LOCAL

With no bowl game, what's a Spartan to do?

Christopher Haxel, Lansing State Journal
Head coach Mark Dantonio after a 38-0 loss in the 80th Annual Cotton Bowl Classic Thursday, December 30, 2015 in Arlington, Texas.

EAST LANSING - There’s no other way to frame it: Michigan State’s football season went straight into the gutter.

For the first time in a decade, the Spartans won’t be traveling to a bowl game, which means fans have one less day — or week — to mark on their calendar. This may be a one-year window to make alternative plans.

For those wondering what to do on or around Jan. 1, here are a few options.

Actual bowling

It’s cold, the Spartans’ season is over and every other school in Michigan is bowl eligible. Maybe this is the year to turn off the television and strike out to one of the area’s bowling alleys. Spartans are familiar with the number “300” anyway, and, without a bowl game, fans should have time to spare.

Adopt a directional

All three of Michigan’s mid-major teams are bowl eligible, which gives Spartans fans three good options when deciding which school to “adopt” for temporary fandom.

How do the Bahamas sound? Eastern Michigan won three games during Chris Creighton’s first two seasons as head coach, but logged seven victories during the current regular season. The Eagles have secured their first winning season in more than 20 years and last week accepted a bid to play in the Popeye’s Bahamas Bowl on Dec. 23. It’s the team’s first bowl appearance since 1987, and travel packages are available now through the team’s website. Folks who have a soft spot for underdogs, or want to root for a team that has a player named Lion King, should adopt the Eagles.

Western Michigan closed out its first undefeated season since 1941 on Friday against Ohio University in the Mid-American Conference championship game. The Broncos recorded their first-ever bowl win last season and will meet Wisconsin in the Cotton Bowl at 1 p.m. Jan. 2. Spartans fans who want to root for the best directional team should “row the boat” alongside head coach P.J. Fleck.

CMU senior and Lansing Catholic graduate Cooper Rush was picked up by the Dallas Cowboys as an undrafted free agent.

Central Michigan isn’t as historically bad as Eastern Michigan and lost both of its intrastate matchups. But the team has more local players on its roster than the other two directional schools combined. Charlotte native and Lansing Catholic graduate Cooper Rush leads the Chippewas at quarterback, joining eight teammates from the Lansing area. The Chips finished the season 6-6, and secured a bid to the Miami Beach Bowl at 2:30 p.m. Dec. 19. Eastern will play Old Dominion in the Popeyes Bahamas Bowl at 1 p.m. Dec. 23.

A patriotic circus

Metaphorically speaking, Washington, D.C., is sure to be a circus for the foreseeable future. What better time to visit the nation’s capital than in the midst of preparations for president-elect Donald Trump’s Jan. 20 inauguration? American Airlines began offering direct flights from Capitol Region International Airport this summer, and a quick glance at ticket prices shows round trip flights available for about $320. Washington may not be as warm as some of the more exotic bowl locations, but fans who need their football fix can check out the Military Bowl in nearby Annapolis on Dec. 27. 

Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh reacts to a referee's call during the game against Michigan State on Saturday, Oct. 29, 2016 at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing.

A German tradition

Schadenfreude, a term borrowed from German that refers to pleasure derived from the misfortune of others, is the boom or bust option. Michigan missed the College Football Playoff after its heartbreaking loss against Ohio State, but the Wolverines will face the Florida State Seminoles in the Orange Bowl at 8 p.m. Dec. 30, there’s nothing wrong with taking up the colors of Michigan’s opponent. But while Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh will probably throw a sideline tantrum no matter the game’s outcome, there’s also a decent chance Michigan wins the game, which could make this season even more painful for Spartans everywhere.

Existential searching

Just as Tyler O’Connor could not always control where he threw the football, we humans cannot control the whims of Mother Nature. Don some weather-appropriate attire and walk the Lansing River Trail. Listen to the harsh winter winds howl through the woods. Watch the barren branches for periodic signs of life. Feel the crunch of dead leaves beneath your feet. Ponder the fragile civilization we’ve built on this pale blue dot. The banks of the Red Cedar River may change, but the Spartan spirit is immutable. Life begins anew during the Green-White Spring Game, and this too shall pass. Probably.

Contact Christopher Haxel at 517-377-1261 or chaxel@lsj.com. Follow him on Twitter @ChrisHaxel.