Not much doubt as to which program enjoyed the most balanced success this year. The football team set the tone by going to a New Year’s Day bowl game. And the basketball team finished the job by first winning the Big Ten crown and then making a run all to the way to the final game of the NCAA Tournament.

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Since the retirement of Barry Alvarez, there has been a vacuum in the area of a program that can be a consistent contender, just below the powers-that-be and occasionally stealing a conference title. Dantonio looks like he’s filling the vacuum..