My favorite bowl memory probably isn’t much different than a lot of Michigan State Spartans followers’ favorite: MSU’s 20-17 win over the University of Southern California Trojans in the 1988 Rose Bowl in Pasadena.
The “Grand Daddy of ‘em all,” it’s billed. And that game didn’t fail to disappoint.
I had just turned age 6 just two days prior. I was learning about the Spartans, and running back Lorenzo White had already captured my attention. But being a kid in the Flint area, my uncle, whom I learned a lot from through the years, kept telling me about a guy named Andre Rison, who previously played prep ball at Flint Northwestern.
I heard the name before, but couldn’t put two and two together until my uncle said, “It’s the same guy, Adam.” I thought it was pretty neat that a guy from my area who was so good played for my favorite college team. As a writer for a Flint newspaper, I had the chance to interview Rison a couple times. I’ll try to remember him as I did as a kid. But that’s another story.
Of course, Rison’s catch in the fourth quarter helped seal the deal by setting up a game-winning field goal. For some reason, I always thought it was Ralf Mojsijenko who kicked that field goal. But years later, around age 12, I did some research. Mojsiejenko was a punter at Michigan State a few years earlier, not a kicker. And it was John Langeloh who kicked the game-winner in the Rose Bowl.
I’ve won a few bets on that trivia question.
I actually had a VHS tape of that game that I watched over and over until losing it sometime in the late 1990s. I do remember thinking that Spartans quarterback Bobby McAllister stepped out of bounds prior to slinging the ball to a sideline-streaking Rison, who hauled in a beautiful catch.
Thanks to the magic of the Internet, I no longer have to wonder. McAllister didn’t step out of bounds, and I can watch most of the highlights online, along with former coach George Perles’ pregame interview.
“Are you against me, or for me?” Perles reportedly asked his team. I’ll always remember that.
After further viewing of the highlights online, I vaguely remember Joe Bergin’s sack of USC quarterback Rodney Peete and interception a play or two later. You’ll have to forgive me, as I don’t remember everthing exactly how it happened — I was 6! However, You Tube helped jog my memory.
The Spartans’ Rose Bowl win really sparked my interest in college football. I then got interested in the NFL, because I wanted to follow the Spartans as their careers progressed. Percy Snow was my favorite NFL player when I was about age 8, just because he was a Spartan. He was drafted by Kansas City, and had a younger brother, Eric, who was a great player for Jud Heathcote’s basketball team. White was my favorite running back, and he was drafted by Houston. I even rooted for Blake Ezor, who was drafted by Denver a couple years later.
I now try to watch meaningful games with my nephew, as my uncle did with me. My nephew is 9, and knows much more about sports than other kids his age. We’ve watched games together for about six years, so he’s off to a quicker start than I had. He loves watching Spartans football, but his grandfather has tried to convert him to a Michigan fan.
But I won’t let that happen.
A close second…
Michigan State’s 37-34 win over the Florida Gators in the 2000 Citrus Bowl was a memorable one. Paul Edinger’s field goal — another game-winner — clinched a win for Michigan State, which just lost coach Nick Saban. I was a senior in high school, and that spring, the Spartans went on to win the 2000 NCAA basketball national title over… you guessed it: the Gators.
Adam Biggers has followed NCAA football for over 20 years, specifically the Michigan State Spartans. He’s written for newspapers, magazines, web sites and blogs over the years, and currently freelances for Yahoo! Sports, covering the Spartans (basketball and football).