Dantonio didn't mention it by name, but it's clear what he was talking about here:


https://michiganstate.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1791079

National Championship? 'That's where our goals are'

Jim Comparoni
SpartanMag.com Publisher

Talk about it in The Underground Bunker

EAST LANSING - Considering that Michigan State is returning tons of talent from the only team in America that has finished in the Top 5 in each of the past two seasons, it may seem odd that the Spartans are almost never mentioned by local, regional or national press as a National Championship threat.

Michigan State head coach Mark Dantonio has rarely - if ever - specifically been asked about the National Championship during the media tour run-up to the 2015 season.


And judging by his answer to an open-ended question during Michigan State Media Day on Monday, the ninth-year head coach seems to be comfortable "laying in the weeds," as he likes to say.

When asked what would constitute a "successful season" for the No. 6-ranked Spartans in 2015, Dantonio didn't mention the National Championship by name.

"I think a successful season is a season where you finish on the up note," Dantonio said. "A benchmark for us is going to be getting to the playoffs and all those type of things. That's where our goals are."

"Those type of things?" That was a blurred reference to the National Championship. But he steered away from using those words.

"Our goals, our initial goals, are extremely high," Dantonio said. 'I will say that. I don't go into the season saying I think we're going to lose these two games."

Translation: He thinks his team can win all of them. But that's as far as he went in that direction.

"The wins and the losses are going to come and go," Dantonio said. "That's a part of life. That's a part of who we are. It's going to be how we handle both ends of the stick that's going to determine are we ultimately successful.

"You reevaluate your goals as you move forward," Dantonio added. "This is what I want for our players: I want relationships, I want them to graduate, I want them to win, I want them to go to bowl games. I want us to give back, and when they walk out of here, feel good about their experiences here. That makes it a positive season for me.

"But you've got to handle negativity, too. That's a part of it."

In going 11-2 and winning the Cotton Bowl last year, Dantonio may have been proudest of his team's ability to bounce back from damaging losses, refocus, and come back strong.

"We regathered ourselves and we did what we needed to do to get back in the hunt in both situations," Dantonio said. "Coming after the Oregon game we had a ways to go to get back to where we were in the Top 10 and we were able to do that. And after the Ohio State game, we had to regather ourselves and made a run and we end up in a Big Six bowl. In both cases we rallied the troops a little bit.

"We didn't succeed in those two games so we didn't reach our goals, and that's the bottom line. We won 11 games, we ended up No. 5 in the country, we did what we did, but the fact of the matter is we lost two games where if we win either of those games, I think we are a little farther along."

Dantonio would prefer that the goals remain the same for all 12 games of the regular season. In order to do it, he is counting on senior leadership to help his team battle through problems this year and stay on course for the Big Ten Championship Game, the College Football Playoff and the National Championship.

"I don't sense complacency," Dantonio said. "I think our guys have goals in mind, goals internally, what they want to do, and I think right now guys are motivated on those.

"Now, we need to be able to stay motivated, too. That's a key. Can't fall away.

"Problems are going to come," Dantonio added. "We talk about that all the time. It's how we're going to handle those problems that are going to make the difference. Focus on the positive and stay grounded."

The Spartans have 17 seniors in the two-deep.

"We've got some maturity here," Dantonio said. "We've gone through some tough times. We've got to handle the things that are going to come our way, and they will come, I promise you, they will come."

https://michiganstate.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1791080


August 10, 2015

Hartbarger starts camp strong

Paul Konyndyk
SpartanMag.com Associate Editor

Talk about it in The Underground Bunker

EAST LANSING - Michigan State is breaking in a new punter for just the third time since 2007, and first-year special teams coordinator Mark Snyder is eager to see physically-gifted redshirt freshman Jake Hartbarger demonstrate that he can perform under pressure the wayMike Sadler did as a starter from 2011-2014.

"He has tons and tons of potential, and he has a big leg," Snyder said. "He needs to do it under pressure. He's got to show me under pressure."


Robert Hendricks

Redshirt freshman punter has big shoes to fill with the graduation of Mike Sadler.
Hartbarger, who redshirted last season after signing as a consensus Top 5 punter in the Class of 2014, has made a favorable impression during training camp thus far.

"(He) had a tremendous first day, and he can be as good as there is," Dantonio said. "But he's young, he's a freshman, so we need to test him throughout camp and make sure his go times are right, which they are. We've got a great snapper, so we should be good, but it's new territory, new ground. As he moves forward, he'll get more accustomed to things, and he needs to take a leadership role with our punt team."

Hartbarger is pleased with the way he is punting in practice.

"As far as consistency at the start of fall camp, I feel happy with how things are going so far," he said. "Chemistry between punter and snapper is also good."

Although he has a stronger leg than his predecessor, Hartbarger is determined to continue the trend of pinning opponents on their own goal-line as Sadler did so effectively during his four years as a starter.

"We have had a tradition of good punters come through here with Mike and guys that have come through here before him," Hartbarger said. "It's not all about the big ball. I like to pin people inside the 20 too. I learned a lot from Mike. He helped me out with a lot of little things technique-wise."

Third-year starter longsnapper Taybor Pepper should be a calming influence for Hartbarger.

"It should be a great help," Snyder said. "He is a great longsnapper. He is really good. He puts the ball back there in a hurry. That should help a lot. He's just got to relax and punt the ball."

Hartbarger has not experienced the pressure of punting in front of 75,000 plus on game day. But he regularly faces simulated pressure in practice.

"Just heat him up verbally, bring people after him, have people yelling at him from behind," Snyder said. "Any kind of distraction that you can give him."

Back-up quarterback Tyler O'Connor, who was one of the better punters in Ohio during his high school career at Lima Central Catholic, hasn't boomed as many punts during practice as Hartbarger. But he has shown the mental toughness needed to perform under pressure.

"Tyler is a gamer," Snyder said. "He probably don't have the leg that Jake has but he is ballplayer. He brings an added dimension too because he can throw it and run it. Maybe not the potential, but he has other ingredients. If Jake don't get it done, we're fine having other ingredients."

O'Connor was approached about a potential role as a specialist last spring.

"During the spring, coaches invested a kicking shoe in me," O'Connor said. "That has worked out pretty well. I have actually gotten better. I had some instruction over the summer, and I have had a few good days this camp. It is going well, better than I thought. I am better than I was in high school."

O'Connor averaged 38 yards per punt as a senior in high school. He also converted 26 of 29 PAT kicks.

Here is a practice notebook with Dantonio video, and updates on several players including Burbridge, Shelton, Geiger, Hartbarger, and several others

https://michiganstate.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1790270

Here is the story I wrote.

https://michiganstate.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1790242

Link:

https://michiganstate.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1790114

A lot of additional notes on Cook during the off-season. His work with George Whitfield, potential breakout receivers.

https://michiganstate.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1787977

Good story from Brian Hedger on Connor Cook, well worth the read. Good to have Brian around helping out yesterday. Great guy. Michigan State's come a long way since I first met Brian in Bloomington on Halloween weekend in 2006. That was the final straw for JLS.

https://michiganstate.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1787832

I think Shilique Calhoun hit the nail on the head when he was talking about versatility being the strength of this d-line. Should be a fun year for this group. I am really going to miss Calhoun when he's gone. Best interview this side of Kirk Cousins. I'd put him ahead of Draymond Green, which is saying a lot.

https://michiganstate.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1787879

Jack Allen was saying that Miguel Machado has turned into to a film junkie. There has been times when he has been the only one in there watching film over the weekend. Last weekend, Machado was pissed off because the film library was unavailable because of some type of system update. He is going to be a factor in the rotation for sure along with Benny McGowan and Brandon Clemons.

link: https://michiganstate.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1786598

LINK below

https://michiganstate.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1784005


Commitment follow-up: Panasiuk packs power

Jim Comparoni
SpartanMag.com Publisher

Talk about it in The Underground Bunker

Here's the scary thing about Mike Panasiuk's record-setting weight-lifting summer: He has yet to put that strength behind pads.

Panasiuk, a defensive lineman who committed to Michigan State in June, began hitting the weights seriously this past winter and spring, as part of a track and field program, no less.


"After last season, I decided to throw discus and shot put in track so I was in their weight lifting program," said Panasiuk (pronounced PAHN-uh-shook). "We would lift every day after school."

It was no ordinary weight training regimen. The track program at Roselle (Ill.) Lake Park High School borrows concepts from world class track and field competitors. It seems to have shaped Panasiuk into an uncommon force in the weight room and at the off-season camps.

Panasiuk gained a measure of fame by breaking The Opening's camp record for 185-pound bench reps with 43 in early July.

In camp settings throughout the spring and summer, Panasiuk has enjoyed success against major conference offensive line recruits.

Next, Panasiuk will look to apply his national-class level of strength to the football field as a senior at Lake Park.

Michigan State coaches liked the 2014 version of Panasiuk. They will be eager to see what it looks like as a high school senior in 2015 as his enormous level of natural strength has been compounded by new gains in the weight room.

'Representing Michigan State'

MSU became aware of Panasiuk after he camped at MSU last summer. MSU remained in occasional contact with him during the fall. And then after seeing his junior film, MSU's correspondence with Panasiuk picked up in January and February.

Panasiuk's success on the camp circuit seemed to have something to do with MSU offering a scholarship in early June. He committed a few days later, as Michigan State was the offer he was waiting for - despite offers from Missouri, Penn State, Tennessee, Wisconsin, Iowa, Maryland, Minnesota and others.


In early July, Panasiuk attended The Opening, Nike's national camp in Eugene, Ore. He broke The Opening record of 42 reps of 185, formerly held by Hawaiian four-star defensive tackle Breiden Fehoko, who will be a freshman at Texas Tech this fall.

Todd Huber, the line coach at The Opening and a former offensive lineman at Cal, figured Panasiuk could make noise in the 185-pound bench test.

"Todd told me he saw the dude that put up the record last year and he said that dude had the same body type that I did and he said he believed I could beat it," Panasiuk said. "He told me the number was 42 so I went in there knowing it was 42 and gave it my all and beat it.

"I kind of had it in my head and guys that were there were counting as I went, so I just kept going. I went in there wanting to do as much as I could, whether it was 43 or 50 or 60."

Offensive linemen are known for their prowess in the weight room. But d-linemen at the camp took pride in seeing a fellow defensive player put up the best mark at the camp, and break the record.

"There were a couple of guys, even on the offensive line, that didn't get high reps," Panasiuk said. "I think the next high rep was 33.

"After I got the number, all the d-linemen were around, and a couple of the coaches. So they were excited for me setting the record, saying it was a great accomplishment. They were cheering me on as I was pumping out the numbers. I got a little blood rush to my head but I was fine, just got back up and was really excited that I could put up a number like that."

Fellow Spartan commitment Messiah DeWeaver was not in the room when he broke the record, but upon hearing the news, DeWeaver found Panasiuk on the practice field and gave him a hearty congratulations.

Then came attaboys from MSU's coaching staff.

"I heard from Coach Salem, from Coach Burton and Coach Dantonio after they found out about it," Panasiuk said. "I messaged them on Twitter. They all congratulated me on setting the record and everything I did at The Opening. Coach D said he was excited about everything I did and just representing Michigan State."

The Opening marked only the second time Panasiuk had tested his rep max at 185 pounds. He put up a mark of 30 at this time last year. The extra strength came from a year of maturity and the weight training that he began just six months ago.

"Our workouts consist of the regular Olympic lifts but we change our weight percentage every other week," he said. "So one week we'll be at 50 to 60 percent (of our max) and then the next week it will be 60 to 70 percent and it goes up till 110 percent with spotters.

"I'm just naturally strong. It was this past offseason when I really went to work in the weight room."

He also lifts at Lifetime Fitness, near his home in suburban Chicago. Panasiuk's relative newness to weight training isn't unprecedented in Spartan recruiting circles. MSU left tackle Jack Conklin didn't lift weights prior to his senior year in high school, per his father's orders - and his dad was the head varsity coach. Conklin has been a late-bloomer of legendary proportions, entering 2015 as an All-America candidate and a possible first-round draft choice.

Panasiuk put up a bench press mark of 405 earlier this summer, bringing a veteran level of strength to his nonstop tenacity.

"They (Michigan State coaches) said they liked the high motor that I have, they like how I play," Panasiuk said. "They like that I don't care who I go up against, that I'm going to keep fighting. They like that about me, they like how I'm a fighter."

Panasiuk likes what Dantonio has been doing with the Spartan program.

"Growing up, me and my family always used to go up in Michigan for skiing trips and snow boarding trips," Panasiuk said. "So growing up, I've been up through there a couple of times. And also, just growing up and seeing everything that Coach Dantonio has built over there, and the way that they are going and everything Coach Dantonio is about - I want to be a part of it. Coach Dantonio is known about getting those two-stars and three-stars and having great success with his team and that's what what I want to be a part of."

Not A Sleeper

Panasiuk isn't a sleeper recruit. He is a three-star prospect, ranked the No. 10 player in Illinois by Rivals.com. His commitment to MSU gave the Spartans a clean sweep of the top three-ranked defensive linemen in Illinois for 2015, joining four-star DE Josh King and four-star DT Naquan Jones.

Last fall was just Panasiuk's fourth of organized football.

Panasiuk shows strong hands when battling in the trenches, moving people with sudden, violent bursts. He uses his hands well to disengage while reading the flow or slanting gaps. He looks like a technician with the way he uses his hands, but he says he's far from it.

"Actually, I haven't really worked on my hands much," Panasiuk said. "When I tell people that, a lot of people are surprised, just like you were. Even though I haven't worked on that much, I do a good job of placing them, using them the right way, using the right moves.

"So I'm even more excited to see what I can do and I know I have a lot of potential to be better than I am right now with my hands.

"I've only been playing football since eighth grade, so I definitely have a lot to learn. I'm definitely going to keep working my hands. That's something I'm going to try to focus on and see where it takes me from here."

Panasiuk needs to learn to play lower, with a flat back. But the strength he has in his upper body is complemented by excellent power in his lower body and through his core, as he is able to pop his hips forward and run his feet after engaging.

And that's based on 2014 film - before his weight training reached a new level.

Combine the strength, with a natural penchant for using his hands with the fact that he isn't even playing with a low pad level yet and the 6-foot-2, 275-pound Panasiuk is one of the more intriguing players in MSU's 2016 recruiting class.

"Coach Dantonio told me to keep working and just focus on my team," Panasiuk said. "Last year, we went 5-4 but we didn't have the points to get into the playoffs.This year, I plan on being a leader of my team, helping out everybody and leading my team to the playoffs and making a run for it when we get there."

Press release from MSUSpartans.com:



Allen Headlines Rimington Trophy Watch List

The USA TODAY All-American was named one of six finalists for the 2014 Rimington Trophy.



EAST LANSING, Mich. – Michigan State fifth-year senior and USA TODAY All-American Jack Allen has been named to the 2015 watch list for the Rimington Trophy, presented to college football’s most outstanding center since 2000. Allen, who heads into his fourth season as a starter on the Spartan offensive line, was selected as one of six finalists for the 2014 Rimington Trophy.

In addition to Allen, the 63-player watch list features five other Big Ten centers, including Iowa’s Austin Blythe, Ohio State’s Jacoby Boren, Penn State’s Angelo Mangiro, Purdue’s Robert Kugler and Wisconsin’s Dan Voltz.

The 6-foot-2, 296-pound Allen earned first-team All-Big Ten (by both the league’s head coaches and media) and first-team USA TODAY All-America honors as a junior in 2014. He emerged as the first Spartan center to land on the All-Big Ten First Team since Jason Strayhorn in 1998. Allen became the first Michigan State offensive lineman to earn first-team All-America honors since 1997: tackle Flozell Adams (Walter Camp Football Foundation) and guard Scott Shaw(Gannett News Service). In addition, he became just the fourth center in Spartan history to earn first-team All-America honors, joining Dick Tamburo (1952), Dan Currie (1957) and Dave Behrman (1962).

Allen also was named All-American by The Associated Press (third team), Athlon Sports (fourth team), Phil Steele (fourth team) and SI.com (honorable mention). In addition, he received MSU’s Up Front Award as the team’s outstanding offensive lineman.

The Hinsdale, Illinois, native led the team with 18.5 dominators and ranked second with a career-best 85.5 knockdowns in 2014. Allen, started 11 of MSU’s 13 games at center (missed the Wyoming and Indiana games with an ankle injury), didn’t allow a sack all season. The offensive line allowed just 11 sacks, which ranked as the fewest in the Big Ten and tied for third-fewest in the NCAA FBS.

Allen anchored the line for the most prolific offense in school history, as the Spartans set school single-season records for points (559), total offense (6,510 yards; 500.8 yards per game), offensive touchdowns (70), rushing touchdowns (44), scoring average (43.0 points per game), rushing yards (3,057) and first downs (321). MSU ranked second in the Big Ten and seventh in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision in scoring, averaging a school-record 43.0 points per game. The Spartans also ranked second in the Big Ten and 11th in the NCAA FBS in total offense, averaging a school-record 500.8 yards per game. In addition, MSU ranked No. 1 in the Big Ten in passing offense (265.6 ypg.) and fifth in the Big Ten and 19th in the FBS in rushing offense (235.3 ypg.).The offensive line paved the way for Jeremy Langford, who closed out his career with a school-record streak of 10 consecutive 100-yard rushing games.

“Jack Allen is defined by his toughness, grit and never-give-into-defeat attitude,” MSU offensive line coach Mark Staten said. “His ability to lead our offense allowed MSU to break nearly every school record during his junior season. Others put up the statistical numbers and earned the headlines, but it doesn’t matter to Jack who gets the credit as long as his team is on the winning side of the score at the end of the game. Since his sophomore year and MSU’s Big Ten title run in 2013, Jack has understood that our offense relies on his energy and leadership in the huddle.

“He is a complete-team guy and it doesn’t stop on game days. Jack’s an outstanding student, with a 3.5-plus grade-point average in hospitality business, and he’s been involved in numerous community service projects, reading to school children and visiting the local hospital. He enjoys volunteering his time to help have a positive impact on others.

“Jack has spent the two previous offseasons studying video of NFL centers to help him gain an edge. Already a first-team All-American as a junior, he has the work ethic, passion and patience to become the most outstanding center in college football.”

He was named to AP’s and SI.com’s All-Bowl Teams after MSU gained 552 total yards, including 238 yards on the ground, as the Spartans rallied from a 20-point fourth-quarter deficit for a 42-41 victory over fifth-ranked Baylor in the 2015 Cotton Bowl Classic.

Allen was selected Spartan Offensive Player of the Week after producing six knockdowns, including two dominators, in MSU’s 34-10 victory in the regular-season finale at Penn State. It marked MSU’s largest margin of victory ever at State College, and the 34 points also were the most scored by a Spartan team at Penn State.

He compiled a career-best 12.5 knockdowns in the win over Michigan, including four dominators. In the Big Ten opener vs. No. 19 Nebraska, Allen recorded a team-best nine knockdowns. He was named the Spartan Offensive Lineman of the Week vs. Eastern Michigan after leading the team with nine knockdowns as MSU rushed for 336 yards against the Eagles.

A three-year starter on the offensive line, Allen has played in 36 career games, including 35 starts (30 at center, five at left guard). He has registered 207.5 career knockdowns.

The award is named in honor of Dave Rimington, a two-time first-team All-American (1981 and ’82) at Nebraska who also became the only two-time winner of the Outland Trophy as the nation’s finest interior lineman.

Finalists for the award will be identified on Dec. 7, with the winner announced at the Home Depot College Football Awards Show on Dec. 10 in Atlanta, Georgia. The formal presentation of the Rimington Trophy will be made on Jan. 16, 2016, in Lincoln, Nebraska.

This is our projected unofficial 2-deep for MSU for the outset of fall camp. This isn't necessarily our projection for the 2-deep for the opener vs WMU. For example, we would move Jon Reschke ahead of Shane Jones at No. 2 MLB by the time the opener comes around. But for now, Jones will be ahead of him because Jones showed some improvement during spring practice while Reschke has had trouble getting back on the field.

We will be plugging this projection into the 2-deep area on the front of SpartanMag.com in the coming days.


OFFENSE
QB
Connor Cook 6-4, 220
Tyler O’Connor, 6-3, 222
Damion Terry, 6-3, 230

RB
Gerald Holmes 6-0, 218
Madre London 6-1, 220
Larry Scott 6-1, 215
Nick Tompkins 5-9, 180

WR
Arron Burbridge 6-1, 208
AJ Troup 6-2 , 215
Monty Madaris 6-1, 198

WR
Macgarrett Kings 5-10, 186
RJ Shelton 5-11, 200
DeAnthony Arnett 5-11, 182

TE
Josiah Price 6-4, 250
Jamal Lyles 6-3, 260
Paul Lang 6-5, 253
Dylan Chmura 6-4, 245
Matt Sokol 6-5, 244

FB
Trevon Pendleton 6-0, 250
Dylan Chmura 6-4, 245
David Fennell 6-2, 305

OT
Jack Conklin 6-6, 317
Dennis Finley 6-6, 305
David Beedle 6-5, 315
Chase Gianacakos 6-6, 300

OT
Kodi Kieler 6-6, 310
Miquel Machado 6-6, 300
Nick Padla 6-6, 293

OG
Brian Allen 6-2, 306
Brandon Clemons 6-3, 305

OG
Donavon Clark 6-4, 317
Benny McGowan 6-3, 316

C
Jack Allen 6-2, 295
Brian Allen 6-2, 306
Devyn Salmon 6-1, 313

DEFENSE

DE
Lawrence Thomas, 6-4, 300
Demetrius Cooper 6-5, 245
Evan Jones, 6-5, 252

DE
Shilique Calhoun 6-5, 250
Montez Sweat 6-6, 239
Robert Bowers 6-4, 235

NT
Malik McDowell 6-6, 285
Enoch Smith 6-2, 282
David Fennell 6-2, 305
Craig Evans 6-2, 328

DT
Joel Heath 6-6, 296
Damon Knox 6-5, 280
Gerald Owens 6-2, 260

Star LB
Darien Harris 6-0, 220
TJ Harrell 6-1, 211
Chris Frey 6-2, 226

Money LB
Ed Davis 6-3, 233
Chris Frey 6-2, 226
Tyriq Thompson, 6-1, 228

Mike LB
Riley Bullough 6-2, 230
Shane Jones 6-1, 228
Jon Reschke 6-2, 230
Byron Bullough 6-1, 230


FCB
Jermaine Edmondson 6-0, 181
Darian Hicks 5-10, 178
Justin Williams 6-0, 179

BCB
Arjen Colquhoun 6-1, 197
Vayante Copeland 6-0, 200
Demetrious Cox 6-1, 200

BS
RJ Williamson 6-0, 215
Demetrious Cox 6-1, 200
Mark Meyers 6-0, 185

FS
Montae Nicholson 6-2, 216
Jalen Watts-Jackson 5-11, 200
Matt Morrissey 6-2, 200

Oh wait, that's not a riot, it's a "bonfire" and a "celebration." Thank goodness those benches weren't couches and that party wasn't in East Lansing

Add Another One to the Fire

I just did some math and in the 10 match ups between Izzo and Coach K, Duke has shot 119 more FT than MSU (291 to 172) and been whistled for 59 fewer fouls (183 to 242). Don't worry, I am sure it is just because "they are more talented and aggressive to the basket" Sure, that must be it.

I will set the over-under for MSU players with 2 fouls at the 2nd media timeout to be 2.5. I fully expect quick whistles (on one side of the court only) and to have some combination of Dawson, Valentine, Shilling, and Costello on the bench. If MSU can survive until half time, the 2nd half should be fine, but that first half makes me nervous. I will likely be sending angry tweets to @NCAA about the officiating. Can't hurt, right?

OK-lighten up.

I miss Optiking. He took the pressure off.

(only loop will appreciate this one)
This post was edited on 3/21 8:18 AM by rob22

Now that we all can breathe easy for a week or so and think about the BTT and NCAA seeding, how about a trivia question? On some level, a 10-seed would have been fun for MSU, as it would have given Izzo a shot to become only the 6th coach in tournament history to get a win over all 16 seeds. Izzo is currently 0-3 against 7-seeds (including last year's loss to UCONN). Incidentally, Jud did get a win over a 7-seed in 1979, so MSU is one of only 10 programs to have accomplished the clean sweep of seeds. So, here is the question:

Which 5 coaches have accomplished the seed clean sweep, having notched a win over all 16 seeds in their career? As a hint, only 1 is currently active, and it is NOT coach K. (Coach K is 0-1 against 10-seeds.)

As a bonus, name the other 9 programs with a clean sweep. Only one other school in is the Big Ten. Please note that seeding only began in 1979.

If MSU were an average FT shooting team and not a horrible one, what would our record be? I seems like we would have beaten ND, Texas Southern, Maryland (at home), Illinois, and Minnesota. We would be 15-3 in B1G play (2nd place) and 26-5 overall. We would be probably ranked around #10 in the country, probably a 3-seed, and rooting hard for OSU to upset Wisconsin tomorrow.