Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins spoke to Michigan State's basketball team at the invitation of coach Tom Izzo on Friday, a day before the Spartans would take on Texas Tech in the national semifinals.
On Saturday evening, with the Spartans playing for a trip to the national championship game, Cousins was in the stands to cheer them on at his normal place of business.
Cousins and his father Don were in the stands at U.S. Bank Stadium on Saturday night for the second game of the Final Four. The quarterback, dressed in a green Michigan State polo and white Spartans hat, received a warm ovation when he was shown on the video board late in the first half.
The Holland, Mich., native led Michigan State to a share of the 2010 Big Ten title and a trip to the first conference championship game in 2011. He played golf with Izzo at Augusta National several years ago and stayed close to his alma mater, frequently posting about the Spartans on social media.
"There's a great relationship of Michigan State football and basketball," Izzo said this week. "To the day I die, I think his speech at the opening of college football for the Big Ten at the Big Ten media day [in 2011] is one of the great all-time speeches I've heard. I've got it on tape.
"So I know Kirk pretty well, and yet I believe in him even more than I know of him. He's an unbelievable guy. Yeah, I'm excited he's going to be here this week. He was actually at one of our games in Washington last week. I'm sure he is — I know he's a big Michigan State fan, and I know he's a big supporter of basketball, and I appreciate that."