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MSU football reacts to the Holiday Bowl berth

The Spartans are heading to San Diego for the Holiday Bowl, but players aren’t sure how to react

By Kyle Thele
NCAA Football: Michigan State at Ohio State Greg Bartram-USA TODAY Sports

A year ago today a berth in any bowl this season seemed like a lot to ask. But the Michigan State Spartans not only earned a bowl berth, they had expectations of playing on New Years Day.

Unfortunately, that hope didn’t come to fruition. While MSU is playing in a bowl game, it won’t be on New Years Day. Instead, they are heading to San Diego to play Washington State in the Holiday Bowl on December 28.

There are a number of reasons why Michigan State missed out on bowls like the Citrus or Outback, random bowl agreements and the Big Ten getting held out of the playoffs tops among them. But the one that burns the most is the Outback Bowl choosing Michigan over MSU despite the Spartans finishing with a better record and a head-to-head win.

This selection, likely explained by those making the decision believing that Michigan is a bigger draw and will bring in more money, has left a number of MSU players unsure of how to feel. Some are excited just to return to bowl season, while others feel a little jilted.

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