Mark Dantonio: Cotton Bowl matchup puts Michigan State in national conversation, spotlight

Dantonio likes the opportunity it presents for his football program to continue to gain stature under his direction, as this will be MSU's eighth-straight bowl appearance since he took over.

"You look at this football game, it's a New Year's Day bowl game, it's right before the playoff games, so there will be a lot of national attention on the game,'' Dantonio said. "We want to be in the national conversation, and I think this game will have that conversation of, 'should Baylor be in that game, where's Baylor at, they were in the conversation the last week.'

"So there will be a lot of media attention on this, and that's what our guys enjoy. We want to be a player in that conversation as time goes on."

Robert J Sakimano wrote:I suspect the same would be said if we were going to the Orange Bowl and playing Georgia Tech.. "it's a tradtiional New Years Day game in the spotlight.. playing the team that lost in the conference championship game to the undefeated and defending National Champion.. who had last year's Heisman Trophy winner".. blah blah blah.

it's spin, promotion, etc - for alumni, fans, recruits. I can't imagine any coach saying "we suck, the team we're playing sucks, the bowl game sucks and I hate that we even have to go".

Travis of the Cosmos wrote:
That would be hilarious if they did though.

it's spin, promotion, etc - for alumni, fans, recruits. I can't imagine any coach saying "we suck, the team we're playing sucks, the bowl game sucks and I hate that we even have to go".

InTenSity wrote:

We're gonna go out there, try a few new things, if they work, they work, if not, well, whatever. Probably going with the backup QB and a few new RB's because the seniors are leaving and our QB has had some issues during the year, we probably won't use him next year. We're just kinda meh, on this matchup, if we win, cool, if not, who cares.

Robert J Sakimano wrote:"We gotta play 'em one day at a time.... I'm just happy to be here. Hope I can help the ballclub..I just want to give it my best shot, and the good Lord willing, things will work out"..

Robert J Sakimano wrote:"We gotta play 'em one day at a time.... I'm just happy to be here. Hope I can help the ballclub..I just want to give it my best shot, and the good Lord willing, things will work out"..

DWags wrote:

If we get knocked down, we just need to get back up.

DWags wrote:

If we get knocked down, we just need to get back up.