Mel Tucker's Christmas Wish List for Michigan State football

Mel Tucker's second season in East Lansing came with plenty of "presents" in the form of rivalry trophies. Can Michigan State claim more hardware in 2022?

Mel Tucker has returned Michigan State's football program back to Midwest prominence in just his second season at the helm in East Lansing.

The Spartans went 10-2 on the season, and were in the thick of the Big Ten championship race until Week 12, when they lost to Ohio State in Columbus.

MSU went 3-0 in rivalry games this season, claiming the Old Brass Spittoon from Indiana, Paul Bunyan from Michigan and the Land Grant Trophy from Penn State. It's the first time since 2017 that Michigan State has had possession of all three rivalry trophies.

But looking ahead to next year, what else would be on Mel Tucker's Christmas list for the Spartans in 2022?

1. Keeping the current rivalry trophies in East Lansing

The Spartans have dominated Indiana throughout this series' history. Michigan State has claimed the Old Brass Spittoon in 11 of the past 13 meeting, and hold a 49-14-1 advantage since the trophy was added to the series in 1950. To put it bluntly, keeping the Old Brass Spittoon in East Lansing is the bare minimum requirement for Tucker in 2022.

Michigan State has also had a lot of recent success in the Battle for Paul Bunyan, winning 10 of the past 14 matchup with the Wolverines. Michigan holds a 38-29-2 advantage in the series since the Paul Bunyan Trophy was added to the series in 1953. Should Tucker beat Michigan again in 2022, it would be the second three-game winning streak in this rivalry for MSU over the last decade.

While the Land Grant Trophy has been more of a back-and-forth affair of late between the Spartans and Nittany Lions, MSU has won 6 of the past 9 matchups. Overall, Penn State holds a 16-10 edge in the series since the introduction of the trophy.

Michigan State has never won all three trophies in back-to-back seasons.

2. Winning back the Megaphone Trophy

This one is a bigger ask, since Michigan State isn't scheduled to play Notre Dame until 2026, and the Fighting Irish have held the Megaphone Trophy since a 38-18 victory over the Spartans in 2017. The only way Tucker claims the Megaphone Trophy is if Michigan State beats Notre Dame in a bowl game (or the national championship). We almost saw that scenario play out this season, as both the Spartans and Fighting Irish were selected to New Year's Six bowl games as at-large teams. However, MSU got a bid to play in the Peach Bowl, while ND is headed to the Fiesta Bowl. Although this scenario is unlikely, it'd still be really cool for the Spartans and the Fighting Irish to meet again before 2026. In case you were wondering, the last time Michigan State held the Old Brass Spittoon, Paul Bunyan, Land Grant AND Megaphone trophies was in 2010. The Spartans shared the next item Tucker's wish list that season as well.

3. Winning a Big Ten Championship

This is the obvious next step for the program. Mel Tucker proved he was the man for the job with his success this season, and it landed him a massive contract extension. But with that 10-year, $95 million extension comes expectations. Tucker isn't being paid that kind of money just to beat Michigan -- he has to win conference titles. Michigan State is seeking its first conference championship since 2015, and the 12th conference title in school history. Mark Dantonio proved that Big Ten titles were an achievable goal in East Lansing -- he won three. This has to be the goal for Tucker as well.

4. Win the National Championship

It's Christmas, so we might as well wish big -- 'Tis the Season, after all. We mentioned Tucker's contract right? At the time of the announcement, that extension would have made Tucker the second-highest paid coach in the country, behind only Alabama's Nick Saban. Maybe you've heard, but Saban has won many, many national championships (7 to be exact). I think it's asking too much to say Tucker HAS to win a national title to live up to his big extension -- after all, Michigan State hasn't won one since 1966 -- but the Spartans need to at least contend for national championship every now and then under Tucker. That means winning Big Ten titles and going to the College Football Playoff at least a couple times.

5. Go undefeated (15-0)

Going undefeated in college football has always been extremely difficult, especially in one of the major conferences -- and it's never been harder than it is right now. Because Michigan State plays in the Big Ten, an undefeated regular season and a win in the Big Ten championship game means the Spartans would be going to the playoff. They would then have to beat two of the Top 4 teams in the country to make it to a perfect 15-0.

Michigan State has gone unbeaten and untied three times in its history (1952, 1951, 1913). The Spartans also went undefeated in 1966, finishing the season with a 9-0-1 mark, with the tie coming against Notre Dame in the famed 'Game of the Century'. MSU went 6-0-2 in 1908, with ties to Michigan and DePaul. In 2013, Michigan State nearly went undefeated, finishing the season at 13-1 while winning the second of Mark Dantonio's three Big Ten championships. The Spartans were unbeaten in league play that year, but dropped a nonconference game against Notre Dame. Those pesky Fighting Irish strike again.