If MI falls to the Buckeyes, count on the Citrus Bowl on New Year’s Day.
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The 23-game winning streak.
Coach Mark Dantonio played up the underdog role, saying: “We’ve been chased for 10 games”.
Lots of emotions, lots of passion, lots of heart.
“We come in with something to prove”, Dantonio said.
Ohio State wasn’t the only team that saw its national title hopes delivered a potential knockout blow, though, as Oklahoma State lost to Baylor, 45-35.
“What happened today was kind of a bad dream”.
But Saturday’s stunner (to all but the Spartans) in the season’s highest-rated college football game, in front of a stadium-record crowd of 108,975, didn’t just revive the lofty goals of this season. The biggest key in all of this will be the Iowa game at Nebraska.
MI State kicker Michael Geiger (4) runs down the field in celebration after kicking the game-winning 41-yard field goal… The result was particularly impressive considering starting quarterback Connor Cook didn’t play. There was no panic from the Spartans.
No. 12 North Carolina 30, Virginia Tech 27: BLACKSBURG, Va. – Marquise Williams hit Quinshad Davis with a 5-yard TD pass in overtime and North Carolina (10-1) spoiled retiring coach Frank Beamer’s final home game at Virginia Tech.
Don Speck | The Lima News MI State quarterback Tyler O’Conn0r celebrates the victory over Ohio State at Ohio Stadium on the campus of The Ohio State University on Saturday.
15 – Ohio State running back Ezekiel Elliott had just 12 carries for 33 yards against MI State. His long run? Seven yards.
After running for 1,878 yards in 2014, Elliott had continued his dominance this season, gaining over 100 yards in every game this season.
“This is my last game in The ‘Shoe”, he huffed afterward.
Elliott, a true junior, said after the game there’s “no chance” of him coming back next year.
“I am well aware”, Rudock said. Was it the play-calling? Then, we tried to take a shot, and then, they’re second-and-10, stopped the clock, and then, you try to punt with that driving wind in your face, and it was tough. The other Big Ten loss for Meyer? That didn’t stop the Terps from becoming the first Big Ten team to lose to IN this season.
Ohio State scored first in the game, but the Spartans had a quick answer, one that drew them even with the Buckeyes, 7-7, with 7:57 to play in the first half. “I gotta make the most of my time left”, Elliot said, adding that he wanted to thank “Buckeye Nation”. I’m disappointed. I’m disappointed in the play calling and the situation we were put in. “I don’t know what was going on”.
“That’s a team (Michigan State) we should beat”, he said. Like Ohio State, the Spartans never really have taken off in 2015. It has been attributed to rampant injuries, especially along the offensive line and in the secondary.
But for now, this team must and will focus against their next opponent, the Penn State Nittany Lions. It was an impressive drive for the Spartan offensive line as MSU ran the ball on 12 of the 13 plays. “I actually thought we won it a couple times, but we didn’t and you’ve just got to keep playing”.
“It’s a combination of things”, he said of the defense’s struggles to slow down MI State. Still, the Spartan quarterbacks did their part, too. “Passing game was not there”.
If not for three turnovers inside the BC 5-yard line, this one wouldn’t have been close. Each had 25 yards rushing.
The Gators (10-1) were favored by more than 30 points, but were sluggish the whole game. “This team has come along and I’m just happy to be with these guys”. Then, on the back of a stout defense, the Spartans held tight with the defending champions. Everyone always wants to put it on the student-athlete but this one should be on the coach. “There’s only so many times you can do that”.
And we could very well have a situation where both MSU and MI beat Ohio State in the same year.
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“No, I was not content”, Meyer said of the play calling. We haven’t been where we’re at right now so it’s going to mean even a lot more….
