WASHINGTON ST. (9-3) VS. MICHIGAN ST. (9-3)
Site: SDCCU Stadium, San Diego.
Kickoff: Thursday, 9 p.m. TV: FS1.
Line: Michigan State by 1 ½.
All-time series: Michigan St. leads 5-2.
Last meeting: Washington St. 23, Michigan St. 21 (1977).
WASHINGTON STATE
Coach: Mike Leach (6th season, 38-37; overall 16th season, 122-80).
All-time postseason: 7-6.
Last postseason appearance: Lost to Minnesota 17-12 in 2016 Holiday Bowl.
Draft spotlight: G Cody O’Connell. Broke onto the scene with an All-America 2016 season. At 6-8, 354 pounds, O’Connell may be the biggest player in the draft class and understands how to use that to his advantage. He plays the role of a building that is simply hard for most defenders to get around. Read full report here.
Other Cougars to watch: QB Luke Falk, RB Jamal Morrow, OT Cole Madison, *DT Hercules Mata’afa.
Cougar Tracks: WSU’s third consecutive bowl appearance is a first in program history. … The Cougars are No.2 among FBS teams in passing offense at 374.8 yards per contest, trailing only Oklahoma State. … Falk is the Pac-12’s career leader in passing yardage (14,486), along with total offense, completions and TD passes.
MICHIGAN STATE
Coach: Mark Dantonio (11th season, 99-45; overall 14th season, 117-62).
All-time postseason: 11-15.
Last postseason appearance: Lost to Alabama 38-0 in 2015 Cotton Bowl.
Draft spotlight: C Brian Allen. A highly versatile lineman who has started for the Spartans at center, left guard and right guard. Has spent all of 2017 at center and leads the unit in knockdown blocks. Was an Illinois state wrestling champion in high school. Older brother Jack plays for the Saints.
Other Spartans to watch: *OL David Beedle, DE Demetrius Cooper, LB Chris Frey.
Spartan Quarters: A victory would give MSU its 10th win, something accomplished just seven other times in school history. Five of those have come under Dantonio. … MSU ranks No.2 in FBS in time of possession, averaging 35:22 per contest. … The Spartans own a 5-1 record in bowl games played in California, including 4-1 in the Rose Bowl.
* underclass draft prospect