How Kenneth Walker Winning Super Bowl MVP Impacts MSU Football
In this story:
This can be you.
That has to be the message for every single running back that Michigan State recruits from here on out. MSU legend Kenneth Walker III was the best player on the field during the most important football game of his life, totaling 161 scrimmage yards during the Seattle Seahawks' 29-13 win over the New England Patriots during Super Bowl LX.
Walker's performance was good enough to make him the Super Bowl MVP. He is the first player credited to Michigan State to win the award (Nick Foles doesn't count) and is also the first running back to win it since Terrell Davis did so during Super Bowl XXXII in 1998.
These are moments that MSU has to capture and use to its advantage. The memory of Walker winning Super Bowl MVP stays fresh for only so long, so the Spartans have to strike the iron while it is hot.
Impact for MSU
The biggest impact this should have is on the recruitment of transfer portal running backs. MSU's staff is entirely different now, but the idea of being "the next Kenneth Walker" is a heck of a name that can be thrown out there.
There is some power in visualization. These athletes have all seen that succeeding at an elite level is possible at Michigan State, with Walker going from being the RB2 at Wake Forest one year to being the nation's best running back the next in East Lansing. Then, at the next level, Walker shined the brightest, at the biggest stage, with more than 100 million people watching.
K9 SUPER BOWL MVP ‼️ pic.twitter.com/l4nl1uWue4
— Michigan State Football (@MSU_Football) February 9, 2026
Personally, if I were in charge of all the decorations inside the Skandalaris Football Center in East Lansing, I'd be making plans to have some sort of acknowledgement of Walker's accomplishment up by the time the next batch of visiting recruits come through campus.
That projects an organization that is timely, organized, successful, and one that cares about how its alumni does at the professional level. It also sounds a bit like the vision Pat Fitzgerald has for the Spartans in their new era.
Even before winning Super Bowl MVP --- which will also likely lead to Walker receiving a hefty second contract --- he was perhaps Michigan State's most well-known alumnus in the NFL. Now that so much conversation is being had about how good he played, Michigan State has to use it to its advantage.
Hey, maybe down the line, a state of Washington recruit that grew up a Seahawks fan might be considering MSU. The Spartans can point to Walker's performance that night and say, "He went here, you know."
Keep up with all our content when you follow the official Spartan Nation page on Facebook, Spartan Nation, WHEN YOU CLICK RIGHT HERE, and be sure to share your thoughts on Walker winning Super Bowl MVP when you join our community group, Go Green Go White, WHEN YOU CLICK RIGHT HERE. Don't forget to give us a follow on X @MSUSpartansOnSI as well.
Never again miss one major story related to your beloved Spartans when you sign up for our 100% FREE newsletter that comes straight to your email with the latest news. SIGN UP HERE NOW
A 2025 graduate from Michigan State University, Cotsonika brings a wealth of experience covering the Spartans from Rivals and On3 to his role as Michigan State Spartans Beat Writer on SI. At Michigan State, he was also a member of the world-renowned Spartan marching band for two seasons.
Follow jacobcotsonika