EAST LANSING, MICH. -- Let's be clear about one thing. Michigan State's offense is far better than it was at the start of the season but the Spartans are defined by their defense.
It was the defense that kept things going while the offense worked to find itself in the early going and it was the defense that ruled the day again in the final game of the regular season, a 14-3 victory over Minnesota.
It was somehow even more appropriate that the seniors on defense were leading the way on a day when the seniors were honored before their last game at Spartan Stadium.
Senior linebacker Denicos Allen was everywhere, finishing with a team-high 13 tackles, including two for loss, and half a sack.
One of those tackles behind the line of scrimmage came at a pivotal time.
The Golden Gophers (8-4, 4-4) were driving down the field in the second quarter and the Spartans' lead was just 7-0.
The Gophers had a 2nd and goal at the Spartans' 1-yard line.
Allen tackled Minnesota running back David Cobb for a two-yard loss.
"I just knew I had to shoot my gun and sell out to make a play for a loss," Allen said. "It was a critical play in a critical situation and that's when you have to step up and do what you have to do."
Minnesota quarterback Philip Nelson threw incomplete on third down and the Gophers kicked a short field goal.
That's just what the Spartans (11-1, 8-0) do.
Michigan State is one of just five programs, including Alabama, Florida State, Florida and Louisiana State, to rank among the top 10 nationally in total defense the last two seasons, fourth in 2012 by allowing just 274.4 yards per game; and sixth in 2011 by allowing 277.4.
This season's been even better as the Spartans were first overall in the Football Bowl Subdivision, allowing 236.6 yards per game entering Saturday.
"It's a great group and by far the best defense I've ever been a part of," defensive coordinator Pat Narduzzi said. "I haven't been here as long as some of you have been but it has to rival as one of the best defenses ever at Michigan State."
Yet Narduzzi's players can be perfectionists.
Allowing 249 yards in total offense and 124 net rushing yards did not thrill them.
It was only the second time this season a team had rushed for more than 100 yards in a game.
"We were mad they scored three points off us," said cornerback Darqueze Dennard, a senior who had nine tackles. "Actually every time we get down (near the end zone), we've got that bend-but-don't-break mentality. When we get down there, all 11 of us, we pretty much say they can't score. If they don't score, they don't win games. That's how we take it."
That's how the Spartans' opponents are forced to take it.
The Spartans kept half of their 12 opponents out of the end zone and did not allow any points in the second half in five of their last six games.
"They were able to run the ball on us, more than we would like," said senior linebacker Max Bullough, who also had nine tackles. "We just needed to be a little bit more violent in some areas and finish the plays, but they can drive down the field as many times as they want, that's not going to win the game.
"They had three points. Let's think about that. That's a Big Ten team that's won a lot of games and they had three points. In the end, that's what matters. That's what wins football games."
Earlier in the week, the Spartans were joking that cornerback Trae Waynes needed to start contributing to the interception total, which was 14 coming in.
Waynes must have taken that seriously as he had his first two interceptions of the season, one in the first quarter and the other in the second quarter after the Gophers had reached the Spartans' side of the field.
"They're not throwing it up on (Dennard's) side so they're throwing it up to his side," Narduzzi said. "We talked about making plays all year, and that's what he did today. I'm really proud of him. That guy is a great corner and will be a great corner for the future.
“I hope in a couple years he's a Thorpe finalist as well. I have a lot of confidence in him and he's got great hands. The ball came his way today and he responded."
Two more seniors who responded on defense were Tyler Hoover and Denzel Drone.
In the fourth quarter, with the lead just 14-3, the Golden Gophers were driving and got to the Spartans' 11-yard line.
Hoover stripped quarterback Mitch Leidner of the ball, which Drone recovered.
Ballgame.
"We didn't play as well maybe as we had offensively, but we grinded it out," MSU coach Mark Dantonio said. "Defensively, three points -- you're not going to lose too many games giving up three points."
Now the Spartans get a chance for something even more special than their defense -- an opportunity to play the Ohio State Buckeyes in next Saturday's Big Ten championship game in Indianapolis and perhaps their first trip to the Rose Bowl since 1988.
"That's the number one goal -- to be the outright Big Ten champion," Dantonio said. "Obviously to get to the Rose Bowl is something that we've aspired to since the day we set foot on this campus back in 1995. When we came back in 2007, the same thing was talked about on the day that I got the job.
"You need to dream big and that's what we're doing."
