Rose Bowl: Michigan State enjoying a warm welcome

Michigan State linebacker Denicos Allen is enjoying the Southern California sunshine as the Spartans prepare for the Rose Bowl against Stanford.

“It’s definitely a big change, you know, coming from an ice storm to nice palm trees and nice weather -- it’s an amazing change,” said Allen, a fifth-year senior from Hamilton, Ohio. “I got off the plane ... thinking it’s going to be cold because I’m used to getting off the plane in like Wisconsin or Indiana.

“I got all ready to be cold and it was warm. I was, ‘Yes! I’m here.’ So it’s a great change.”

Senior offensive tackle Fou Fonoti, who played at Lakewood Mayfair High and Cerritos College is the only Californian on the Spartans’ roster. Allen said Fonati gave teammates the lowdown on the weather before they left Michigan.

“He said it’s nice weather -- that’s all we really cared about,” Allen said. “We were just trying to get out of Michigan. The weather is what everybody was looking forward to.

“You can wear shorts now. I bought a new pair of shorts, so I came ready.”

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