Since defeating Penn State and securing a seventh win, a whirlwind of speculation has surrounded the football team as to which holiday bowl game will host the Spartans. The Dec. 26 Motor City Bowl, of which Perles is the CEO, is a top contender.

The Motor City Bowl, in its 11th year, typically features a Mid-American Conference (this year, most likely Central Michigan or Miami (Ohio)) and a Big Ten team each postseason squaring off at Ford Field in Detroit.

And with Perles’ legacy as a coach, player and trustee at MSU and his position as CEO of the Motor City Bowl, his first choice would be to have the Green and White run out of the tunnel in Detroit.

“We’d love to have Michigan State,” Perles, said. “That’d be our first choice. But that’s not our call right now. We have to wait to see what happens. We’re just happy to have a Big Ten team.”

Preventing the Motor City Bowl officials from taking the Spartans are bowls that have higher priority in choosing teams to participate. Since MSU finished the season with an identical record to Indiana and Purdue, the three teams are competing for spots in the Insight Bowl in Tempe, Ariz. and the Champs Sports Bowl in Orlando, Fla.

The Champs Sports Bowl picks ahead of the Insight Bowl, which picks ahead of the Motor City Bowl. Perles expects to announce the teams in the next couple of weeks.

“I go to work when I go to bowl games,” MSU football head coach Mark Dantonio said. “I don’t have a preference. I’m thrilled we can go, and go as a representative of the Big Ten to one of those bowls. It’ll be a great experience for us wherever we go.”

More than 10 years ago, Perles and former MSU Sports Information Director Ken Hoffman had the idea to start the game.

“The motive was to bring a bowl game to Detroit,” Perles said.

“Our financial impact on the city over the last four years has been $144 million. That’s one of our motives — to bring business to Detroit and the state of Michigan.”

While the game was originally at the Pontiac Silverdome, Perles and Hoffman were more than happy to accept a change to Ford Field when it opened in 2002.

“We would have it either way,” Perles said.

“Now, at Ford Field, it’s a tremendous facility, and it really has helped. We’re pretty fortunate that after the games started they built a new stadium. It’s been a big positive.”

MSU has never played in the Motor City Bowl. The Spartans’ last bowl appearance was a 17-3 loss to Nebraska in the 2003 Alamo Bowl.

“Regardless of where we go, it’s important to go to a bowl game and get an extra month to spend with those seniors,” junior quarterback Brian Hoyer said. “I’d play in the ‘Spartan Bowl’ at Spartan Stadium just to know we’re playing that 13th game.”