Michigan State Football: 5 reasons Spartans will beat Oregon in Redbox Bowl

No one is really giving Michigan State football a shot, but that’s how the Spartans like it. Here’s why they’ll top Oregon in the Redbox Bowl.

The 2018 season hasn’t gone quite as planned for Michigan State football, but the Spartans didn’t expect to suffer a barrage of injuries and fail to move the ball on the offensive end of the field.

It’s just been one of those years that Mark Dantonio would like to learn from and the players and fans probably wish they could forget. Unfortunately, that can’t happen until the final game is in the books and the Spartans have a date with Oregon in the Redbox Bowl.

No, it’s not the California-based bowl everyone was expecting when the season began, but it’ll have to do as at least the Spartans are facing an intriguing opponent.

Here’s why you should feel optimistic about the Spartans’ chances in the Redbox Bowl against Oregon.

5. Motivation for 2019

Heading into the 2019 season after an 8-5 campaign would be ideal for the type of disappointment the Spartans suffered in 2018.

Injuries, poor play and bad coaching led to this 7-5 regular season but if the Spartans can salvage things with an eighth win and head into 2019 riding high, that may actually be beneficial to the program long-term. It’ll show the current guys that they can overcome adversity and still finish on a positive note.

Winning this game isn’t just important for the 2018 season and finishing 8-5, but more so for the future. If Michigan State can step up and win a game against a formidable Pac-12 foe for the second straight year, it’ll prove to be relevant on a national level.

Motivation heading into 2019 has to be tops on the list for the green and white and this team isn’t going to roll over against the Ducks because it’s a “meaningless” bowl game. It means more to the Spartans than it would to most teams.