Seattle finished the regular season with a 14-3 record, earning the NFC’s top seed and a first-round bye in the playoffs. The Seahawks then defeated two divisional opponents — San Francisco in the Divisional Round and Los Angeles in the NFC Championship — to reach the Super Bowl. Walker notched his second 1,000-yard rushing season with five touchdowns and carried that production into the playoffs, adding 178 yards and four touchdowns in two games. His consistent ground attack has been a key factor in Seattle’s Super Bowl run.

Walker has shown he still takes pride in his time as a Spartan. After the Seahawks’ Divisional Round victory, he was named Tom Brady’s LFG Player of the Game. At the end of the interview, Brady joked that Michigan could have used him, prompting Walker to laugh and sign off by saying, “Go Green.”

Baringer may not have made as much noise with his success, but he was one of the most decorated punters in MSU history. He still owns school records for season average punting distance in 2022, as well as a career average, which is not just a school record, but the best in Big Ten history. He was named a first team All-American his senior year in 2022 before being drafted in the sixth round, 192nd overall, by the Patriots in 2023.

The Patriots finished the season second in the AFC with a 14-3 record. In the playoffs, they defeated the Los Angeles Chargers in the Wild Card round, the Houston Texans in the Divisional Round, and the Denver Broncos in the AFC Championship to reach Super Bowl 60. The AFC Championship, played in a blizzard in Denver, saw both offenses struggle. Patriots' punter Bryce Baringer excelled, booting eight punts that helped pin the Broncos deep and give his defense opportunities to make key stops en route to the win.

Although Walker and Baringer might be wearing different colors in the NFL, they both came through MSU, and regardless of Sunday's outcome, one Spartan will be named a Super Bowl champion.