If you can out-think, out-wit, out-prepare and beat a genius, what must you be? I don't really know. But you are at the very least considered the Boiled Sports Weekly Real Genius when you accomplish such a feat.

Congratulations, Coach Mark Dantonio! You have earned this honor.

While you couldn't keep the Irish from scoring an offensive touchdown for a fourth week in a row, you did help keep that same offense in the cellar in all of the NCAA Division-I football programs.

You overcame obstacles such as losing your teams starting quarterback and his go-to receiver...that might be used as a crutch for some teams to make excuses, but not you, Mr. Dantonio. Sure, you've only been MSU's coach for about 8 months, yet your team looked like they had bought into your system and had been playing together for a long, long time. Even though your opponent returned to training camp and a journeyed back to the fundamentals of the game, these tactics couldn't overcome your team's mettle.

So savor your victory, Coach. While there might only be three or four more coaches given this award for the rest of the year, understand that you are truly in elite company.