If you asked any Michigan State football fan in the 25-40 age range what their favorite memory has been, probably around 95 percent would say the Rose Bowl season in 2013.
And that estimate might be on the low end.
Michigan State’s 2013 season was one of the most special memories for a lot of Spartan fans and it would have been even more special if the College Football Playoff had been implemented by that point. Instead, 12-1 Michigan State missed out on the national title game and instead won the Rose Bowl against Stanford to improve to 13-1. That team should have had a shot at the title.
But we must all digress.
The 2013 season provided a plethora of great memories from Shilique Calhoun scoring touchdown after touchdown to begin the season to Rich Homie Quan and Mark Dantonio embracing and celebrating in the locker room after beating Stanford in the 100th Rose Bowl.
If you didn’t know, Rich Homie Quan was a popular rapper who had a hit song “Type of Way” that the Spartans sort of made their anthem throughout the 2013 season.
He has unfortunately since passed away.
Michigan State also adopted Rich Homie Quan as an honorary Spartan and it was cool to see him celebrating and dancing with the team in the locker room after the game. He was almost like a second mascot for MIchigan State during that season and that song holds a special place in Spartan fans’ hearts.
Well, fans might be hit with a wave of nostalgia during Friday night’s home opener. The football team’s official Twitter account posted a teaser for the season opener and the song “Type of Way” was playing faintly in the background that featured Spartan Stadium and it ended with “tomorrow” in big letters on a black screen.
Prepare for Glory pic.twitter.com/c1PxgLJ0v4
— Michigan State Football (@MSU_Football) September 4, 2026
Folks, I don’t want to overreact, but if this is the new walk-out song, Michigan State is going to win by a million. OK, reeling it in a bit. Michigan State walking out to “Type of Way” would be one of the best tributes to that 2013 team and the entire Dantonio era.
Pat Fitzgerald did say he’s a big tradition guy
Fitzgerald has been open about loving the idea of traditions and carrying them on at Michigan State while implementing some of his own.
Culture is a big thing for the first-year head coach and that’s been obvious through the first nine months of his tenure in East Lansing. He’s bringing back the hard-nosed attitude that’s been missing from Michigan State football since Dantonio retired and there’s just a new buzz around the program that’s been missing since 2021 and into that following offseason.
Keeping important traditions and reviving some others that have been tossed aside by the past two coaching staffs is something that Fitzgerald has shown he’s willing to do.
Bring back some “Type of Way” on Friday night and watch Spartan Stadium erupt.
There probably isn’t a better way for the Spartans to take the field.
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