Michigan State Football ended their 2021 regular season with a 30-27 home triumph over Penn State in snowy Spartan Stadium last Saturday night.

The Spartans end the regular season with a 10-2 record, their best record since 2017 (the next to last year of the Mark Dantonio era).

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So the next question involving Michigan State football is:  Where are you going for a bowl game this holiday season?

Let's get the obvious stuff out of the way first:

COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFF

That's gone.  That ended with the Ohio State loss.  Next...

THE ROSE BOWL

This is gone, too.  If Iowa beats Michigan on Saturday, the Hawkeyes go to Pasadena.  If Michigan beats Iowa, the Rose Bowl will pick Ohio State over MSU.

THE NEW YEAR'S SIX BOWLS- IF MICHIGAN BEATS IOWA

This is the most likely scenario.  This means either the Fiesta, Peach or Sugar Bowl.  That's because they're out of the Rose Bowl (see above), and the Orange and Cotton Bowls are the College Football Playoff Semifinal games this year.

The Sugar Bowl (New Orleans) is out.  Alabama is likely headed here (assuming they lose to Georgia in the SEC title game), they would play either Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, or Baylor here (the SEC is contracted to play the Big 12).  Which leaves the Fiesta Bowl or Peach Bowl.

The Fiesta Bowl in Arizona is a possibility, they could play the ACC champion here (Wake Forest or Pittsburgh).  But I don't think that's very appealing.  They'll have trouble selling tickets to that, IMO.

The Peach Bowl in Atlanta is more likely, IMO.  This could be juicy, a possible matchup with 11-1 Notre Dame would be fun.  People in Michigan can drive there (how many of you have passed through Atlanta on the way to Florida for a family vacation?), and facing the Fighting Irish would be very appealing to Spartan fans.

BUT WHAT IF IOWA BEATS MICHIGAN ON SATURDAY?

This changes things dramatically.  In that scenario, Iowa goes to the Rose Bowl (as the Big Ten champ).  Ohio State and Michigan could both get selected for the New Year's Six bowl slots, and MSU gets relegated to the Citrus Bowl in Orlando.

But if the New Year's Six takes either Ohio State or Michigan (but not both), MSU could get relegated down to the Outback Bowl in Tampa.  That would be a disappointment for State after a 10-2 season.

What do you guys think?  Let us know!!

BTW--I will have thoughts on Michigan's big victory over Ohio State tomorrow.

 

SEE MORE: The Ten Best Running Backs in MSU Football History

 

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