However, Spartans from throughout the country showed Thursday night, when hundreds of MSU fans flooded Pointe Orlando for a pep rally in anticipation for Saturday’s game, that Hollis wasn’t lying about the dedication of the Spartan faithful.

“Win, lose or draw, we’re always going to be here,” 1997 MSU graduate and Peoria, Ill. resident Kyle Brown said of the MSU fans. “We know our Spartans should be playing somewhere else, but they’re not. So we’re going to be here anyway.”

Brown is one of 12,500 fans who helped MSU sell out all of its allotted tickets for the program’s third New Year’s Day Bowl in four years. Along with those who bought the allotted tickets, thousands more Spartans are expected to travel to Orlando to fill the Florida Citrus Bowl on Saturday.

“I think no matter what the game is, or who we’re playing, we want to watch the team play, especially this year,” Brown said. “I’ll be just as proud with a win here than anywhere else.”

Prior to MSU’s pep rally, where head coach Mark Dantonio, senior linebacker Greg Jones, senior punter Aaron Bates and junior quarterback Kirk Cousins addressed the crowd, Alabama had a rally of its own.

And despite the drive from Tuscaloosa, AL to Orlando being less than half the distance as the trip from East Lansing, there was far more green than crimson throughout the outdoor mall Wednesday night.

“It’s exciting to know that we’re that far away from home, and we’re still five-to-one to Alabama and twice as loud,” Charlotte, Mich. resident Larry Cook said. “It was great to see that; We were so excited.”

Cook came to Orlando with his wife, Cindy — a 1985 MSU graduate — and said the rally was a way for fans to show support to a team that gave them a great season.

“It’s the whole Spartan family getting together at one location and celebrating for the team’s success, the school’s success and a lot of hard work,” Larry Cook said.

After the crowd sang the MSU Fight Song along with the Spartan Marching Band and was led by Sparty in chants of, “Go green, go white,” Dantonio and the team’s three captains thanked the fans.

Cousins, who said he had no doubt that the MSU fan base would have a good showing in Orlando, encouraged the fans to bring the energy they had Thursday night to the game Saturday.

“We’re challenging you,” Cousins said to the crowd. “Our coaches are challenging us, and we’re challenging Alabama, so everybody has to measure up to their challenge. Let’s go do it Saturday.”

Brown, who said he also made the trip to the Capital One Bowl when MSU played in it two years ago, said he doesn’t expect that to be a problem.

“We don’t need a challenge,” Brown said laughing. “We’re going to be loud, and we’re going to enjoy watching another win.”