EAST LANSING —Consider Le'Veon Bell's Heisman Trophy Campaign officially underway.

It will begin in earnest when Michigan State (6-6) plays TCU (7-5) at 10:15 p.m. on Dec. 29 at Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe, Ariz., in the Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl.

Question is, will it also end there?

Spartans coach Mark Dantonio said there is plenty of time for Bell to figure out his future — he has until Jan. 15 to declare, to be precise — but he sees great things for the MSU runner should he return to school for another season.

Dantonio said he believes Bell would become the Spartan's all-time leading rusher, serve as the nucleus for a potential Rose Bowl team and, quite possibly, win the Heisman Trophy.

Bell has all the motivation in the world, as he was snubbed by the Big Ten coaches, who named Wisconsin's Montee Ball the league's running back of the year despite Bell winning the regular-season rushing title with 1,648 yards.

At last Saturday's Michigan State basketball game, Bell received a relatively unknown award called the CFPA Elite Running Back Trophy.

Bell, who has done no better than honorable mention on the post-season All-American lists, carried the trophy around the arena as though it was the BCS Championship crystal ball.

"Le'Veon was excited about that award,'' Dantonio said on his radio show on Thursday night, "and I could just envision him walking around with the Heisman Trophy. It's a reason for him to come back.''

And with Dantonio's words, a campaign was born.

Within hours, the Michigan State University athletics website had an article debunking the notion that Bell had already decided to declare himself eligible for the NFL Draft.

Bell, like many college juniors, has merely submitted paperwork to the NFL College Advisory committee, which in turn will provide him with a projected draft grade.

NFL Draft guru Mel Kiper Jr. has said Bell is a third- or fourth-round talent, but that he could end up being picked as high as the second round on account of the lack of running backs in this year's draft class.

Of course, Bell could also fall in the draft, Kiper Jr. intimated, because there isn't a lot of need at the position this season.

CBSsports.com ranks Bell as 140th player, which is more in line with the fourth round.

Fact is, Bell lacks the breakaway speed of an NFL marquee back. He could lose 10 to 15 pounds before the NFL combine and drop a tenth of a second off his 40-yard dash time, but then the scouts will wonder if he can run with the same authority at 230 pounds as he did this season at 245.

Some might believe he can, others won't. It's a crapshoot, with Bell's career earnings potential at stake.

Dantonio, however, believes Bell is the type of team player — and program maker — that would base his return to Michigan State on more of a pure motivation.

"I feel like we have unfinished business in terms of how this season went down, and there'll be the opportunity for him to play in a BCS bowl game at a high level and compete for a Rose Bowl," Dantonio said in the university website story.

John Lewandowski, Michigan State's long-time public relations specialist, was on Auburn's staff when Bo Jackson won the Heisman Trophy in 1985.

That was nearly 30 years ago, and Lewandowski knows better than anyone there are new tricks to the trade of Heisman Trophy promotions.

For now, all Lewandowski will say is that Bell's Heisman campaign will "be managed in an appropriate manner.''

With the Charmin-soft schedule Michigan State has next season, it seems a given Bell would gain the 1,698 yards necessary for him to break the all-time school rushing mark set by Lorenzo White (4,887, 1984-87), and he might even surpass White's single-season mark of 2,066 (1985).

Bell is a shoo-in preseason All-American, so his games would be tracked closely throughout the season by national media.

Even the normally reserved Dantonio gets downright giddy when talking about the Spartans' marquee offensive player.

"He has some runs where he has broken out,'' Dantonio said. "He's powerful, he can spin, he can jump over you on occasions. He gives you a lot of versatility.''

No doubt, Dantonio believes Bell could become the first Michigan State player to win the Heisman Trophy.

As for Bell's immediate future, Dantonio believes there will be a time and a place for him to discuss that with his player, in private.

But right now, the focus is on the bowl preparation, as Bell will face a stiff challenge running into the jaws of the Horned Frogs' 4-2-5 defense.

"We're going to have to run the ball against TCU,'' Dantonio said. "We have to get the ball in Bell's hands. He has a lot of power. It's gonna be an important part of the game plan.''