Head coach Damon Rensing has preached all season that “the next game is the biggest game of the season,” and at no point this year has that been more prominent than right now.

The No. 14 Spartans continue the Big Ten campaign against No. 17 Penn State, the only team ahead of them in the conference standings, on Sunday afternoon in a game that could very well determine the Big Ten regular season title.

They then go on the road for three-straight games against 2010 NCAA champion Akron, Wisconsin and defending NCAA champion Indiana.

MSU caps off the season at home against No. 2 Notre Dame and against archrival Michigan on senior day. The Wolverines spoiled MSU’s chance at a Big Ten regular season title last year when they defeated the Spartans 1-0 in Ann Arbor.

The difficulty of MSU’s home stretch is on of the most challenging in college soccer, but the Spartans have the team to do it.

The strength of the team is in the back, with two-time Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week sophomore Zach Bennett in goal, who is 16th in the nation in goals against average (.66), and third in the country in save percentage (.875).

But Bennett will tell you he wouldn’t have those stats without his back line, which includes senior Ryan Thelen, junior Ryan Keener and freshman Andrew Herr. Junior Fatai Alashe and senior Kevin Cope have split time at center back due to injury.

While the squad is strong in the back, that doesn’t mean they’re without some offensive firepower.

Junior forward Tim Kreutz leads the team with six goals and junior forward Adam Montague has four goals, while sophomore midfielder Jay Chapman is the creative genius in the center of the field, leading the team with six assists.

Montague was named Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week after scoring goals in the 2-0 at UIC and the game-winning goal in the double overtime win at then-No. 5 Northwestern.

The Spartans’ mix of youth, experience and depth is something any team in the country would be envious of.

This team is built for a long run, and it’s time to step up.

They’ve shown us they can get the results that matter, after games such as the gritty 3-2 double overtime win to give the Spartans their first regular-season win in Evanston since 2001, and a hard-fought 2-2 draw at then-No. 3 Creighton.

Now, those results are in the past, and the only thing this team needs to focus on is the next game on the docket.

This is the season that will make MSU a national power. This is the time that will etch this team into the minds of Spartan soccer fans for a long time.

Don’t let it slip away.

Zach Smith is a State News men’s soccer reporter.