The numbers don’t lie when it comes to MSU’s tradition in the second half of the season because win-loss records never fib.

In the final six games of MSU’s regular season, the point at which this year’s team rests, the Spartans have gone 16-32 since 2000. Prior to that point in the season, MSU has compiled a 29-17 record in the same time period.

History doesn’t appear to be on the Spartans’ side heading into the heart of the Big Ten season, which is where bowl appearances are won and the mentally tough survive.

While history often repeats itself, it can also be rewritten. If there has been a team to white out the record books and put their own pen on paper, it might well be this MSU squad.

And as is the case with any great team — be it in high school, the Big Ten or the NFL — it will start with defense.

During the Spartans’ second-half swoon that has become as regular as the foliage color change, the defense has been the main culprit.

In less than half of MSU’s second-half games since 2000, the Spartans have allowed more than 20 points in more than two-thirds of their games.

This season, MSU’s defense has employed a ‘bend, don’t break, and take the ball away’ strategy in winning five games. With 13 forced turnovers and six giveaways, MSU ranks in the top 20 nationally in turnover margin, a statistic that is typically an indicator of not only defensive efficiency, but wins and losses. Among the top 30 teams in the nation in turnover margin, only five have a losing record.

While this approach might be novel against the Florida Atlantics and Eastern Michigans of the college football world, it will inevitably come down to the Spartans’ defenders to make strong stands to force punts in clutch situations.

That means stuffing Ohio State’s running back Chris “Beanie” Wells at the line of scrimmage on third-and-short or sacking Penn State’s quarterback Darryl Clark to create second-and-long situations.

Not since former head coach Nick Saban patrolled the sidelines have such defensive demands seemed so within reach. With senior safety Otis Wiley flying around the field like he’s wearing a cape, sophomore linebacker Greg Jones destroying defenders at the line and junior defensive end Trevor Anderson coming into his own, there is a bevy of playmakers anchoring the defense.

Senior running back Javon Ringer and senior quarterback Brian Hoyer will get the most attention for their performance down the stretch because everybody loves talking about fireworks. This year, though, the Spartans’ success will end up in the hands of those who set up the show.

It’s no coincidence that every recent Big Ten champion — Ohio State, Penn State, Iowa and Michigan — has boasted a defense as strong as the Hoover Dam.

If the Spartans want to put their school name into the ring of conference champions (or at least be considered for admission), it will come down to making the stops to get Ringer and the offense back on the field.

So when the temperatures drop, the cider flows and fall officially starts, will the Spartans start to fall?

In their defense, it starts with the defense.