Iowa quarterback C.J. Beathard (16) throws an 85-yard touchdown pass during the second half of the Big Ten championship NCAA college football game against Michigan State, Saturday, Dec. 5, 2015, in Indianapolis.
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“Conner has stepped up many times before, so we always have confidence in our offense”, Jones said, referencing MSU’s game-winning drive. MSU held Iowa to just 52 net rushing yards, which is impressive considering how strong the Hawkeyes’ run game has been in 2015. Cook completed 3 of 5 passes, two of them big third-down conversions, and LJ Scott ran 14 times for 40 yards and lunged over for the Spartans’ only TD.
Numerous 66,986 witnesses at Lucas Oil Stadium will know other, hairy details, for the drive included five conversions on third down and one on fourth, when quarterback Connor Cook barely got across the necessary, imaginary line at the 3-yard line.
MSU and ACC champ Clemson, SEC champ Alabama and Big 12 champ Oklahoma are the four teams that are expected to get invitations, with many projecting MSU to meet Alabama in the Cotton Bowl.
The Hawkeyes still smelled like football in the moments after the Big Ten championship game.
The last regular-season rankings were released before the College Football Playoff selection committee revealed the field for the national semifinals.
Arkansas State and Louisiana Tech will meet for the first time since 1998 when they play in the New Orleans Bowl on December 19. That half would end with a Michigan State field goal clunking against the corner of the goal post and a score of 6-3.
“I think over the season we’ve been battle tested”.
“Whatever game we get, we’re going to treat it like it’s the national championship”, linebacker Cole Fisher said.
It wasn’t a game, it was a grind and for most of the showdown between Iowa and Michigan State, it was a defensive masterpiece on both sides. I think, like I said before, we know how to win.
The Michigan State Spartans weren’t happy with last season, even if most teams would’ve been.
“We just go about our business”, Dantonio said.
After the game, the Spartans joined Dantonio and Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany on stage set up on the field for the trophy presentation.
Just another day at the office for these Spartans. This? If you’re a purist, you loved this game, but if you are a fan of all the pinball-type scores being thrown around in this era of college football, then forget about grass, this was like watching field-turf grow. MSU’s defense secured the tackle and the Big Ten Championship. “Every time we’ve been in that locker room after a game, it’s been exciting, joyful”.
Iowa threatened to take a double-digit, second-quarter lead, but Beathard was intercepted in the end zone by Michigan State safety Demetrious Cox, who snagged the ball in midair after it bounced off a teammate’s back.
Scott ran 22 times for 73 yards against a stingy defense that stopped Michigan State on four consecutive snaps inside the Iowa 5 in the final two minutes.
Michigan State and Alabama have played only once before. “Wherever they put us, we’ll be OK with it”. “I got to grit it out being in a situation like this, playing for a championship”.
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“That’s really the last thing that’s been on my mind all week”, Ferentz said.
