Michigan State (11-1), for years, has been overlooked and underrated, living in the shadow of Michigan and Ohio State despite sustained success under head coach Mark Dantonio.
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Ohio State followed up its worst with its best. Cook was the offensive MVP both games.
Ferentz and Dantonio lead a pair of hard-nosed, bend-but-don’t-break defenses.
In all, the Lions are 0-6 against the Big Ten East’s Big Three, having been outscored 204-89. Ohio State would probably enjoy greater home field advantage in the Fiesta, but maybe the powers that be would like to change things up a bit and get the Buckeyes in a city they haven’t played in as much. Barkley, a promising cornerstone for the team’s future, finished with 1,007 yards this season, setting a Penn State freshman rushing record. Barkley ran for 3 yards to the 1 before Hackenberg, under pressure, threw incompletions on the next two downs. As a group, the Hawkeyes are averaging 203.7 per game.
NOTES: Spartans senior WR Aaron Burbridge surpassed the career 2,000-yard receiving milestone with his first reception of the game.
Canzeri is coming off a huge game against Nebraska. Elliott carried 30 times for 214 yards. The Michigan State ground game hasn’t been consistent this because of injuries in the offensive line.
Michigan State Spartans defensive lineman Malik McDowell (4) scores a on an interception return during the second half of a game against the Penn State Nittany Lions at Spartan Stadium.
Of course, the biggest difference between the two teams is at the quarterback position. That Penn State win clinched a spot in the conference title game.
The quarterback remained relentlessly on message after the game, saying that he hasn’t even investigated the process of applying for an National Football League draft evaluation. Barrett, with better pass protection than he had seen in several weeks, was 9 of 15 passing, including a 25-yard touchdown throw to Jalin Marshall.
Penn State coach James Franklin said he struggled to find bright spots after the Nittany Lions’ third consecutive loss to close out the regular season. It’s a hard place to play and a very hard place to win. “We knew their offensive line and defensive line were the strength of their team”. Both schools are looking for a measure of respect, not necessarily from each other, but from the rest of college football world. The Spartans used the opportunity and scored a touchdown on a 29-yard pass from Cook to R.J. Shelton on their first drive, but the extra point attempt from kicker Michael Geiger was no good.
“That was for the team”, Harbaugh said. The 23-member 2015 senior class has recorded three bowl wins (2012 Buffalo Wild Wings, 2014 Rose, 2015 Cotton), two conference division titles (2013 Legends and 2015 East) and the 2013 Big Ten Championship.
Michigan State’s potholes could have damaged any team on this Big Ten title game journey.
The No. 8 Buckeyes (11-1, 7-1 Big Ten) scorched No. 12 Michigan’s defense that had limited its opponents to 263.1 yards a game this season, including a little more than 100 yards against the run.
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If the Hawkeyes can emerged from Indianapolis victorious, they’ll be a lock for the College Football Playoff, an nearly unfathomable turnaround for a program that went just 7-6 a season ago.
