Forget the red and green. Bring on the green and white. The reason for the season festivities should be the MSU football team, because fans have a lot to be thankful for after this year's run.
After a surprisingly successful season that started with a bang, the Spartans beat Pennsylvania State University on Saturday, to finish the season with its best record since 1999.
The Spartans beat the Nittany Lions 41-10 in what was quarterback Jeff Smoker's final game in Spartan Stadium.
The team, fans and coaches deserve a pat on the back for all of their efforts this year. Four months ago, no one could have predicted the success the football team would bring about this season.
Smoker should be high up on the list of individuals to be credited for this season's achievements.
With his technical skills and unfailing determination, Smoker became one of the most dominant strengths on the field while remaining a team player. Saturday's game was a great display of Smoker's abilities - his four touchdowns tied a single-game record for touchdown passes in one game.
For the team, it has to feel good to wipe the slate of last season's 61-7 loss to Penn State during Smoker's absence. For Smoker, it was his team's first win over his home-state Nittany Lions since he began his football career at MSU.
Not only was Saturday's showdown a record game for Smoker, it also was the last he would ever play in Spartan Stadium. Hopefully, Smoker left home turf satisfied with this season's performance and his strong turnaround after last year's difficulties.
It probably was not easy overcoming a drug problem in the national spotlight while trying to lead his team to victory.
But Smoker pulled himself together and put out a lot of hard work. He even managed to walk away at the end of the season with a big win.
Another person who deserves recognition for this year's success is Spartan head coach John L. Smith. There weren't many expectations for the team at the beginning of the season, but Smith refused to settle for below-par standards with his "team-first" mentality.
After the drug use and criminal charges during last year's season, the team and school needed to restore faith in its program. Smith saved the reputations of the university and its athletics program by turning the team around.
There is no reason for any Spartan to be disappointed with the outcome of this year's season. The team came farther than anyone had expected - tying for fourth place in the Big Ten.
Fans with bowl dreams still will get their wish, although the location of the game is still to be determined. But at this point, a bowl game will just be icing on the cake. By now, the Spartans already have a lot of hard work to be proud of, and fans have enjoyed an exciting season.
Every Spartan deserves a round of applause for his or her efforts this year, whether it's for sweating on the field or cheering from the stands. And when we're done applauding, we can start gearing up for next season.
