EAST LANSING, Mich. – After just about every game this season, Michigan State coach Mark Dantonio made a point of saying the Spartans still hadn’t played their best football.
His caveat didn’t stop MSU from sliding in the polls even in victory, or tumbling all the way out of the Top 10 following the one-point loss at Nebraska on Nov. 7.
Dantonio’s litany finally stopped in the aftermath of Saturday’s 55-16 offensive, defensive and special teams thrashing of Penn State in the regular-season finale at Spartan Stadium.
The victory propelled Michigan State back into the Big Ten Championship Game for the third time since playing in the inaugural conference final in 2011, and had Dantonio striking a decidedly different note with the East Division championship in hand.