It's tough to find a more battle-tested group than the MSU football team's seniors.
They've played in a bowl game. They've experienced heartbreaking losses and thrilling victories. They've been part of the biggest comeback in NCAA Division I-A history and have played through two separate coaching terminations. And on Saturday, those 16 seniors will try to make one more memory with a victory against Minnesota in their last game in Spartan Stadium.
"To go out one last time in this stadium and sing the fight song all together as a family — because that's what we've been these last five years — that would be something special," senior left guard Kyle Cook said.
Thrill of victory
This season hasn't played out like any of the Spartans had hoped. They are just 4-6 overall and 2-4 at home. But with four or five years of experience, the seniors are leaving with plenty of great memories. There's the 35-point comeback win against Northwestern earlier this year. There's also the overtime win against then-No. 10 Notre Dame in South Bend, Ind., last season.
But ask the players about their favorite memory and you'll probably get a game different than either of those. After practice Tuesday, seniors Cook, defensive tackle Clifton Ryan and quarterback Drew Stanton all recalled the 2004 game against Wisconsin, when the 9-0 Badgers came into Spartan Stadium ranked No. 4 in the nation. It was the last game at home for that year's MSU seniors, and they left with a 49-14 win and a lasting memory.
"I remember the game like it was yesterday," said Ryan, who had four tackles and a sack in the game. "That's one game where I can say we played a complete game."
Agony of defeat
But every game isn't a pleasant memory for the Spartans. The seniors have played through a turbulent career, highlighted by disappointing losses to lesser teams and blown leads against some of the nation's best.
Last season, MSU dropped two heartbreakers at home — an overtime loss to U-M and a 49-14 blowout loss to Northwestern on Homecoming.
But arguably the toughest loss last year is one that occurred away from Spartan Stadium. After the overtime loss to U-M, the No. 16 Spartans went on the road to play No. 15 Ohio State.
Leading 17-7, MSU had the ball at the end of the second quarter and was looking to cushion its lead before halftime. Then confusion ensued, as some of the Spartans thought the offense was going to spike the ball as the field-goal unit ran on to attempt a kick. The result was a blocked kick that the Buckeyes returned 72 yards for a touchdown as the half closed. Ohio State rode that momentum to a 35-24 win.
"I had nightmares after that Ohio State game about running out there and tackling the guy and getting a 15-yard penalty," Stanton said.
More than a game
For all the lessons MSU's seniors have learned on the field, their most important ones have come off the field. While most players spend their careers under one coach, these seniors have played for two head coaches — Bobby Williams and John L. Smith — and an interim coach, Morris Watts.
"It's something I wish upon nobody," Stanton said. "But in the same aspect, I think we're all closer because of it."
Some of the Spartans will have the opportunity to move on to the NFL, but the majority who won't will still have their degrees from MSU. Ryan is one of those who has a chance at the next level, but he doesn't take that for granted. He knows football was an opportunity the university gave him to graduate from college and grow as a person.
"I realized you should take pride in this game, and that this game is a privilege and an honor," Ryan said. "It's not a right to play this game at any level."
For Stanton, coming to MSU was more than just a football decision. As a lifelong MSU fan, he became a Spartan to experience all the school has to offer.
"Growing up within this community of East Lansing, and going to school here and getting an education — all those things I wanted to do outside of football, I was able to accomplish," he said.
End of an era
Before kickoff Saturday, emotions will be running high for the seniors. It'll be the last time they run through the tunnel onto the Spartan Stadium field, and it'll be the last time they play in front of their fans.
"I was able to come out of the tunnel the past five years, and my last time is going to be hard because I'm a Spartan for life," Ryan said.
And Smith's message? Relish the moment.
"You'll remember the last one," Smith said. "A lot of the others you'll forget, but you'll remember the last day you put on the colors of your team and go to your field."
