All the preseason hype of the “new Spartans” finally becomes more than just talk. MSU’s first drive of the UAB game characterized its new game plan — running it down the opponent’s throat, play-action passes and using the fullback. Senior running back Jehuu Caulcrick crushed UAB for a career-high four touchdown runs, foreshadowing why his teammates would lovingly call him the “touchdown vulture” by season’s end.

The Spartans got their first taste of adversity in their 28-17 victory over Bowling Green and reeled in a close 17-13 win over Pittsburgh.

Then they were on the road with a chance to hand Notre Dame its first ever 0-4 start in school history. Behind four touchdown passes from junior quarterback Brian Hoyer, the Spartans beat the Fighting Irish, 31-14, and vindicated last year’s heartbreaking loss at Spartan Stadium.

So far, there was no real indication of whether or not this Spartans team would be just like the rest — fast start with a disastrous finish.

Same old Spartans?

Rolling hot off four straight wins, the Spartans got their heat check — facing then-No. 9 Wisconsin. MSU didn’t get the win, but they did get a permanent slot on SportsCenter highlight reels thanks to a bone-crushing hit laid by senior safety Nehemiah Warrick.

Their close 37-34 loss showed they could hang with the best, but the following week the Spartans would get embarrassed by one of the worst, losing to Northwestern, 48-41, in overtime.

“I don’t know if we would have stopped East Lansing High School today,” defensive coordinator Pat Narduzzi said at the postgame press conference, after MSU allowed Northwestern’s C.J. Bacher to throw for a school-record 520 yards and five touchdowns.

Cries of the “Same Old Spartans” rang throughout the MSU community but were quieted when they played nearly perfect en route to a 52-27 blowout win over Indiana the next Saturday.

Then they hit the slide, and MSU lost three straight close games to Ohio State, Iowa and Michigan.

Same old Spartans.

Fighting their past

With all of their five losses coming by seven points or less, the Spartans had something to hope for. There was something different about this team — they just needed to find a way to finish games.

After four quick wins and then losing five of their last six games, the Spartans were barely clinging to the edge of a deep, dark pit to the cellar of the Big Ten. The same pit they fell in last season, when they closed out the year losing eight of their last nine games.

But at Purdue, MSU clawed its way out.

Two game-changing interceptions from senior linebacker SirDarean Adams and a fumble recovery for a touchdown by senior safety Travis Key led the Spartans to a 48-31 victory over the Boilermakers.

With six wins, they were bowl eligible, and when Hoyer and junior wide receiver Devin Thomas hooked up for three touchdowns in MSU’s victory over Penn State, the Spartans were a lock to play in their first bowl game in four years.

On Sunday, MSU was officially invited to the Champs Sports Bowl to be played Dec. 28 in Orlando, Fla. They’ll face No. 14 Boston College and get a chance to make a mark in the first season of the Dantonio era.