Their own way means the Spartans (8-2 overall, 5-1 Big Ten) will need to win both of their last two games, the first coming Saturday (noon, Big Ten Network) against Indiana (1-9 overall, 0-6 Big Ten).

When the Big Ten divisions were decided last year, a team from the Legends Division was paired with one from the Leaders to be considered their cross-conference rival game, guaranteed to play each other annually. MSU drew Indiana, and the battle for the Old Brass Spittoon lived on.

However, it’s been everything but a battle in recent memory. In 10 of the last 12 meetings it’s been the Spartans coming out on top.

The overall series is led by the Green and White, who hold a record of 40-15-2 versus the Hoosiers, as well.

But as Dantonio usually does, he cautioned against overlooking a young team with nothing to lose, coming off a bye week and a game where they pushed Ohio State to the brink for three quarters.

“They’re getting better, and they’re playing their best football I think at the end of this season,” Dantonio said. “Anything can happen in this game. So we need to make sure that we’re squared away.”

The former Cincinnati head coach compared the Hoosiers situation to one of his years on the Bearcats sidelines. He recalled looking over at Pat Narduzzi and saying, “Look, we got seven true freshmen now on defense.”

That’s why he believes Indiana is having struggles on both sides of the ball. With 29 freshmen getting significant playing time, the team is last in scoring defense, rushing defense and total defense.

But after surviving a scare against Minnesota, which is another one of the Big Ten’s less intimidating teams, Dantonio said his team knows better this time around.

Along with a more powerful offense and stingy defense, the Spartans carry an emotional advantage into Saturday’s game. For the last time, 17 seniors will play within the confines of Spartan Stadium.

“I just want to go out with a bang, finish this, not losing in Spartan Stadium for two years would be a great thing for us,” senior safety and captain Trenton Robinson said.

While it’s a special accomplishment, zero losses at home in back-to-back years is one of many the class of 2011 has earned.

A Big Ten championship, the winningest class in school history and list of team and individual achievements that could (and probably will) cover a wall in the Skandalaris Football Center.

For senior quarterback Kirk Cousins, he and his teammates still have a goal to get to the Rose Bowl, but reflecting on his career Tuesday and looking at what he’s accomplished, he said every additional accolade is just icing on the cake.

“We already have a pretty darn good cake, and that’s a credit to the guys and to the coaches and to the work we’ve put in,” he said. “But I think there’s a little more icing left to be put on, and hopefully we can start that off this Saturday.”