The post-Northwestern catch phrase was “We’re 60 minutes away from the Rose Bowl,” and that’s a lot closer than they’ve been in my lifetime, but that in no way means those 60 minutes are going to be a cakewalk. Most likely the opposite, in fact.

But the Spartans knew that a week ago, before anyone could say with certainty that Wisconsin would be playing against them in Indianapolis, and even when media spoke with the team after the Northwestern win (still before the Badgers declared victory over Penn State), it didn’t seem to matter that the Big Ten championship game probably will be the toughest game for MSU to date this season. The Spartans are ready.

“We’re in the hunt,” head coach Mark Dantonio said Saturday.

That pretty much sums up MSU’s season thus far as a team determined to repeat success, unwilling to relinquish its power in the Big Ten, and ready to take down anyone standing in its way.
Dantonio even pulled out the catchphrase “P4RB,” which translates to “Prepare for the Rose Bowl,” the team’s mantra all season.

His overwhelming enthusiasm for the Spartans’ current position in the conference was shared by the players as well. And it’s hard to doubt them when they’ve come so far and are exactly where they wanted to be.

Prior to the season, I predicted a 9-3 season for MSU, and I thought that was being generous while assuming a little luck would be involved. Even when the Spartans were talking about Big Ten championship and Rose Bowl expectations in August, I knew it was possible with a team like this, but I also thought it would be quite the challenge — even a stretch.

It certainly wasn’t an easy road, and the postseason is only going to get harder, but look at where a Pasadena-or-bust mentality got MSU.

The Spartans said they were going to finish their season playing in the Rose Bowl, and here they are, one win away from the ideal way to close out the 2011-12 season.

“That’s your motivation — you always have your doubters and haters,” senior safety Trenton Robinson said. “But at the end of the day, you’ve got to give respect when respect’s due.”

At this point, I’ve gained so much respect for this team and what it’s been able to accomplish — particularly in seeing the season through rather than mailing it in against Northwestern.

Both MSU and Wisconsin needed to win Saturday, but for different reasons. Wisconsin was playing for the Leaders Division, but both teams needed to gain momentum headed into the championship game. Despite MSU getting what it needed out of Northwestern, I wouldn’t call it the best game.

For their own sake, the Spartans better hope they got enough momentum this weekend to come out with a bang in Indianapolis — as opposed to only kicking a field goal in the first quarter against the Wildcats or falling behind 14-0 in the first quarter against Wisconsin earlier this season.

In both games, they ultimately came out with wins, but with the conference championship and the Rose Bowl on the line Saturday, MSU can’t expect to climb out of a hole if the Badgers take an early lead again.

But after what the team has overcome this season — from adversity to the challenge of repeating success — it’s going to take a powerful force to stop the Spartans from defending their Big Ten title.

That force could be quarterback Russell Wilson or running back Montee Ball, but the fire Dantonio, Robinson, senior quarterback Kirk Cousins and the rest of the team have makes it hard not to believe they can win.

Depending on where you were in the beginning, MSU either lived up to expectations or proved you wrong. Now, the Spartans are playing for an out-right championship and a coveted bowl game.
They haven’t let anything stop them yet, and I don’t think they’re going to start now just because it’s Wisconsin.

_Maybe I need to wake up and smell the roses. Or maybe when the Spartans wake up Sunday morning, they actually will. _