4 Rose Bowl Special Edition | The State N ews | tu esday, janua ry 7, 2014 | state n e ws.com spartan football
Beau Hayhoe bhayhoe@statenews.com
For students, win is everything It was like something out of a dream. As soon as I stepped out of my car at the Rose Bowl and saw one of college football’s most historic venues to my left, I knew it was a historic day. MSU’s day. With the sun shining on thousands upon thousands of MSU fans, the spectacle of the Rose Bowl was absolutely incredible. And considering that MSU last played in Pasadena when my parents were in school, it certainly was once-in-a-lifetime for myself and fellow students. Starting with the beauty of the Rose Parade and carrying through to the Spartans’ momentous win, MSU fans brought as much resolve as the team itself. Spartans young and old brought the atmosphere, enthusiasm and excitement of an MSU tailgate more than 2,000 miles west — they started early, sang the fight song the whole day and carried the energy through right past game time. No one took the opportunity for granted. It was inspiring to see the lengths most fans, particularly students, made to get out to the game, including scraping together every last cent to travel and attend a historic moment. Fans seemed just as excited to be there as players, if not almost more so — a nearly impossible feat which matched the perseverance of the team itself.
Our spirit never wavered, even after Stanford rolled down the field with pinpoint precision to put the first points on the scoreboard. And when much-maligned players like Bennie Fowler rose up to make big grabs, the ensuing response from Spartans was nothing short of pure joy. As MSU battled back from an early deficit, an interception returned for a touchdown and some key stops by Stanford, I could feel a win coming. I’m sure even fans who doubted the outcome could feel the tide turn, as well. And that’s exactly the way things played out. The Spartans fulfilled head coach Mark Dantonio’s epic prophecy, a video shot in early 2013 in the Rose Bowl itself in which the stoic coach reiterated his lofty goal for the program.
MSU’s victory was emotional and thrilling on so many levels for students and fans of the program The tides of the game turned somewhat slowly, but as time wore on, it looked more and more like MSU would rise to the challenge. Following senior linebacker Kyler Elsworth’s outstanding, season-defining fourth-down stop, pandemonium erupted. To my delight, the celebration didn’t stop, and reached new levels as senior quarterback Andrew Maxwell took that final knee to ice the game. I expected to hear the fight song on repeat by the band in the moments afterward. But I wasn’t prepared for the tears I shed; the utter, pure joy on the faces of so many of my fellow students, as people literally screamed themselves hoarse. When Dantonio took the microphone during the celebration and talked about completion, resolve and toughness, he spoke for
Spartans everywhere. My tears kept flowing. There are certain moments that are tough to explain in terms of meaning, but I like to think that I, along with many other fans, was overcome with the realization that MSU, quite simply, did it. And those are the words that have repeated in my mind over and over again these past few days, every few moments: MSU won the Rose Bowl. A team that had been doubted all season long, both locally and nationally, pulled off the biggest turnaround in school history, meeting the skyhigh expectations of a community and a coach driven by greatness. After the game, as I left the stadium and met some of my mom’s old college friends, we talked about the win, the celebration and the big plays that will grow to define this team’s legacy and legend. It was unlike any other postgame experience I’ve ever had. Sure, we relived an MSU victory. But we did it outside the Rose Bowl. Standing in the shadow of that hallowed stadium, the people I spoke to told me how they’d attended the last Rose Bowl in 1988, and knew they had to make it back this time. For these fans, like so many others, the circle was complete. And later, as I waited for some fellow students outside the stadium, I was overcome once again. Although the grounds were nearly empty at that point, I felt more a part of MSU than ever before. At long last, the Spartans were the ones. Just like Dantonio said they’d be. Beau Hayhoe is the State News sports editor. Reach him at bhayhoe@statenews.com.
university
Julia Nagy/The State News
Spartan fans cheer during the 100th Rose Bowl game against Stanford on Wednesday in Pasadena, Calif. The Spartans defeated the Cardinal, 24-20.
To get to California, students take extraordinary steps By Stephen Brooks sbrooks@statenews.com The State News nn
PASADENA, Calif. – Christmas presents. Early graduation gifts. Loans from family. Secret stashes from summer jobs. Begging. These are the common avenues students took to secure the necessary financing required to travel to see MSU in the 100th Rose Bowl. “I had to go,” said Jason Korth, a construction management senior. “It’s the best experience I’ve had as a Michigan State student thus far.” Korth traveled from Washington, D.C. to meet a group of fellow senior Spartans for what they deemed a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Finance senior Jacob McDonough had similar feelings, opting to make whatever moves were necessary to see the Spartans play in their first Rose Bowl since 1988. As seniors, a chance to close out their last year at MSU by visiting one of college football’s
most hallowed sanctuaries was too good to pass up. The decision was made in an instant — McDonough was going to the California. McDonough and six other friends coordinated their own travel and met in Pasadena for an opportunity few thought would be possible at the start of the season. Before the game, McDonough was fired up about attending. “I can’t wait to get in there and see what the atmosphere’s like in the Rose Bowl,” McDonough said. Arriving in Southern California days before the game, Korth, packaging senior Luke Captain and supply chain management senior Tyler Watko were shocked to see fans clad in green and white while visiting various tourist locations in the area. The group attended the MSU pep rally on New Year’s Eve when a reported 27,000 Spartan fans gathered in downtown Los Angeles. MSU filled a significant chunk of the stands, painting a sea of green across the iconic venue. “It felt like I was in East Lansing on campus with how many Spartans came out,” Korth said.
“It makes you feel at home. Everywhere you go — Venice Beach, Santa Monica, Hollywood — you run into someone. Everywhere.” Marketing senior Shane Trojanowski, who met McDonough on the West Coast, also was surprised by the overwhelming number of Spartan supporters, many of whom congregated afterwards and could be seen throughout the region in the days after. “It’s good to see all the (Michigan) State people out here, especially so far away from home,” he said. The financial and logistical strategies varied as much as the travel routes. But the prevailing theme amongst the Spartan students temporarily transplanted out west was that any hurdles were well worth the experience. Considering MSU’s last trip to the Rose Bowl occurred before most — likely any — current students were born 26 years ago, this opportunity was one many Spartans couldn’t let pass by. “It’s a lifetime experience, like something you can’t miss,” Captain said.
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