Dispatch. Should Clarett fail the classes, it would make it substantially more difficult for him to rejoin the Buckeyes next year.

A letter written by Ohio State athletic director Andy Geiger stated that Clarett had been forbidden to return to class by his African American studies professor after he missed at least five sessions and slept during others.

In another letter, a university attorney informed Clarett that he was flunking his physical education class. The attorney warned Clarett that it would be “very difficult” for him to finish with an acceptable GPA if he remained in the course.

Percy Squire, an attorney for Clarett, told the Columbus Dispatch Friday — the last day for withdrawing from classes — that Clarett had decided not to withdraw from either class and that he plans to enroll in winter-quarter classes as well.

In his letter, Geiger stated that Clarett must obtain at least a D in five credits this term if he is to make “satisfactory academic progress.”

Clarett has not been reached for comment and his mother, Michelle Clarett of Youngstown, declined to comment to the Columbus Dispatch.

Clarett was suspended by Ohio State after an investigation determined he had violated NCAA rules regarding benefits for athletes and lying to investigators. In July Clarett admitted to inflating the value of items that were stolen from a car he had borrowed from a local car dealership.