INDIANAPOLIS — Mark Dantonio told his team they would be “the ones” at his team banquet last offseason, where the book officially closed on a frustrating 7-6 season.
Several weeks into fall camp, head coach Mark Dantonio had a question for his team. “How many of you were alive in 1988?”
Ever since 11:52 p.m. on Dec. 3, 2011, Isaiah Lewis has patiently awaited a moment that was never guaranteed to arrive. At that minute, time ran out on MSU’s Big Ten title hopes. Wisconsin finished a second-half comeback against the Kirk Cousins-led Spartans, avenging a regular season loss at Spartan Stadium and claiming the league’s coveted Rose Bowl bid in the process.
As fans were ushered down the steps and out the exit of Lucas Oil Stadium into a chilly Indianapolis night, Denicos Allen witnessed something he’d never seen before. Max Bullough was there, too — he remembers it well. The then-sophomore linebackers were forced to watch several members of the 2011 Spartans, a band of brothers toward the end of a special season, break down in tears.
Les Brown is credited with coining the phrase “Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you’ll land among the stars.” For college football coaching staffs coast to coast, landing stars — as many as possible — is the lifeblood of the business. Not star players per se, although that’s the ultimate goal, but rather players with the most five-sided shapes attached to their online recruiting profile. More stars means better players. Better players means more wins. More wins means more money and job security for said coaches. With the advent and evolution of national recruiting analysis services such as Rivals.com, Scout.com and ESPN’s Recruiting Nation in the past decade, any potential prospect worth a Division 1 coach’s time is promptly listed, evaluated and assigned a “star rating” from one to five based on skill. A five-star-rating represents the most elite high school athletes.
Staring down a dream, it’s important to note Urban Meyer has been here before. Several times, in fact.
Max Bullough will never forget the feeling. In the senior linebacker’s four years at MSU, he’s experienced a wide range of emotions. There were highs, from dramatic late-game miracles such as the “Little Giants” and “Rocket” games of 2010 and 2011, to winning the first bowl game under head coach Mark Dantonio. He felt the lows, too, through a disappointing 2012 season and snapping a four-game winning streak against rival Michigan.
“Why not us?” That is indeed the question following Mark Dantonio’s weekly press conference with the media yesterday afternoon. With only a few days before the No. 10 Spartans (11-1 overall, 8-0 Big Ten) travel to Indianapolis for a date with No. 2 Ohio State (12-0, 8-0) in the Big Ten Championship Game, the MSU head coach briefly entertained a scenario that would send the Spartans to Pasadena — not for the Rose Bowl, but for the BCS National Championship Game.
Regardless of what happens in Saturday’s Big Ten Championship Game, No. 10 MSU now can be remembered as the only program with multiple Legends Division titles — the Big Ten is switching to an East-West division alignment next season. Before trying to avenge their 2011 loss in the conference championship at the hands of Wisconsin, the then-No. 11 Spartans had to take care of Minnesota on senior day. Now, the sights are set on an undefeated showdown with No. 2 Ohio State.
With the nation’s No. 1 defense residing in East Lansing, it was all but guaranteed the Spartans would make their presence known in the Big Ten football awards. Six members of the No. 10 MSU football team earned All-Big Ten first team honors from the coaches, the program’s highest amount since 1966 — the last time the Spartans claimed a national title.
History was made on Saturday, clearing the way for significantly more momentous milestones before the book is closed on MSU’s 2013 football season. No.
Things are looking pretty rosy for Mark Dantonio these days.
Finally, that’s out of the way. The last hurdle between No. 11 MSU clashing with No. 3 Ohio State in the Big Ten Championship Game has been cleared.
A season ago, the MSU football team had to beat Minnesota to earn bowl eligibility in hopes to salvage a season.
While many eyes of the college football world are paying attention to “The Game” in Ann Arbor, fans of the No.
Four guys. Four years. Slightly less than 900 tackles, 27.5 sacks, 22 interceptions, 70 passes defend, seven forced fumbles, five fumble recoveries. That’s the combined production of linebackers Max Bullough and Denicos Allen and defensive backs Isaiah Lewis and Darqueze Dennard, a band of three-year starters readying to play their final snaps at Spartan Stadium against Minnesota.
Delivering one last win at Spartan Stadium for the senior class and making sure the Big Ten’s surprise team doesn’t taint a championship season are chief concerns for the No. 11 MSU football team this week.
As the No. 11 MSU football team approaches Senior Day in the final regular season game of the year, it’s tough not to think about Andrew Maxwell.
For the second time in three seasons, the Spartans are heading to Indianapolis.
The Spartans are going back to Indianapolis. No. 13 MSU claimed the Legends Division title and booked its trip to the Big Ten Championship Game with its 30-6 win against Northwestern. For the second time in the past three seasons, the Spartans will head to Lucas Oil Stadium to battle for the conference crown – likely against undefeated No.