Michigan State Football: Why the Holiday Bowl matters
By Ian Olsen
Although it’s not exactly a coveted New Year’s Day bowl, here’s why the Holiday Bowl matters for Michigan State football.
Don’t celebrate your return to significance just yet, Spartans.
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Oftentimes bowl games are largely for graduating seniors, but most of this season’s starters are just beginning their Michigan State careers. A new starting core, comprised mainly of freshman and sophomores, built confidence with several scrappy wins. The Holiday Bowl provides the young group a chance to solidify their poise and realize their tremendous potential.
Three months since its loss to Notre Dame, Michigan State can gauge its progress against another challenging opponent. After the loss, the Spartans beat Iowa and Michigan. They followed a loss to Northwestern with a win over Penn State. And hopeful to secure the Big Ten East title, they got pummeled by Ohio State 48-3. After the season’s ebbs and flows, Michigan State can show how much they’ve improved and why they exceeded many expectations.
Many challenged the Holiday Bowl bid, expecting Michigan State to play in a more prestigious bowl.
Michigan’s brand got the Wolverines a New Year’s bowl and a $3,500,000 payout, but not a formidable opponent. Michigan failed its four chances to beat a ranked opponent, and its Outback Bowl matchup with unranked South Carolina will not provide another.
Michigan State’s 14-7 victory over then #7 Michigan earned bragging rights, but the Wolverines’ failure to merit preseason hype makes the win less impressive previously thought. The Spartans’ turnaround from 3-9 to 9-3 is impressive. But at 1-2 against currently ranked opponents, the season’s level of success hinges largely on finishing with a strong bowl win.
Despite going 7-2 in conference play and beating Penn State (7-2) and Michigan (5-4), just one Spartan was chosen as first-team all-conference, as opposed to three from each of those two rivals. The team’s games against Notre Dame and Michigan were its only two played nationally in primetime. Against Washington State, defensive back David Dowell can showcase the skills that earned him all-conference honors. And before a larger primetime audience, linebacker Joe Bachie, center Brian Allen, receiver Felton Davis, and others can show why they could’ve been chosen.
The coaches didn’t pick any Spartans to be all-conference.
The Spartans drew an ideal opponent in Washington State. The Spartan defense faced many balance offenses in 2017, none resembling the Cougars’ persistent passing attack. The Spartan secondary will gain game experience against an unfamiliar opponent defending more passing plays than in any of their other games.
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A strong bowl win can catapult the team into the offseason. Michigan State’s win in the 2012 Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl over TCU provided that young team a foundation to prepare for its 2013 Rose Bowl season. Like in 2013, Michigan State will return most of its players and star quarterback with higher hopes than 9-3.