B1G Game Changer: Michigan State

CHICAGO - Four years ago, Big Ten officials gathered in Chicago and mapped out football divisions using competitive equality as a baseline measurement.

Armed with 17 years worth of data, the league split the four traditional powers into opposite divisions: Michigan and Nebraska on one side; Ohio State and Penn State on the other. It also divided Wisconsin and Iowa, the only other Big Ten teams to net a winning conference record from 1993-2009. The other teams filtered into divisions according to geography and rivalry status.

Michigan State was an afterthought during the first Big Ten realignment. The Spartans had the eighth-best conference record over that 17-year history, just percentage points behind Purdue but nine wins behind Iowa. Michigan State generated little discussion, other than getting superglued to in-state rival Michigan. But the revelation was eye-opening to Michigan State Coach Mark Dantonio, whose program wasn't regarded as a top-half Big Ten squad.

'In my mind it was like, ‘Whoa,” Dantonio said. 'Obviously we need to change and play better. If we're going to be talked about in that venue, then we need to be play better and be more successful.”

Michigan State's inconsistency before Dantonio's tenure has straightened into a line of excellence. Michigan State has claimed a share of the league title or a division championship three times since the first realignment. The Spartans were a tri-champion in 2010 with Ohio State and Wisconsin. Michigan State claimed an outright Legends Division title in 2011 at 7-1, the Big Ten's best regular-season record. The Spartans tripped up in 2012 at 3-5, but those five losses came by 13 points.

But the accomplishments pale when compared with Michigan State's 2013 season, the Big Ten's most dominant campaign since 2006. The Spartans won every Big Ten game by double digits, including a victory against previously unbeaten Ohio State to claim the Big Ten championship. No Big Ten team has won all eight regular-season games by that margin. Not since Michigan (6-0) in 1943 has a league champ won all league games by double digits.

Beyond the score, the wins were decisive. Michigan State pounded in-state 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.

Nationally, Michigan State ranked No. 2 in total defense and rushing defense, and No. 3 in scoring defense and pass defense. The Spartans allowed only 4.04 yards per play, which led the nation. MSU lost five stalwarts on that defense but returns perhaps the nation's best defensive end in Shilique Calhoun. Like most players, Calhoun enjoys looking back at last year but now eyes this year.

'We had a great season but there's still pieces we can tie together better,” said Calhoun, the Big Ten's defensive lineman of the year as a sophomore.

With two league title game appearances and one championship, Michigan State has reshaped its image from sleeping giant to league powerhouse. If one extends the 17-year time period to the current 21-year period, Michigan State now ranks sixth in league wins, vaulting Iowa by one game.

Michigan State's unprecedented sustained success changed the face of Legends and Leaders. In fact, among the heaviest discussions when the league realigned geographically for this season was whether or not to place Michigan State in the West or East. Not only could the Spartans compete in the West Division (East Lansing clearly is an Eastern city, but the Upper Peninsula extends as far west as the Quad Cities), but they would help balance the perception between the divisions. How's that for irony?

Dantonio scoffed at any notion that he wrecked the Legends and Leaders experiment.

'I don't take any solace in that,” he said. 'I'm just very proud of what we've been able to accomplish from the standpoint of we've done our best.”

Michigan State's best certainly has been good enough to change its image - and its voice.

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