No. 5 Michigan State rallies to edge No. 4 Iowa

Cook converted on fourth-and-two with 1:54 left in the game and after a timeout, Michigan State scored their first touchdown of the game, which came on the 21st play of the drive.

Iowa (12-1) lost for the first time this season – and just barely. Iowa finally got to the Michigan State defense with a 85-yard touchdown pass to Tevaun Smith early in the fourth quarter, but on the night the Spartans allowed only 268 yards of offense and forced three turnovers.

Scott ran for 73 yards and a touchdown and Michael Geiger nailed three-of-five field goals as the Spartans ground out the victory. He still became the first player chosen the title game MVP twice – largely because of the poise he demonstrated on a methodical 82-yard drive that consumed 9 minutes, 4 seconds and essentially sealed Iowa’s fate.

Henry tied the SEC record for touchdowns in a season (23) and eclipsed Herschel Walker’s 34-year-old conference mark for rushing yards in a year, pushing his total to 1,986 with at least one more game still to come.

But with the season on the line, Cook and the offense made play after play against an Iowa defense that hadn’t given up a touchdown all night – until Scott got free just long enough.

With the Big Ten champion now ticketed for the College Football Playoff, any opponent better be ready for a heavyweight prize fight when the league sends Michigan State out for a battle with the national title on the line.

Iowa will be looking to do what Michigan State started exactly two seasons ago – win their first true contest of the season and prove all the doubters. A loss, however, would be devastating as this is first game against an elite Big Ten East team and it happens to be the best team of the lot.

Ultimately, the Spartans have taken back the thunder from Michigan’s hiring of Jim Harbaugh.

It ended with the Spartans snapping six running plays inside the Hawkeyes’ 10-yard line, consuming precious time before punching in the game-winning score on a 1-yard run on third down by LJ Scott. The Hawkeyes took an injury hit when leading-rusher Jordan Canzeri exited the game late in the first quarter following a first down run.

It looked like the Hawkeyes had him stopped again, but Scott refused to go down.

Michigan State was a 2.5-point favorite going into this one and the over/under was 51 points. Iowa rushed 24 times for only 52 yards. A team famous for its close calls, the Spartans added one more to their resume thanks to one of the longest, most tense and suspenseful game-winning drives you will ever see. On what should have been a sure touchdown the ball bounced off Riley Bullough’s back an into Demetrious Cox’s hands for an MSU interception in the end zone. A big play early would settle the nerves and bring the expected huge Iowa crowd to life.

“We have plenty to play for, ” Michigan State defensive end Shilique Calhoun said.

But the Hawkeyes couldn’t hang on.