Michigan State Football: 3 best things to happen in June 2023

1. Announcement of Rose Bowl team 10-year reunion

The way Mark Dantonio left the program was less than ceremonial so to see him and his team’s accomplishments get recognition like this is a good sign.

Dantonio deserves a statue for all the achievements he and his staff have earned over his Michigan State career, but one could easily argue that the 2013 team was not only his best team, but may have been the best team in the country that year.

The defense ranked first in yards allowed and third in points allowed in all of college football. The offense averaged only 29.4 but was more than enough to lead them to an 11-1 regular season record and perfect conference record.

The lone blemish was a loss to Notre Dame, however, should that really count when every single referee from that game is in federal prison for being on the Irish’s payroll? I don’t think so and should have allowed the Spartans to play in the national title game where Jameis Winston doesn’t put up 34 points and the Spartans are crowned champions for the first time since 1966. At least I think that’s what would happen, and I think that’s what happened when MSU played Notre Dame on that fateful night in September. I definitely haven’t thought about it at least once a week for the last 10 years. But I digress.

The team went on to beat No. 2 Ohio State in one of the best Big Ten title games ever, and got the opportunity to play in the 100th Rose Bowl against Stanford. Dantonio must have gotten his hands on the script for this game because it was a second-half defensive battle that culminated into a fourth-and-inches with the game on the line with backup linebacker Kyler Elsworth flying shoulder first into running back Tyler Hewitt to stop the Stanford nerd Cardinal at the line of scrimmage for no gain. All of this, one season removed from a disastrous 7-6 season in 2012.

Long story short, Dantonio and that 2013 team deserve this night to be recognized and I’m glad him and Tucker and the administration are on good terms because a man and coach like that is someone I want around the program.