Michgian State Spartans Path to the First Ever College Football Playoff Comes Clearer After Big Win in Bloomington and Big Losses by teams in front of them!

Spartans Path to the First Ever College Football Playoff Comes Clearer After Big Win in Bloomington and Big Losses by teams in front of them! Bloomington, IN

Spartans Path to the First Ever College Football Playoff Comes Clearer After Big Win in Bloomington and Big Losses by teams in front of them!

Bloomington, IN

Memorial Stadium

The Michigan State Spartans had a big day. I mean a monster day. Not only accumulating 662 total offensive yards (330 rushing and 332 passing) but also two undefeated teams in front of them in the college football rankings fell.

When you are a team with National Title aspirations in today’s college football playoff era winning isn’t the only thing, it’s also about who loses. #5 Notre Dame fell to #2 Florida State 31-27 and #4 Baylor fell to unranked West Virginia 41-27. After this win and those losses the Spartans path to the first every college football playoff is clear. Win out the remaining regular season games and the Big Ten Championship contest and they are in. Running the table is NOT a given, but at least the path is clear.

In Bloomington the Spartans saw two rushers tote the rock for over 100 yards each, with Jeremy Langford garnering 109 with three touchdowns and fellow senior Nick Hill adding 178 and one touchdown. On the receiving side Tony Lippett continues to impress NFL scouts with a seven catch 123 yard performance that didn’t include a TD, but did include an over the shoulder catch that made an entire stadium and national television audience gasp. Somewhere Willie Mays even had to of tipped his hat.

Indiana head coach Kevin Wilson had to be impressed with his teams fight against the mighty Spartans. Remember the Hoosier had starting a true freshman QB in Zander Diamont. He said of the contest, "Just got worked a little bit the second half by an outstanding team. 28-14, decent first half. They helped us out. Let them off the hook there with a third down play I think it was. They go down make it 21-17. We only gave up one more score. Third quarter started, we had a couple chances, some stops.”

He said of his rookie signal caller, “You're playing against Michigan State that brings a lot of pressure. Great third down package. Challenged every receiver out there. They make you work for everything. He just had a tough day. The only thing I didn't like about him was the ball loose. You know, a little young. That's one of the reasons why he was third because he's a little careless with the football. As we go, we got to get past that.”

The normally introspective Dantonio after a win was rather jubilant. “I thought our football team played tremendously well. We talked about the fourth quarter issue, but to me, it was more about keeping an edge when things started to turn and when there would be adversity how would we react. And I thought we reacted extremely well at the end of the second quarter. Two big touchdown drives at the end that gives us an 11 point lead and then the third quarter went our way. Exciting finish.”

He beamed proud like a new father talking about the Spartans ability to run the ball. He was joyous and in declaring that, "We were able to run the football. Possession time was about 40/20. We ran the ball for 300-plus, passed the ball for 300-plus. Had one turnover which led to a score, but then come up with two turnovers. So just an outstanding job by our guys.”

There is no doubt Dantonio is a pound-green-pound guy. He loves to see the ball get run, but he couldn’t help but gush about his aerial attack and the play of his wide outs. "Yeah, I thought they played outstanding. You know, they made a lot of 50-50 catches. Maybe the play of the game might be early on when MacGarrett Kings makes two plays, two unbelievable plays. One of them he takes the ball away from the defender. Clear it's an interception, it's stuck in the defender's hands and he pulls it out of his hands and takes it. So I thought MacGarrett played extremely well. Tony Lippett with his first catch, same situation. Makes a great catch that was very near an interception. You know, Lippett makes the great catch in the third quarter. You see MacGarrett. Burbridge had a great game. Price with a big catch at the end of the first half. Thought they played extremely well. The ball was thrown well, quarterback creates some and makes a big play. We did what we had to do."

The funniest part of the night was in the fourth quarter with the Spartans up big Memorial Stadium became Spartan Stadium south. Dantonio’s wife, Becky, was leading the crowd from the Spartans bench in chants of, “Go Green Go White,” much to the jubilation of the Spartan faithful.

When Mrs. Dantonio was asked by the crowd to take their cell phones down to the sidelines to get pictures on their phones close up of the Spartans bench area she gladly obliged. It was a fun scene that rarely happens in the high pressure world of college football.

Bad news, but getting better.

Late in the game Hoosier junior offensive tackle Jason Spriggs had a helmet to helmet collision. The game stopped for a long time as he was carted off the field secured down. It was a truly scary moment that moved Dantonio. Without being asked he said after the contest, “Our best for Jason Spriggs, who went down. Thoughts and prayers are with him.”

Wilson said afterward, "Took a hit head on. He had movement. Head movement, being very precautionary and making sure. Was conscious, breathing, but just had some upper neck pain. Took a step and fell down. But he did have movement in his forward extremities. So that's a positive. But at the same time we'd like to do x-rays. That's all we know right now. Keep praying for him."

It would be unfair to not note that this was the 100th game as head coach at Michigan State for Mark Dantonio. It was his 70th win. An amazing 70% winning percentage at Michigan State for a man some of his detractors called at the time of his hiring, “A 500 coach. He only wins half of his games at a Big East school.”

Dantonio isn’t one to take the praise and he didn’t start tonight. Saying of the amazing accomplishment that, "As far as the 70th victory, it represents so much to our football team because it represents longevity. Which had not been here since Coach Perles had come back in the 80s. From the first guy that made the decision to come to Michigan State in 2007, that includes the guys decided to stay in 2007 when we came, and that encompasses the guys who came this year, the last guy that signed. It's a group effort, and I appreciate their coaches staying, they've all had opportunities to leave. Our administration, the backing they have given us, our athletic director, president, board of trustees, and Spartan fans in general."

The Spartans now return home for Michigan week. Their arch rival the Michigan Wolverines come into Spartan Stadium for a 3:30 PM Kickoff next week in a game that can certainly redefine their season with a win over the Spartans.

Get your popcorn and get ready for the fireworks.