Michigan State football: What to watch vs. Washington State at Holiday Bowl
EAST LANSING – Looking ahead to No. 19 Michigan State’s game against No. 21 Washington State in the Holiday Bowl on Dec. 28 in San Diego.
3 things to know
First time: MSU missed a bowl game last season for the first time in coach Mark Dantonio’s now 11 seasons. For many of the Spartans, this will be their first bowl experience. That includes their 13 true freshmen who played this season (along with 23 who are redshirting), 16 redshirt freshmen and four second-year sophomores. A number of players in the sophomore and junior class also did not play during MSU’s last bowl game, the Spartans’ College Football Playoff semifinal loss to Alabama on Dec. 31, 2015 in Dallas.
Where in the world: Despite having played in 10 bowl games under Dantonio and 26 postseason appearances in program history, the Spartans have never played in the Holiday Bowl since it was created in 1978. This will be MSU’s seventh bowl game in California – five visits to the Rose Bowl in Pasadena and a 2001 trip to the Silicon Valley Classic in San Jose. The Spartans have just one current player from California in true freshman defensive back Emmanuel Flowers, who is redshirting.
RELATED:
- Couch: Holiday Bowl feels like a snub for Michigan State, which is perfect for Dantonio
- MSU's Dantonio: Holiday Bowl bid vs. Washington State not a slight
Ties to past: MSU and Washington State have played seven times, five in East Lansing and all prior to the inception of the Holiday Bowl. The Cougars won the last meeting in 1977, but MSU won five in a row between 1946 and 1970. One Washington State alum went on to become one of the Spartans’ most important coaches in history – Jud Heathcote played basketball for the Cougars from 1946-49, then served there as an assistant coach from 1964-71. He arrived at MSU in 1976 and led the Spartans to the 1979 NCAA basketball title and retired in 1995. Heathcote died Aug. 28 at his home in Spokane, Wash.
Up next
Matchup: No. 19 Michigan State (9-3) vs. No. 21 Washington State (9-3)
When: 9 p.m. ET, Dec. 28
Where: San Diego County Credit Union Stadium, San Diego
TV/radio: Fox Sports 1, WJR-AM (760).
Line: TBD.
Three things about Washington State
Pirate talk: One of the most colorful coaches in college football, Cougars coach Mike Leach is 122-80 in 16 seasons between Texas Tech and WSU. He is 38-37 with the Cougars and 1-2 in bowl games, including a 17-12 loss to Minnesota in last year's Holiday Bowl.
Air Raid: Leach’s pass-dominant “Air Raid” offense, which runs out of the shotgun with four wide receivers and is similar to the run-and-shoot, ranks second in the nation and led the Pac-12 at 374.8 yards per game. QB Luke Falk ranks 13th in the nation with 3,593 passing yards this season, and the junior has 30 touchdowns to 13 interceptions while going 357 of 534. Tavares Martin Jr. is fourth in the Pac-12 at 75.5 yards per game and leads WSU with 70 catches and nine TDs, but he is one of nine receivers with 24 or more receptions this season. The Cougars ranked last in the Pac-12 at 71.7 rushing yards per game, but they are scoring 31.4 points a game.
On the D: The Cougars rank second in the Pac-12 in total defense (313.6) and fourth by allowing 24.4 points per game. Junior defensive lineman Hercules Mata'afa leads the Pac-12 at 9.5 sacks and 21.5 tackles for a loss. Sophomore safety Jalen Thompson ranks first in the Pac-12 with three fumble recoveries and is tied for third with four interceptions. Opponents had a Pack-12 low 188 first downs against WSU this season, in part because its offense led the league in time of possession at 33:11.
More:
- Michigan football will play South Carolina in the Outback Bowl
- Central Michigan heads to Idaho Potato Bowl; Western Michigan left out
- Michigan State football miffed after Outback Bowl picks Michigan
Contact Chris Solari: csolari@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @chrissolari. Download our Spartans Xtra app for free on Apple and Android devices!