Down 6-3 at halftime, 13-9 late and struggling on offense like an MSU team hasn’t in three years, the No. 5 Spartans used an astounding touchdown drive – 22 plays for 82 yards, taking 9:04 off the clock – to claim a 16-13 win over No. 4 Iowa in the Big Ten title game Saturday at Lucas Oil Stadium.
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Michigan will play in the Citrus Bowl against Florida on New Year’s Day, but for seniors like linebacker and co-captain Joe Bolden and center Graham Glasgow, that loss to Ohio State also represents the last time playing in Michigan Stadium.
Alabama and Michigan State, both 12-1, have played only once before.
The Michigan State Spartans basketball team became the highest ranked team in college basketball when the AP released its top-25 poll this week.
Saban admires what Dantonio has done at Michigan State, but he even went a step further when talking about the Spartans head coach.
It’s nearly becoming routine for Michigan State to win in the final moments of their biggest games (save for that unfortunate slip against Nebraska). On the play, Cook rolled to the left on an option before lowering his shoulder and plunging for the line-to-gain.
Ohio State didn’t gain the upsets it needed on Saturday to hope for a back-door entry today into the second College Football Playoff.
Instead of allowing that dud to define their season, quarterback Baker Mayfield and the Sooners went on a seven-game winning streak, outscoring opponents 364-136.
Saban was 34-21-1 in five seasons at Michigan State (1995-99) before going to LSU, then the National Football League and to Alabama in 2007. If so, Mark Dantonio already knows the ending to that story. They will play at Northeastern next week followed by a neutral-court matchup against Oakland and Big Ten road games against Iowa and Minnesota.
SABAN SUCCESS: Alabama has won 25 SEC titles, including four under Saban. The Spartans streamed onto the field in a wild celebration after it was over, just like two years ago. Scott is Michigan State’s leading rusher with 691 yards and 11 touchdowns.
Oklahoma will be in the Orange for the 19th time, the most of any school.
Michigan State doesn’t have a running back like the man who should win the Heisman Trophy, but who does? He leads MI with 16 points, and ranks T-5th amongst all Division I freshmen scorers. He racked up 461 yards in Saturday’s Pac-12 title game, breaking Barry Sanders’ single-season record for all-purpose yardage.
The college football playoffs show begins at noon on ESPN.
“You come in and you remember the exact time you first put the uniform on and you button your chinstrap, and it’s hard to fathom that was the last game here in front of the home fans we love so dearly, especially those who stay until the last snap”. Another 14-yard pass on third-and-18 set up another field goal in the third quarter that gave Michigan State a 9-6 lead.
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“The play before, they (officials) reviewed it and ruled me out”, said Burbridge, who kept his toe in bounds while leaning to catch a pass as he fell out of bounds, but was ruled not to have established his position on the second down incompletion.
