Dantonio, whose team is coming off of an explosive victory over Baylor, the co-Big 12 conference champions, on New Year's Eve in Arlington, Texas, will be back at the site of his fourth straight bowl win today in front of the camera.
Times haven't always been this good in East Lansing. MSU football hasn't always been at the top of the mountain, they haven't always been competing for high level bowl games and they haven't always been able to take on top five programs.
The Spartans' 77-70 loss against Northwestern on Sunday at 3 p.m.
Solely looking at its record, MSU hockey (7-10-1, 1-2-1-1 Big Ten) had a promising stretch of games over the holiday break.
Mark Snyder was officially introduced by Mark Dantonio on Sunday as the newest defensive assistant coaching hire for next season.
The Spartan defense can breathe a sigh of relief after junior defensive end Shilique Calhoun announced he would return to MSU for his senior season. After losing safety Kurtis Drummond, linebacker Mylan Hicks, defensive lineman James Kittredge, linebacker Taiwan Jones, defensive end Marcus Rush to graduation.
In its fourth overtime game of the season, MSU finally found a way to end up on top, pulling away for an 84-77 victory. MSU opened the game with a nine point run, keeping Northwestern off the board until the 15:31 mark in the first half.
Despite 35 points from sophomore guard Ariel Powers the women's basketball team was unable to upset No.
MSU has undoubtedly struggled at times this season and some have questioned the team's legitimacy, but after blowing by Iowa with a second half offensive explosion, MSU has shot its way right back into the conversation in the Big Ten. Although the conference season is just a few games in, MSU’s victory over the Hawkeyes was an enormous one.
A 27-10 Iowa run ended the first half on a sour note for the Spartans. However, the play of junior guard Denzel Valentine and senior guard Travis Trice transformed the men's basketball team's fortunes in the final 20 minutes. MSU (11-5 overall, 2-1 Big Ten) opened the second half on a 25-9 run to defeat Iowa on the road in a comeback win, 75-61.
The first start of Lourawls Nairn's career perhaps came sooner than expected, but his energy in the starting five helped an MSU team in need of a conference win.
MSU rebounded from a conference-opening loss with an imposing victory over Indiana, winning 70-50 at home. Freshman guard Lourawls “Tum Tum” Nairn started in place of senior guard Travis Trice and this decision seemed to give MSU(10-5 overall, 1-1 Big Ten) some energy early in the contest.
After a less-than-ideal start to Big Ten season last week against Maryland, the men's basketball team looks as though it won't suffer the same fate against Indiana.
No. 24 Women's basketball (8-6 overall, 0-3 Big Ten) fell to in-state rival Michigan (10-4 overall, 2-1 Big Ten) 74-65 Sunday afternoon at Breslin Center. Sophomore forward Ariel Powers led all players in scoring with 26 points, and senior forward Becca Mills reached the 1,000 point milestone in the loss. MSU out-rebounded U-M 35-31, but the turning point in the game was when MSU went scoreless for over five minutes to start the second half and fell down 51-31, MSU went on a run to make the game close but were unable to ultimately close the gap. U-M was led in scoring by freshmen guard Katelynn Flaherty who added 21 points for the Wolverines. MSU out-shot U-M from behind the three point line by shooting 50 percent, and had a higher percentage from the field.
It's a moment that always brings fans to their feet and make the position players happy: when an offensive lineman scores a touchdown. It happened in the Cotton Bowl, as LaQuan McGowan caught a touchdown in the third quarter to give Baylor a 41-21 lead in the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic.
The clock read 4:03 remaining in the third quarter when 390 pound lineman LaQuan McGowan scored on an 18 yard touchdown reception to give Baylor a 41-21 lead in the 79th Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic. That was enough for MSU.
It looked like MSU was going to get run out of the building. Trailing 34-14 and then 41-21 after giving up countless deep passing touchdowns of over 45 yards, but a surprise onside kick changed the momentum and gave MSU their first Cotton Bowl championship. A blocked field goal incited the winning drive, and MSU won maybe the most improbable Cotton Bowl in a long time.
When two teams average 48 and 43 points per game, a shootout in the first half shouldn't come as much of a surprise. There were almost as many touchdowns as punts in the first half, and when the dust settled Baylor went into the locker room leading 24-14.
When head coach Mark Dantonio and the Spartans started the season, Arlington, Texas was where they wanted to be.
New Year's Day at AT&T Stadium will be reserved for the football players, but New Year's eve saw a different battle take place in North Texas. For the first time ever, the two marching bands competed in a battle of the bands at Klyde Warren Park in downtown Dallas.