Spartan Football New Era Pinstripe Bowl Daily Update
12/23/2019 2:48:00 PM | Football
@MSU_Football 
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Michigan State will play Wake Forest on Friday, Dec. 27 at 3:20 p.m. ET in Yankee Stadium in New York in the 2019 New Era Pinstripe Bowl. The match-up between the Spartans and Demon Deacons will be televised on ESPN.
The New Era Pinstripe Bowl marks the 12th bowl bid in 13 seasons under MSU head coach Mark Dantonio, who is the winningest coach in school history with a 113-57 record at the helm of the Spartans. MSU has won five of its last seven bowl games.
Tickets for the 2019 New Era Pinstripe Bowl are on sale now from the Spartan Ticket Office, online at msuspartans.com or by calling 1-800-GOSTATE.
For daily updates on MSU's trip to New York City for the New Era Pinstripe Bowl, follow the Spartans on Twitter @msu_football and online at msuspartans.com.
DAY 5 - FRIDAY, DEC. 27
The Spartans capped an incredible week in New York City under the lights at Yankee Stadium on Friday night with confetti falling down on the 2019 New Era Pinstripe Bowl Champions.
Senior quarterback Brian Lewerke compiled 366 yards of total offense and was named the David C. Koch MVP as Michigan State beat Wake Forest, 27-21, in the New Era Pinstripe Bowl.
2019 New Era Pinstripe Bowl Champions 🎉 #GoGreen pic.twitter.com/LNDI69zz7V
— Michigan State Football (@MSU_Football) December 28, 2019
The victory propelled the Spartans (7-6) to their 11th winning season in 13 years under head coach Mark Dantonio, who extended his school record with his sixth bowl victory, which also ranks tied for fourth in Big Ten history. Dantonio, who is already the winningest coach in school history with 114 victories, also tied Duffy Daugherty for the most winning seasons as a Spartan head coach.
Pinstripe Bowl Recap | Post-Game Quotes | Post-Game Notes
"Great football game," said Dantonio. "I thought we played very well the second half. Came away with a shutout in the second half from the defense…I thought our guys were relentless.
"Just can't say enough about our football team and our seniors, that they stayed together. When you win a football game at the end of the year, when you win a bowl game which so much goes into it from a preparation standpoint, it's a good feeling, a very positive feeling."
Moments like this 🏆 pic.twitter.com/MX7f4iHtDw
— Michigan State Football (@MSU_Football) December 28, 2019
Lewerke was 26-of-37 passing for 320 yards and one touchdown in his final game wearing the Green and White and set MSU single-season (3,442 yards) and career (9,548 yards) total offense records during the contest.
Trailing 21-20 at halftime, Michigan State shut out Wake Forest (8-5) in the second half and held the Demon Deacons to 351 yards of total offense. Wake entered the game ranked 12th in the FBS in total offense, averaging 473.4 yards per game.
"Really, I think we got stronger as the game went," said Dantonio. "When you look at it, they scored in their first series. Then they actually scored 21 points in the first half. As the game progressed, we got more confident, we got more I would say stronger, more confident. I think that was the difference. Our attitude and our confidence level just continued to just raise as we went."
Relive some of the excitement from last night's @PinstripeBowl #VictoryForMSU over Wake Forest with some highlights featuring #PinstripeBowl MVP Brian Lewerke plus Mike Panasiuk & Raequan Williams & their fellow seniors finishing victorious in their final games in Green & White. pic.twitter.com/uQ8YsBLlWi
— Michigan State Football (@MSU_Football) December 28, 2019
The Spartans sent out the 2019 senior class as winners for their second bowl victory in the last three years.
"It felt good," Lewerke said. "We just wanted to come out and get a win to send our seniors out the right way and send the guys coming back a little boost going into next year."
MSU opens the 2020 season on Sept. 5 against Northwestern in Spartan Stadium.
DAY 4 - THURSDAY, DEC. 26
With Christmas celebrations over, Thursday brought the Spartans one day closer to Friday's New Era Pinstripe Bowl with another active day as preparations wound down for Friday's game.
The day started with MSU Athletics Director Bill Beekman, along with Spartan head coach Mark Dantonio and captains senior quarterback Brian Lewerke, senior defensive end Kenny Willekes and senior defensive tackle Raequan Williams, ringing the bell at the New York Stock Exchange.
Ring that bell @DantonioMark! #NYSE pic.twitter.com/IQ1xRiZH5Y
— Michigan State Football (@MSU_Football) December 26, 2019
"For Michigan State's perspective, many of our players have never been to New York City, so they've had an unbelievable experience," Dantonio said later at an afternoon press conference in Yankee Stadium. "Going to the 9/11 World Trade Center Memorial yesterday, and having the opportunity to ring the bell at the New York Stock Exchange this morning, and the opportunity to experience a community event with the clinic, and going to a theater event with the Rockettes show last night, has made everyone's experience at the Pinstripe Bowl tremendous. It's been a great bowl experience and I can't be appreciative enough in what the Pinstripe Bowl has done for us. We're thrilled to be here and we have a great opponent in Wake Forest."
Along with his team, Dantonio is getting to experience and appreciate several New Era Pinstripe Bowl and New York City activities for the first time as well.
"I've never been to Yankee Stadium, so that was one, I've never been to the New York Stock Exchange certainly, so that's another," Dantonio said. "I've not been to a show here, and I saw that as well and I've not been to the Memorial, so those are all new things that I've experienced. To be able to go up on the 102nd floor of 1 World Trade Center, is a unique experience, especially the way it's all basically formulated for you to see. So all those experiences were unique to me as well. I go back to what Coach (Dave) Clawson said, with the structure of this bowl game and the way it's run by the Yankee Organization, the Pinstripe Bowl is second to none. It's been a great experience."
Later in the morning, the rest of the team joined with the New Era Pinstripe Bowl in conducting a youth clinic on the field at Yankee Stadium. Several Bronx-area football youth leagues went through different stations doing drills and skills with the Spartans. Following the clinic, the clinic participants spent some time interacting with the MSU players, asking them questions, taking photos and trading autographs.
Today was a good day. Thank you @PinstripeBowl for the opportunity to give back! #GoGreen pic.twitter.com/6hvLtNxNWM
— Michigan State Football (@MSU_Football) December 26, 2019
After the clinic, Michigan State had a walk through on the field of Yankee Stadium in prep for Friday's New Era Pinstripe Bowl. At the conclusion of the walk through, MSU took its official New Era Pinstripe Bowl team photo at midfield.
Dantonio then joined Wake Forest head coach Dave Clawson for a press conference with each team's media and New York City media in attendance.
The Spartans then boarded buses back to the team hotel to begin their regular night before a game routine, with meetings, dinner and a team movie.
Friday's New Era Pinstripe Bowl kicks off at 3:20 p.m. ET and will be nationally televised from Yankee Stadium on ESPN.
Take a look back at this morning's Ringing the Bell at @NYSE as part of the @PinstripeBowl activities in NYC!#PinstripeBowl #GoGreenhttps://t.co/qgg1uhp4u9
— Michigan State Football (@MSU_Football) December 26, 2019
DAY 3 - WEDNESDAY, DEC. 25
Under mild, Christmas Day temperatures in the mid-40s, the Spartans had another eventful day in New York City on Wednesday, as they celebrated Christmas along with continuing preparation for Friday's New Era Pinstripe Bowl.
MSU started the day with meetings, then boarded buses and headed to lower Manhattan to visit the 9/11 Memorial and One World Observatory. The team, coaches and support staff went through the Memorial and the 9/11 Museum. Located at the World Trade Center in New York City, the 9/11 Memorial Museum tells the story of 9/11 through media, narratives, and a collection of monumental and authentic artifacts, presenting visitors with personal stories of loss, recovery, and hope.
"It was an unbelievable experience for our guys, to be someplace that has really impacted this entire country, and really not even just the country, but how we live today. I think our guys have really been looking forward to it," MSU head coach Mark Dantonio said. "It was a busy Christmas Day, but we've got to take advantage of every opportunity we have here."
The Spartans then went to the One World Observatory, located at Freedom Tower, where they rode in SkyPod Elevators up 102 stories in 47 seconds. During the ride, screens in the SkyPod show the transformation of the Big Apple from undiscovered lands into today's hustle and bustle skyscraper dominated skyline. Upon arriving at the top, they were able to look "forever" in all four directions, surveying the scenery.
📍 @OneWorldNYC #GoGreen | #PinstripeBowl pic.twitter.com/O8GE4RiwIg
— NewEraPinstripeBowl (@PinstripeBowl) December 25, 2019
After the tour, the Spartans had a snack before boarding buses to head back to Fordham University for their second practice in prep for Friday's battle with Wake Forest.
At the conclusion of practice, per longstanding tradition for the Spartans' final full practice under 13th-year head coach Mark Dantonio, the 2019 seniors walked down a receiving line to share final goodbyes with other teammates, coaches and support staff.
Following practice, the team was scheduled to celebrate Christmas night by attending the Christmas Spectacular, starring the world-famous Radio City Rockettes, at Radio City Music Hall.
Thursday's activities include Coach Dantonio and the team captains ringing the bell at the New York Stock Exchange, while the rest of the team will be conducting a youth clinic at Yankee Stadium in the morning, then a walk through at Yankee Stadium, in final preparations for the New Era Pinstripe Bowl Friday afternoon at 3:20 p.m. on ESPN.
All wrapped up with practice #2 for the @pinstripebowl in NYC...thank you @FordhamRams for your hospitality! pic.twitter.com/8A35WZ6T49
— Michigan State Football (@MSU_Football) December 25, 2019
The Spartans continued their longstanding tradition of saying goodbye to the seniors following the last practice of the season. Thank you #SpartanSeniors!#PinstripeBowl pic.twitter.com/6LiqyaXMDp
— Michigan State Football (@MSU_Football) December 25, 2019
DAY 2 - TUESDAY, DEC. 24
The Spartans woke up to a day full of sunshine in New York on Tuesday on their first full day in the city after traveling to the Big Apple on Monday.
After morning meetings, the team hit the practice field in the afternoon at Fordham University's Jack Coffey Field for a two-hour practice in full pads under clear skies and temperatures nearing 50 degrees.
"We had a good first day out here," said Michigan State head coach Mark Dantonio. "Great energy…It was a beautiful sunny day here at Fordham University. I think we got some things done today. You have to acclimate yourself a little bit. We were off for a couple of days, then practiced Sunday, then had a travel day yesterday. We just want to be at our best on Friday afternoon."
"It was a good practice," said senior All-American defensive end Kenny Willekes. "You could tell people came to work today and have the mindset that we want to come out and win this game. I think you saw the leaders leading people and there was good energy. People were flying around and having fun today."
Following practice, the team participated in a shopping event hosted by the Pinstripe Bowl at the Harman Store NYC in Midtown.
"I think the Pinstripe Bowl is doing some amazing things out here," said Dantonio. "It's a great bowl experience to be in New York on Christmas with our players."
"We were real excited when we found out we were going to the Pinstripe Bowl," said Willekes. "Playing at Yankee Stadium, that's iconic as it gets. They have a bunch of events set up for us; we went to a comedy show last night (at the Lincoln Center), we're going to the 9/11 Memorial tomorrow, and we've just been walking around the city and went to Times Square last night. It's just a really cool opportunity to do this with my teammates."
MSU will spend Christmas morning on a tour of the 9/11 Memorial and the One World Observatory before returning to the practice field at Fordham in the afternoon.
First practice at Fordham for the @pinstripebowl is in the books on a sunny day in New York City! pic.twitter.com/dJw9d3Kj0M
— Michigan State Football (@MSU_Football) December 24, 2019
Practice #1 in NYC! 🏙 #GoGreen pic.twitter.com/ka2nB2ivAs
— Michigan State Football (@MSU_Football) December 24, 2019
DAY 1 - MONDAY, DEC. 23
The Spartans arrived in the Big Apple on Monday afternoon for their week in New York City for the New Era Pinstripe Bowl.
MSU had a busy day, starting early in the morning for team meetings and a lifting session before flying out to Newark on a team charter.
After a team meeting at the Hilton Midtown in Manhattan, the official team headquarters for the New Era Pinstripe Bowl, the players caught a comedy show at the Lincoln Center while the staff visited Yankee Stadium for a welcome reception.
The Spartans will hold the first of their two bowl practices at Fordham University on Tuesday afternoon.
And here comes @MSU_Football! pic.twitter.com/0DsFLXNH7S
— NewEraPinstripeBowl (@PinstripeBowl) December 23, 2019
Tonight, we welcomed @WakeFB and @MSU_Football to the Big 🍎 with a fun-filled reception @yankeestadium complete with a Hands on History experience, carolers, and a caricature artist! pic.twitter.com/sjR09QIVYd
— NewEraPinstripeBowl (@PinstripeBowl) December 24, 2019
