During spring ball before the COVID-madness, Spartan offensive coordinator Kevin McGiven and head coach Brent Brennan looked at each other with kid-giddiness after both recognized they really had something special.
Fast-forward 10 months through trial and travel, through pounding wins, and through an unwavering bond, the Spartans left no doubt they earned the Mountain West Championship over Boise State in a prototypical grinding, relentless, end-to-end style.
The 34-20 win is the Spartans first Mountain West title. Their last title was 1991. It was improbable for most but most probable for those in the Sparta orbit.