Connor Cook left the game at halftime with an apparent shoulder problem, putting a bit of a damper on No. 14 MI State’s 24-7 victory over Maryland on Saturday. The Spartans (8-1) suffered their first loss of the season last Saturday at Nebraska, 39-38, and are tied for second in the Big Ten East standings at 4-1.
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This time, their defense dominated, holding Maryland to 117 yards in a stretch of 11 possessions. With Jordan Howard back, the running game was outstanding against a supposedly impenetrable Iowa D, coming up with 227 yards averaging close to six yards per carry.
MI State needs to find a way past last week. “Today, I was the hot player”. No. They didn’t surpass the 400 yard mark or anything excessive, but they competed like a national championship game was on the line.
Arjen Colquhoun almost came down with an interception on the next play, but he was unable to secure the ball.
The ultra-competitive Cook – 6-of-20 passing for 77 yards with an interception – was visibly frustrated on the sideline.
“Really, I’ve nearly quit trying to figure out how a football team gets ready”, Dantonio said. “We’re 9-1, so we advance and move forward”.
SA:Right now, I still think the best team in the conference is Ohio State.
Players and coaches, if they are honest, will tell you that you control your own destiny and you never let the game come down to the fickle, unpredictable nature of officiating.
The Lansing State Journal’s Graham Couch and Chris Solari and Detroit Free Press / LSJ MSU beat writer Joe Rexrode discuss MSU football heading into the Maryland game.
“He didn’t have the arm strength to be full-go”, Dantonio said.
“I just landed on it amusing”, Cook said after the game, via the Detroit News.
I got the feeling Saturday morning the Huskers werent about to lose this game. “I think now you’re gonna see guys realizing that, ‘Hey, we’re not gonna win every game with a few lucky play, that’s just not how it goes'”.
After Cook was squashed on a pass attempt, Dantonio inserted backup Tyler O’Connor.
Maryland’s defense played outstanding against the Spartans, holding them to one offensive touchdown in the first half.
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The Spartans and Buckeyes were poised for a division showdown next weekend – until a questionable call at Nebraska ended a potential battle of unbeatens. Maryland has two more chances to break this losing streak and get its first Big Ten win of the season against IN and Rutgers. The Spartans held Maryland to 289 total yards, stopped the Terrapins on 12 of 16 third-down conversions and forced seven three-and-outs, three straight after Connor Cook’s injury. If not for pile-dragging runs by Gerald Holmes, who had 18 carries for 83 yards, the Spartans might have been vulnerable again. Look for the MI State secondary to also bounce back in a big way. Maryland will want to stay focused this week to avoid giving the game away to the Spartans.
