MI State stuns Ohio State as Spartans down Buckeyes 17-14

MI State kicker Michael Geiger (4) walks off the field in celebration after their 17-14 win over Ohio State in an NCAA college football game, Saturday, November 21, 2015, in Columbus, Ohio.

O’Connor found out Friday night that he would be the starter. Should the Spartans win next week against Penn State, they’ll punch a ticket to the Big Ten Championship Game in Indianapolis.

“I’m just imagining that’s what was said”.

The Bears (9-1) crept back into the playoff race by handing Oklahoma State (10-1) its first loss of the season, 45-35 in Stillwater, Oklahoma. Not coincidentally, it was against the MI State Spartans – the only Big Ten team to defeat Ohio State during the Urban Meyer Era (2013 Big Ten Championship Game).

Another unlikely hero. Another game won on the final play.

After coming off of a season where they were hyped to be God’s gift to football, MI State witnessed their downfall against an unranked Nebraska with a controversial call, setting them back to 9th in the rankings.

Afterward, he ripped his coaches.

“I call a lot of the plays anyways”, Meyer said. “I feel like we weren’t put in the right opportunity to win this game, we weren’t put in the right situation to win this game”.

“It’s very disappointing”, Elliott said.

“I was 100 percent today”, he said.

“The coaches had a great game plan”, Terry said. “I deserve more than 11 carries”.

Saturday showed that the play-calling issues, receiver issues and pass protection issues were real no matter who played quarterback.

“I knew there was no way I was going to miss”, the 5-foot-8 Geiger said, sounding like Ollie from the film “Hoosiers” after his two underhanded free throws advanced Hickory in the state tournament. It didn’t work out.

Elliott, a junior said it was his last game in Ohio Stadium and that he will turn pro after the season. “It was straight, and I don’t even know if I saw it go through the uprights, because by then I was gone, I was running, I didn’t want to get tackled or any of that”.

The Spartans started the winning drive at the Ohio State 48-yard line with 4:07 left after a punt.

The fragile chemistry of Ohio State imploded for the world to see. “I don’t think that’s part of it”. They were picked to run through the season undefeated and end up with a shot to defend their title, behind one of the best coaches in the country and not just one but three fantastic quarterbacks to choose from. The chip on the shoulder of MI State grew larger, especially with Connor Cook’s shoulder too weak for him to play. Boos were heard through a record crowd at Ohio Stadium, as the Buckeyes attempted only 16 passes in the rain against a MI State defense that has struggled. If only Ohio State had a quarterback on its roster with a decent arm, or maybe the best arm in all of football.

O’Connor was steady when the Spartans got the ball back.

Then MI State put an end to that chatter. Gerald Holmes reached the ball over the goal line for a 2-yard touchdown to tie it at 14 for the Spartans with 12:03 left.

“We ran a lot of gap scheme and were gashing them”, Elliott said.