Michigan State Spartans

The fourth installment of a series ranking potential B1G championship game opponents that Iowa will not play in the regular season: No. 2 Michigan State

MICHIGAN STATE SPARTANS

Conference:

Big Ten, East Division

2013 record

: 13-1 (8-0 Legends Division, beat Ohio State 34-24 in B1G championship, beat Stanford 24-20 in Rose Bowl)

Returning offensive starters (8):

QB Connor Cook, TB Jeremy Langford, FB Trevon Pendleton, WR Tony Lippett, WR Macgarrett Kings, TE Josiah Price, T Jack Conklin, C Jack Allen

Projected starting offense:

QB Connor Cook, jr., 6-4, 220; TB Jeremy Langford, sr., 6-0, 205; FB Trevon Pendleton, jr., 5-11, 250; WR-X Tony Lippett, sr., 6-3, 190; WR-Z Keith Mumphrey, sr., 6-0, 212; WR-Y Macgarrett Kings, jr., 5-10, 186; TE Andrew Gleichert, sr., 6-5, 264; LT Jack Conklin, so., 6-6, 330; LG Travis Jackson, sr., 6-3, 286; C Jack Allen, jr., 6-1, 300; RG Connor Kruse, sr., 6-4, 317; RT Donavan Clark, jr., 6-3, 310

Returning defensive starters (5):

DE Shilique Calhoun, DE Marcus Rush, LB Taiwan Jones, CB Trae Waynes, FS Kurtis Drummond

Projected starting defense:

DE Shilique Calhoun, jr., 6-4, 257; DE Marcus Rush, sr., 6-2, 255; DT Joel Heath, jr., 6-6, 290; NT Damon Knox, jr., 6-4, 275; MLB Taiwan Jones, sr., 6-2, 252; SLB Ed Davis, jr., 6-3, 230; Star-LB Darien Harris, jr., 6-0, 228; FCB Darian Hicks, so., 5-10, 181; FS Kurtis Drummond, sr., 6-1, 200; SS R.J. Williamson, jr., 6-0, 215; BCB Trae Waynes, jr., 6-1, 183

Returning specialists (5):

P Mike Sadler, sr., 6-0, 170; K Michael Geiger, so., 5-8, 186; LS Taybor Pepper, jr., 6-4, 222; KR R.J. Shelton, so., 5-11, 200; PR Macgarrett Kings, jr., 5-10, 186

Other specialists:

none

Key losses:

LB Denicos Allen, MLB Max Bullough, CB Darqueze Dennard, DT Tyler Hoover, G Dan France, T Fou Fonoti, WR Bennie Fowler, SS Isaiah Lewis

Key additions:

DE Malik McDowell, 6-6, 292 (Southfield, Mich.); C Brian Allen, 6-2, 285 (Hinsdale, Ill.); DT Craig Evans, 6-3, 305 (Sun Prairie, Wis.); ATH T.J. Harrell, 6-1, 210, Tampa, Fla.); RB Madre London, 6-1, 210 (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.); DB Montae Nicholson, 6-2, 202 (Monroeville, Pa.); DT Enoch Smith Jr., 6-2, 275 (Plainfield, Ill.)

2013 review:

Michigan State recorded the most dominant Big Ten season since 2006 in storybook fashion. The Spartans won every Big Ten game by double digits, including a 34-24 victory against previously unbeaten Ohio State to claim the Big Ten championship and Rose Bowl berth. Michigan State pounded instate rival Michigan 29-6, holding the Wolverines to minus-48 yards rushing. The Spartans won at New Year's Day bowl participants Iowa and Nebraska, held eight-win Minnesota to three points and produced the Big Ten's best defense since the 2002 Ohio State Buckeyes.

The Big Ten opener in Iowa City was a crossroads game for the Spartans. After losing in disputed fashion at Notre Dame, Michigan State's sputtering offense had plenty to prove. After trailing 14-10 at halftime, MSU rallied in the second half and took a 20-14 lead entering the fourth quarter. A fake punt on the first play flipped field position and led to a field goal. That 26-14 victory gave the Spartans' offense confidence. Its defense - which was the undisputed national best - had no such problems. Five times in Big Ten play it held opponents to six points or less. Twice it allowed 28 points, but the offense scored at least 41 in those games. QB Connor Cook took strides from early caretaker to become one of the league's top signalcallers by season's end.

Michigan State earned its first Rose Bowl trip since 1987 when it faced Pac-12 champion and No. 5 Stanford. With everything at stake and leading by four points, the nation's best defense smothered the nation's best power rushing offense on a fourth-and-1 to clinch a 24-20 victory. That iconic stop will gain immortality in East Lansing. The Spartans finished 13-1 - the second-most wins for a Big Ten team ever - and ended the year ranked No. 3 in both polls. It was the perfect end to a near-perfect season.

2014 schedule:

A29 Jacksonville State; S6 at Oregon; S20 Eastern Michigan; S27 Wyoming; O4 Nebraska; O11 at Purdue; O18 at Indiana; O25 Michigan; N8 Ohio State; N15 at Maryland; N22 Rutgers; N29 at Penn State

Key Stretch:

Michigan State plays the most important games of its season back-to-back with a bye week separating the two. The Spartans have dominated in-state brethren Michigan - winning five of the last six - and on Oct. 25 they play host to the Wolverines for the second straight season. Then with a week off, Michigan State entertains Ohio State on Nov. 8. The teams squared off for the Big Ten title last year as members of opposite divisions. Now the teams have shifted to the new Eastern Division. The winner of that game is the likely division - and league - champion this fall.

Trap game:

A week after facing Ohio State, the Spartans play at Maryland. The Terrapins are coming off a bye and boast nine returning starters on both sides of the ball. Maryland also qualified for a bowl last year. While no one would predict a Maryland upset in early summer, college football has odd twists and turns during the season. MSU likely will be due for a letdown (no matter what happens against Ohio State) and conversely, Maryland will be sky-high for this one.

Glass half-full:

Michigan State extends its reign as the Big Ten's bad boys by winning the season's most high-profile non-conference game at Oregon. Its offense continues to take strides and the defense gels despite new starters at key positions. Michigan State enters the Ohio State game unbeaten and ranked in the top three nationally. MSU powers past the Buckeyes again, skates to the Big Ten title game unbeaten and then tops the Western Division champion to qualify for the four-team playoff. It's a definite possibility.

Glass half-empty:

The long flight and Oregon's flawless fast-break offense are too much for the Spartans to handle. As defending Big Ten champions, Michigan State gets every team's best shot. Not only does it face four Big Ten squads with comparable talent - Nebraska, Michigan, Ohio State, Penn State - but Indiana and Maryland post different types of challenges. The defense remains stout but not imposing, which leads to close losses. Ultimately the squad resembles the 2012 version that dropped five Big Ten games by 13 points and barely qualified for a bowl game.

The Iowa angle:

Michigan State and Iowa have engaged in the Big Ten's version of 'Rock ‘Em, Sock ‘Em Robots” since Michigan State Coach Mark Dantonio took over in 2007. That year featured a double-overtime Iowa victory at Kinnick Stadium. In 2008, Iowa All-American running back Shonn Greene was stopped on fourth-and-1 inside the MSU 30 to preserve a 16-13 Spartans' win. In 2009, Iowa QB Ricky Stanzi completed a touchdown pass to Marvin McNutt on the game's final play to win 15-13.

MSU entered Kinnick Stadium unbeaten in 2010 but was shredded 37-6. MSU outplayed and outfought Iowa in 2011 at Kinnick, 37-21. The teams traded blows well into double overtime at soaked Spartan Stadium in 2012 before Iowa prevailed 19-16. Last year in a showdown at Kinnick, Michigan State rallied from a 14-10 halftime deficit with a suffocating defense and a fake punt to beat Iowa 26-14. That victory propelled the Spartans to a dream season, culminating in a Rose Bowl victory. Since 2007, the scorecard reads 4-3 in favor of Iowa and the average score is 21-20.

Dantonio and Iowa Coach Kirk Ferentz build their programs in similar fashion. These teams still battle frequently for recruits and that won't change.

Unfortunately, this iron vs. iron clash is on hiatus. The teams are not scheduled to meet until Sept. 30, 2017 in East Lansing. There is not a return trip to Kinnick Stadium scheduled. Although it's not considered a major rivalry by fans, the styles of play and fierce competitive nature make this series a real casualty for both programs and the Big Ten.

Quotable:

'I think we are balanced. Last year, we came into this and I talked about how our offense was stifling a little bit. We didn't have a quarterback. We had a quarterback competition and we had good players, but they needed to take control of the position. We had no tailback identity. Our wide receivers had been inconsistent. I think now when you look at our football team, our offense is measuring up. The defense is measuring up as well. Maybe the defense isn't as dominant right now, but maybe that's because the offense is a better offense.” - Michigan State Coach Mark Dantonio

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