Fate did Charles Rogers wrong.

There was never a question of greatness with Charles Rogers. He did things people don't do, caught balls that shouldn't have been caught, jumped to places reserved for Dr. J and Dominique Wilkins.

But nature was never the one to betray him. His body did what he asked, things few minds could conceive.

Charles Rogers was supposed to win the Heisman Trophy this season, and if it were only a question of what he could do with his body, he would be alone behind a podium in Manhattan delivering an acceptance speech three weeks from now.

A single play late in Michigan State's failed comeback against Notre Dame would have ensured that. Rogers, in double coverage, chased down a ball that appeared ready to split the uprights, jumped, brought it in on the ends of his fingers, spun and dropped his left foot in bounds for a game-tying touchdown.

It was more ballet than football.

If such beauty belonged anywhere in this thuggish and hulking game, it was the old AFL with its pass-happy offenses that lived off the juice of the long ball. It belonged anywhere but the Big Ten, a conference more known for breaking noses than walking the high wire.

But the Big Ten is where Rogers played, and the Big Ten was where he was supposed to win. His Spartans were supposed to battle it out with Ohio State for the conference crown with a possible BCS berth off on the horizon. This is what was written and so it was supposed to be.

That's when fate stepped in and punched Rogers right in the face. To be sure, after the wreckage that is Michigan State's season has been cleared away, Rogers will get up and walk away just fine, but everything that was supposed to be will be lost and forgotten somewhere along the side of the road.

Still, right now after watching his quarterback fall apart and his coach get fired, with what could be his final game in a Spartans uniform at hand, Rogers sees only the frustration at what could have been.

"It's been a difficult season, with all the preseason hype and everybody expecting us to do well," Rogers said.

The Spartans stumbled coming out the gate, opening with a 3-3 record including a loss to lowly California in a year where the schedule was supposed to allow Michigan State to reach arch-rival Michigan with an 8-0 record intact. Collectively, the team was being called the biggest bust in a decade, but not Rogers. Even while his quarterback, Jeff Smoker, failed to live up to the preseason hype, Rogers lit up national highlights with big-time plays game in and game out.

That disparity between the man and the team is where the problems arose. After all, what good is it being great if you still have to sulk off the field a loser every week?

"At one point in the season, I think it was really bothering Chuck when we went in a downward spiral," Michigan State interim head coach Morris Watts said. "He's a very competitive young man. He's not only a great talent, but he plays every game to win."

Still the losing had to look like a walk in the park compared to what happened to the Spartans in early November.

First, it was announced Smoker was suspended indefinitely for a "violation of team rules," that later turned out to be the quarterback's struggle with substance abuse. Then senior captain Dawan Moss was dismissed from the team after being arrested on charges of dragging a police officer with his car. The implosion was complete when coach Bobby Williams was fired Nov. 4, less than 48 hours after he said he was unsure if he had lost control of the team.

The onslaught of news came as a shock to the receiver. He says he had no idea Smoker was having off-ield problems and was jarred by the revelation.

"I was hurt," Rogers said. "Anytime you build a relationship with a guy and he's your quarterback, you get hurt, but right now all we can do is support him and get him back to playing this game."

Even more painful was the loss of Williams, the one Rogers can't get back. While Rogers wasn't one of the Spartans to publicly voice their displeasure with Williams' dismissal, he was disappointed by the quick hook Michigan State's administration gave him. Rogers has spoken with his former coach, but says for the most part they only talk X's and O's.

The bigger question for Rogers is not how this season will finish out -- the Spartans are 1-1 since Morris took the helm -- but rather what the future holds.

Rogers still has a season of eligibility remaining, but it's doubtful he'll opt for another year in East Lansing over the NFL. While the 6-foot-4, 205-pound receiver won't comment on his future destination, he did drop an important hint when he said Williams was "100 percent" of the reason why he chose Michigan State. Statements like that don't bode well for whoever comes in to run the Spartans next season.

Rogers also has other things in his life besides football, like the daughter he doesn't like to discuss with the media, saying he prefers to keep his life away from football far out of the public eye.

Regardless of whether or not Rogers is back again to contend for the Heisman next season, he hasn't let this season's collapse temper his will to win. He still leads the Big Ten in receiving with 117 yards-per-game and is a leading candidate to win the Biletnikoff Award presented to the nation's best receiver. He's also come to the forefront as leader during the Spartans' last two contests, challenging his teammates with hopes of salvaging something from this season.

"I'm still right there, I'm still fighting, I'm still hungry even playing on a losing team," Rogers said. "I'm still out there fighting every Saturday."

Fate might have won this round with Charles Rogers, but that doesn't mean he has to like it. And don't count on bad fortune winning the next one either.