The Spartans seem to play better when their backs are against the wall and people have nearly given up on them, as can be evidenced by double-digit come-from-behind victories against Northwestern and Purdue.

“We’re pretty used to it now,” senior punter Aaron Bates said. “After four years, it seems like every big game we’re the underdog. Especially this year we were the underdog and people were saying ‘When’s the streak going to end and when are they going to fall?’ Besides the Iowa game, we didn’t have another issue.”

Week after week, analysts picked the Spartans’ opponents to ruin the their undefeated run, but MSU used late comebacks to prove the experts wrong until the ninth week when Iowa finally blasted the Spartans.

MSU was considered a two-point underdog at home before knocking off a powerful Wisconsin team in the fifth week of the season, only to see themselves picked as underdogs once more in their trip to unbeaten U-M.

MSU pulled away in the second half to earn big victories in both games, and were picked by several analysts to fall short against Northwestern on their next road trip on Oct. 23.

The analysts were right to assume the Spartans might trip up, as MSU trailed by 10 points in the fourth quarter, but capped an improbable comeback that seemed to draw the team together.

After falling short as underdogs against Iowa, MSU proved any doubters wrong by staging an 11-point fourth-quarter comeback against Purdue and then winning at Penn State for the first time since 1965 to claim a share of the Big Ten championship for the first time in 20 years.

The Spartans might not have been a popular pick, but proved at the very least they belong with the Big Ten’s best this season.

“We’ve been underdogs all season, so being an underdog now isn’t really a shock to us,” sophomore running back Edwin Baker said. “We knew that was coming and I think that’s best for us because we’re the underdog and want to prove everybody wrong.”

Baker said the team handles its underdog status by trying to stay together in the locker room and stay humble.

“We know what we got and what our talents are,” Baker said.

The Spartans are one of seven Big Ten teams that are considered an underdog in their bowl game, with No. 6 Ohio State being the only favorite in its Sugar Bowl game against No. 8 Arkansas.

Although the Spartans want to help carry the flag for the Big Ten against the Southeastern Conference, head coach Mark Dantonio said the focus of the Capital One Bowl game is more about MSU versus Alabama than anything else.

“That’s important that we represent, very important that we represent,” Dantonio said. “At the same time it’s about us versus them. It’s pure and simple. How important would that be to our football program.

“I think if we win … we’re going to be probably about a top 5 football team in this country. I think that makes a big statement for Michigan State and where we’re going with this program.”