Spartan Football Redbox Bowl Daily Update
12/26/2018 7:37:00 PM | Football
@MSU_Football 
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MSU (7-5) will take on Oregon (8-4) in the Redbox Bowl on Monday, Dec. 31 in Santa Clara, California, at 12 p.m. PT/3 p.m. ET in Levi's Stadium. The game will be televised nationally on FOX.
For daily updates on MSU's trip to the Bay Area for the Redbox Bowl, follow the Spartans on Twitter @msu_football and online at msuspartans.com.
DAY 6 - MONDAY, DEC. 31
Following five days in the Bay Area in preparation for the Redbowl Bowl, Monday brought game day with kickoff between Michigan State and Oregon at Levi's Stadium.
After breakfast, MSU had final game preparations, before loading the team buses bound for Levi's Stadium.
A great sendoff from our families and fans leaving the team hotel headed for @LevisStadium for the @RedboxBowl! Kickoff at 3 pm ET / 12 pm PT on @CFBONFOX! #GoGreen #HEAVE #BeatOregon pic.twitter.com/vD8aEdZAX8
— Michigan State Football (@MSU_Football) December 31, 2018
Spartan fans from near and far came to the Redbox Bowl, with many tailgating outside Levi's Stadium, before entering the venue to cheer on the Spartans.
MSU battled tough, but came up short by a final score of 7-6. GAME RECAP | STATS | PHOTO GALLERY
The Spartan football travel party returns to East Lansing on Tuesday.
To wrap up our California Bowl Poster Series, we present the "Bound To Win" game day poster! (3/3) #GoGreen #HEAVE #BeatOregon pic.twitter.com/adOheHEwlq
— Michigan State Football (@MSU_Football) December 31, 2018
DAY 5 - SUNDAY, DEC. 30
After spending five days enjoying San Francisco and the Bay Area, the Michigan State football team is ready to take on Oregon in the Redbox Bowl on New Year's Eve. The Spartans (7-5) and Ducks (8-4) will face each other at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara on Monday, Dec. 31 at 12:05 p.m. PT/3:05 p.m. ET. The game will be televised nationally on FOX with Joe Davis, Brady Quinn and Bruce Feldman on the call.
MSU underwent its final preparations for Oregon on Sunday with team meetings in the morning and a walk-through in the afternoon at Tamalpais High School in Mill Valley. The Spartans rode across the Golden Gate Bridge on their route to Mill Valley, which is located just north of San Francisco.
Some 👀 from today's walk through in the Spartans' final prep for tomorrow's @RedboxBowl vs Oregon - 3 pm ET/ 12 pm PT on @CFBONFOX at @LevisStadium!
— Michigan State Football (@MSU_Football) December 31, 2018
🏈☀️🌉 #GoGreen pic.twitter.com/yahyoPiV14
Between meetings and the walk-through, MSU head coach Mark Dantonio and Spartan captains Joe Bachie, Brian Lewerke and Khari Willis attended the Redbox Bowl pep rally before hundreds of fans at the Justin Herman Plaza in downtown San Francisco.
"We're looking forward to the challenge that Oregon brings," Willis told the crowd at the pep rally, which included the entire Spartan Marching Band, MSU cheerleaders and Sparty. "(We have) much respect, like Coach D said, to the (Oregon) program. It should be a great game. We'll see you around noon. Go Green!"Some 👀 from today's @RedboxBowl Pep Rally with @MSUMarchingBand in attendance!
— Michigan State Football (@MSU_Football) December 30, 2018
🏈☀️🌉 #GoGreen pic.twitter.com/w4QRSbC1DD
Some 👀 from today's @RedboxBowl Pep Rally with @MSUMarchingBand in attendance!
— Michigan State Football (@MSU_Football) December 30, 2018
🏈☀️🌉 #GoGreen pic.twitter.com/w4QRSbC1DD
Coach @DantonioMark & Khari Willis spoke to the crowd at the @RedboxBowl Pep Rally.
— Michigan State Football (@MSU_Football) December 30, 2018
🏈☀️🌉 #GoGreen pic.twitter.com/De4lsNydAq
Michigan State is looking for its second straight bowl win and sixth in the last seven tries as the Spartans take on Oregon in the Redbox Bowl. It will be the first-ever matchup between the two schools in a bowl game.
DAY 4 - SATURDAY, DEC. 29
Kickoff to the Redbox Bowl on New Year's Eve is under 48 hours away as Michigan State held its fourth and final bowl practice in the Bay Area on Saturday afternoon at Laney College in Oakland.
It was a picture-perfect Northern California day to close out practice for the 2018 season, as temperatures reached 60 degrees under sunny skies.
Following the two-hour workout in helmets, shells and shorts, the Spartans continued their longstanding tradition under 12th-year head coach Mark Dantonio as the 2018 seniors walked down a receiving line to share final goodbyes with other teammates, coaches and support staff.
The Spartans continued their longstanding tradition of saying goodbye to the seniors following the last practice of the season. Thank you seniors! pic.twitter.com/J0nXPZDlEp
— Michigan State Football (@MSU_Football) December 29, 2018
After practice, a few Spartans, including junior linebacker Joe Bachie, junior left tackle Cole Chewins, senior wide receiver Felton Davis III, junior defensive tackle Mike Panasiuk, senior tight end Matt Sokol and sophomore wide receiver Cody White, met with the media at team headquarters in the Hyatt Regency for the final time before the Redbox Bowl on Monday.
"The key for this game is everyone being on the same page, all 11 guys on the offense executing and doing their job, and playing aggressive, flying around, knowing what we're doing and everyone making plays when they have the opportunity to," Sokol said.
A huge thank you to our California Highway Patrol police escorts during our @RedboxBowl travels! Thanks for everything you do in helping us get places smoothly and easily!
— Michigan State Football (@MSU_Football) December 29, 2018
🚨🏍#RedboxBowl pic.twitter.com/xc5OEeh3Ep
In the morning, several Spartans and staff members volunteered their time serving more than 600 meals to homeless and low-income individuals at St. Anthony's Dining Room in San Francisco as part of a Redbox Bowl community service project.
Honored to spend some time today at St. Anthony's @stanthonysf Dining Room in San Francisco serving meals to homeless and low-income individuals as part of @RedboxBowl community service project. #SpartansGiveBack pic.twitter.com/ajf2N0RXEd
— Michigan State Football (@MSU_Football) December 29, 2018
"It was a super cool event just to give back and see the smiling faces," said freshman linebacker David Kruse. "It was very heartwarming for us to be able to do that."
The day concluded with a cable car team dinner at Pier 39.
On Sunday, the Spartans will have team meetings in the morning before conducting a walk-through in the afternoon. From noon-1 p.m. PT, Dantonio and members of the team will make an appearance at the official Redbox Bowl pep rally at the Justin Herman Plaza (Market St & Steuart St, San Francisco, CA 94105).
NOTE OF THE DAY:Spartan fans, if you're in the Bay Area Sunday, stop by the @RedboxBowl pep rally at noon in the Justin Herman Plaza! @DantonioMark, select players, Sparty, the Spartan Marching Band & MSU cheerleaders will be on hand!
— Michigan State Football (@MSU_Football) December 29, 2018
Location: Market St & Steuart St, San Francisco, CA 94105.
• Michigan State ranks first in the FBS in rushing defense, allowing just 81.3 yards per game. The Spartans have held their opponent to under 100 yards rushing seven times this season. MSU also has only given up 29 rushes of 10-plus yards, which is tied for fewest in the FBS.
The second poster for the California Bowl Series celebrates our dominating win over the Washington State Cougars in the 2017 Holiday Bowl! (Poster 2/3) #GoGreen #HEAVE pic.twitter.com/elxlmakTIm
— Michigan State Football (@MSU_Football) December 29, 2018
DAY 3 - FRIDAY, DEC. 28
Michigan State football had another eventful day on Friday, getting some San Francisco sight-seeing in before a late-afternoon practice as preparations continue for the Spartans' Redbox Bowl matchup with Oregon on New Year's Eve.
After team meetings in the morning, three MSU players, senior safety Khari Willis, junior quarterback Brain Lewerke and junior defensive tackle Raequan Williams, along with head coach Mark Dantonio met with over 50 media members at a Redbox Bowl Press Conference at the team hotel. Michigan State, Oregon and Bay Area media were in attendance.
"We're really excited about the opportunity coming Monday for our football program, everybody has already talked about this a little bit, but two national brands, we've got a little bit of a history together," Dantonio said. "The Redbox Bowl has been tremendous, the city of San Francisco as well. Our guys are having a great life experience, and it all sort of comes to fruition on Monday, but the experience you have at a bowl game, if you can win it, that's a big positive thing, so we're looking forward to that. Practices have gone very, very well, and this has been a very well organized bowl game, so we're very appreciative."
Hear from @MSU_Football's @DantonioMark, QB @brianlewerke14, S Khari Willis and DL @be_great99 as they preview the 2018 #RedboxBowl #GoGreen #HEAVE https://t.co/zXwGWQvmyP
— Redbox Bowl (@RedboxBowl) December 28, 2018
Coach Dantonio Press Conference Transcript
Following the press conference, the team went sight-seeing, going on a tour of Alcatraz Island.
"It was pretty awesome. You could see all the history behind it. It's pretty crazy to think of those kind of criminals stayed there and what they lived with, and all the different stories of the breakouts and attempts of escaping," junior offensive lineman Cole Chewins said. "The audio tour was my favorite part because you got to learn the history as you went through each different section of the prison. It was just a really, really cool experience."
Upon returning to the mainland, the team returned to Laney College for the Spartans' third practice on the West Coast. MSU practiced for over two hours in full pads under partly cloudy skies with temperatures in the upper-50s.
🌴California Dreamin'🌴#HEAVE #RedBoxBowl pic.twitter.com/uvvxKPSJWH
— Michigan State Football (@MSU_Football) December 29, 2018
At night, the team took a cable-car tour of part of the city and ate dinner at a local San Francisco establishment.
Saturday's activities include a community service project, meetings, practice and a team dinner.
NOTE OF THE DAY:
• Michigan State is making its 28th all-time appearance in a bowl game and its 11th under Dantonio, the most bowl games of any coach in program history. MSU set a school record with nine consecutive bowl appearances from 2007-15, including a school-record four-game winning streak (2011 Outback Bowl over No. 18 Georgia; 2012 Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl over TCU; 2014 Rose Bowl over No. 5 Stanford; 2015 Cotton Bowl over No. 4 Baylor). MSU is 12-15 all-time in bowl games and 5-5 under Dantonio. Dantonio's five bowl wins, including last year's Holiday Bowl against No. 18 Washington State, are also a school record.
DAY 2 - THURSDAY, DEC. 27
Player Quotes
After a long day of travel to the Bay Area and a late afternoon practice on Wednesday, the Michigan State football team was right back at it on Thursday as the Spartans continue to prepare for Oregon in the upcoming Redbox Bowl on New Year's Eve.
Following team meetings in the morning, the Spartans practiced for two-and-a-half hours in full pads in the afternoon at Laney College in Oakland under sunny skies and temperatures in the low-60s.
"I thought we needed to get back into playing shape a little bit, push the envelope a little bit," said MSU head coach Mark Dantonio, who has already won a school-record five bowl games. "We had a lot of different groups going and things of that nature, so we got a lot of work done.
"Today was continuing to focus on Oregon. You have to rep what you're going to do against them offensively, defensively and on special teams in the scope of all this, so it was all about Oregon. We were trying to play at game speed to the best of our ability."
Former Spartan All-American defensive end Shilique Calhoun, now a member of the Oakland Raiders, stopped by practice on Thursday and caught up with Coach Dantonio and several staff members and players. Calhoun was a captain on the 2015 Big Ten Championship and College Football Playoff team that beat Oregon in the last meeting between the two schools.
"It's always good to see Shilique," remarked Dantonio. "He's a very positive guy. When you come into contact with him out here, he makes everybody a little better."
Coach @DantonioMark & the Spartans are honored to have Spartan legend @Shilique89 Calhoun at today's @RedboxBowl practice! #SpartanDawg #RedboxBowl pic.twitter.com/WBeg4tGbHi
— Michigan State Football (@MSU_Football) December 27, 2018
A few players then met with the media at team headquarters in Downtown San Francisco at the Hyatt Regency to preview the Dec. 31 matchup against the Ducks.
One of them was junior wide receiver Darrell Stewart, who talked about his reaction to hearing that a year after playing in the Holiday Bowl in San Diego last year, the Spartans would be playing in the Redbox Bowl in San Francisco this year.
"I was happy. It's a blessing to be able to come to California again, after not having the season that we expected, but still being blessed to come to California. San Francisco is an amazing place to be, there's nice sight seeing and great people," Stewart said. "It's nothing to be down about, I feel like the biggest feeling among the team is we're excited to be in California again. We get to experience another great spot, it might not be as warm as last time (in San Diego), but it's still a great place to be."
Senior linebacker Andrew Dowell echoed Stewart's appreciation for the California weather.
"It's a beautiful state, great weather out here. The Redbox Bowl Committee has been very accommodating to us, so we're looking forward to the game and hopefully going out and getting a win," Dowell said.
His brother, junior safety David Dowell, talked about any fatigue issues the team may have after Wednesday's travel day and practicing Thursday.
"Yesterday was kind of getting acclimated and everything like that, and then today we started rolling in practice. You just kind of push that aside mentally and push through everything physically," David Dowell said.
Sophomore running back Connor Heyward addressed playing the last game with the seniors.
"I think the seniors have all gone out there, and some of them have the chance to go play in the NFL but some of them don't, that's just how life is. But they've all gone out there and led us in the right direction and been very positive, whether we don't want to go out there or not, but you know you have to lean on the guy next to you," Heyward said.
At night, nearly 70 players headed back to Oakland to catch former Spartan All-American forward Draymond Green in action as the Golden State Warriors hosted the Portland Trail Blazers at Oracle Arena.
Hey @MSU_Basketball you know this guy??? @Money23Green thanks for showing us how it goes down in the bay! pic.twitter.com/1k9hYViN0c
— Michigan State Football (@MSU_Football) December 28, 2018
On Friday, the Spartans are scheduled to visit Alcatraz Island before their third practice of the week in the afternoon. In addition, there will be a press conference featuring Dantonio, Oregon head coach Mario Cristobal, and players from both schools at 11:30 a.m. PT/2:30 p.m. ET; the press conference will be streamed live on Twitter @RedboxBowl.
Warriors Game✅
— Michigan State Football (@MSU_Football) December 28, 2018
Meet with @Money23Green✅#HEAVE pic.twitter.com/Nh8BqGmBAD
NOTE OF THE DAY:
• The Spartans are 6-1 in bowl games in the state of California. MSU owns the highest winning percentage of any team with at least five appearances in the Rose Bowl (.800 at 4-1) and also won the 2001 Silicon Valley Bowl over Fresno State in San Jose, California, and the 2017 Holiday Bowl against Washington State in San Diego.
During the @RedboxBowl week, we will be posting our California Bowl Poster Series! Starting us off, we remember the big win over Stanford in the 2014 100th Rose Bowl game! #GoGreen #HEAVE pic.twitter.com/IOg1qtiuaX
— Michigan State Football (@MSU_Football) December 27, 2018
DAY 1 - WEDNESDAY, DEC. 26
The Spartans took full advantage of their first day in the Bay Area for the Redbox Bowl trip.
After a four-day holiday break, the team left on a charter flight from Lansing Wednesday at 9:30 a.m. ET and landed in Oakland at 11:15 a.m. PT.
Following check-in to team headquarters at the Hyatt Regency in Downtown San Francisco and some team meetings, the Spartans enjoyed the California sunshine with a late afternoon practice in Oakland. Under sunny skies and temperatures in the mid-50s, the Spartans worked out in shells for just over 90 minutes as they continued preparations for Oregon on New Year's Eve.
By the time practice ended, the sun had set and the team had wrapped up a long but productive day.
"I thought we had a good day out here today," said Michigan State head coach Mark Dantonio, who has led the Spartans to 11 bowl appearances in his 12 seasons in East Lansing. "We had a crisp practice with a lot of energy. We traveled well out here and we're ready to go.
"We were out here for about an hour and 40 (minutes). We had meetings and everything else, so we worked basically from 2:30 to 6 (PT). Good energy, up tempo, very positive attitude, and good leadership.
"The focus is on beating Oregon. So everything we can do from a practice standpoint to get ready for that, that's sort of where we're at. We have four more practices out here. These next two (Thursday, Friday) will be harder, but that's the focus."
After practicing inside the Duffy Daugherty Building the past few weeks while getting ready for Oregon, the Spartans enjoyed being outside on Wednesday.
"It's beautiful out here," said Dantonio. "The sun was shining and it was about 60 degrees, so it's a little bit of a change for them. We got outside and got after it, so it was a good change of pace."
The Spartans will hold an afternoon practice on Thursday before attending the Golden State Warriors game at Oracle Arena at night.
We have arrived in The Bay🌴😎#HEAVE #RedBoxBowl pic.twitter.com/gSCjhhz0oj
— Michigan State Football (@MSU_Football) December 27, 2018
