The Spartans came out and crushed Washington State in the 40th anniversary of the Holiday Bowl. Here are three takeaways from the Michigan State blowout.
Michigan State fans had plenty of reason to be giddy at halftime of the Holiday Bowl. The Spartans racked up 265 yards of offense in the first 30 minutes of play, building a 21-3 lead by intermission. Michigan State’s defense kept Tyler Hilinski in check in his first start at quarterback for Washington State, giving up just 89 yards on 17-of-24 passing.
Four decades ago, the Spartans and Cougars played a 23-21 thriller in East Lansing that was won by Washington State. In San Diego, Mark Dantonio’s team needed only part of the game to reach that mark. It looked far more like Michigan State’s postwar dominance of the Cougars in the late 1940s and early 1950s.
Coming out of the break, the Spartans kept pouring on the points. The Spartans ran away with a 42-17 win over Washington State on Thursday night. The rout by Michigan State continued a trend of big gaps in margin of victory throughout the bowl season. They set themselves up for a big run at the Big Ten title in 2018 with a statement win to close out 2017.
LJ Scott looked great for the Spartans, and he will be back for another season in 2018 after the standout performance. The junior finished the Holiday Bowl with 110 yards and two scores on 18 carries. Scott added another 26 yards on two receptions. It was a standout performance from a back with options on the table.
What else did we learn about these two teams from the nightcap to bowl action on the last Thursday of December. Keep reading for three takeaways from the Holiday Bowl victory by the Spartans over Washington State.