The Buckeyes’ 17-14 last-second loss to MI State on Saturday transferred control of the Big Ten East to the Spartans, with Ohio State and MI still in contention for the right to play Iowa in the Big Ten title game. Ohio State first needs Penn State to beat MI State next week to open the door to the Big Ten title game.
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With 12:03 left in the fourth quarter, sophomore running back Gerald Holmes, who was not listed on the Spartans’ two-deep depth chart, took a handoff up the middle and extended the ball across the goal line for a touchdown that drew MI State even with Ohio State, 14-14.
“I deserve more than 11 carries”, Elliott said.
The clincher, however, was Ohio State’s refusal to put the ball in Elliott’s belly as the second half progressed.
As if this season’s miniseries needed another bombshell plot twist, Elliott provided it to punctuate a day that confounded a rain-soaked Ohio Stadium record crowd of 108,975. That it came after such a crushing loss and was delivered while being critical of Ohio State’s play calling was startling. Down the line, Urban Meyer went through the motions of singing the fight song with the blank look of a shocked coach who had seemed to be immune to this type of defeat.
Ohio State’s offense continued to struggle until Macgarrett Kings’ fumble on a punt set up the Buckeyes six yards from the end zone, which they covered in one play, a pass from J.T. Barrett for a 14-7 lead with 3:33 left in the third quarter. I don’t know what was going on or what they were seeing. It didn’t work out.
No. 16 Florida State 52, Chattanooga 13: In Tallahassee, Florida, Sean Maguire threw two touchdown passes and Dalvin Cook had his seventh 100-yard rushing game and added two more scores for Florida State.
To start off and state the obvious, the game is being played inside the Big House in Ann Arbor, which is not exactly the easiest place to play in the nation. “We weren’t put in the right situations to win this game”. “And I have to do better”.
Buckeyes junior quarterback Cardale Jones also sent a few tweets suggesting this was also his last home game. They’ll be looking to upset the Spartans in their last home game of the regular season. Of course, the only ranking that matters is that of the College Football Playoff, where OSU has been perched at No.3. “This is the kick to beat Ohio State.’ Being from Toledo, Ohio, it means the world”. There is supposed to be nothing bigger than The Game for Ohio State.
“We’re going to play for a Big Ten championship and this is what we wanted all along”, U-M defensive lineman Chris Wormley said.
No. 8 FLORIDA 20, FLORIDA ATLANTIC 14, OT (at Gainesville, Fla.) – Treon Harris threw a 13-yard touchdown pass to Jake McGee in overtime as the Gators (10-1, No. 8 CFP), who were favored by more than 30 points, were sluggish the whole game against the Owls (2-9).
MI State won with back-up quarterbacks Tyler O’Connor and No. 3 quarterback Damion Terry as the injured Connor Cook watched on.
Michael Geiger kicked a 41-yard field for MI State on the last play of the game. I felt like we weren’t given the right opportunity to win this game.
The Buckeyes were stonewalled on the ground and did not take their first shot downfield against an 86th-ranked MI State pass defense until the final minute of the half. Ohio State’s only touchdowns were the result of a short field after MI State turnovers.
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The Buckeyes started the season as the unanimous No. 1 team in the country, an overwhelming favorite to win another national title. Now that he’s already declared for the NFL Draft, I wonder if Urban Meyer will continue to play his star running back the rest of the season.
