Michigan State victory sends Spartans to the BIG-10 Championship Game

After a Penn State fumble on the ensuing kickoff gave the Spartans the ball at the 9, Cook took the field and Allen lined up next to him in the backfield.

“I was trying to have fun with it. It’s our last time in Spartan Stadium”, the senior quarterback said.

It shouldn’t be a surprise, but the Michigan State Spartans are four-point favorites to win the Big Ten Championship game over Iowa. Across the field from Dantonio will be Ferentz, who in his 17th season at Iowa, led the Hawkeyes to a ideal 12-0 record.

The Spartans finished tied atop the Big Ten East with Ohio State, and Michigan State upset the Buckeyes last weekend with Cook sidelined because of a shoulder injury. Cook came back Saturday and was brilliant against Penn State (7-5, 4-4). Cook went 19 of 26 for 248 yards and three touchdowns. “Cook was comfortable in the pocket”, Penn State coach James Franklin said. I don’t know the other players, but I am fortunate to be around him. “That was a reality check”.

A Spartans win and they will play Iowa in the Big Ten Championship Game Dec. 5 in Indianapolis. It was 41-16 in the fourth quarter before Malik McDowell intercepted a pass that had bounced off fellow defensive lineman Shilique Calhoun.

Up until the hit on the sack that ended his game, Rudock had another strong game, exceeding 250 yards for the fourth consecutive game.

The College Football Playoff has been a great improvement over the BCS Championship Game era.

As Mark Dantonio said after the game, the goals are still right in front of this team and the first step (beating Penn State) was accomplished and step No. 2 (beating Iowa) is next.

“It’s important for both of us”, Ferentz said. Their fans at the Big House knew it as they chanted: “Go Penn State!”. Leery of a schedule that included two teams from the second-tier FCS but not one now ranked opponent, the committee slotted the Heels 14th in the latest standings.

Marquette’s big men Luke Fischer and Henry Ellenson scored 18 points a piece as Marquette picked up the 2K Classic tournament title with a 78-73 overtime win over Arizona State in NY.

In the past two years, Penn State has gone 0-6 against Big Ten rivals Michigan State, Ohio State, and Michigan, outscored 204-89. “They were pretty much able to run consistently”.

The quarterback remained relentlessly on message after the game, saying that he hasn’t even investigated the process of applying for an National Football League draft evaluation. Cubit took over for the fired Tim Beckman right before the season started. The Golden Gophers turned the ball over five times.

Jabrill Peppers, the former Paramus Catholic star, had 29 yards rushing on seven carries for the Wolverines (9-3, 6-2, No. 10 CFP), who have lost 11 of their last 12 games against Ohio State. A few more game-breakers are needed.

“He’s awesome”, Wilson said.

The Big Ten Championship is shaping up to be a classic. Fellow running backs LeShun Daniels Jr. and Akrum Wadley have also been productive.

MI kept the game competitive – in the first half.

Even without Corey Clement, the Badgers still rushed for 326 yards in their final non-conference tune-up Saturday, a 28-0 win over Hawaii at Camp Randall Stadium.

“I’m very proud of the team the way they’ve worked and the way they’ve progressed”, Harbaugh said.

“This is what we’ve been working for since January – we’ve been talking about it, now it’s time to speak it into existence”, MSU sophomore safety Montae Nicholson said of a dream that seemed distant just three weeks earlier after a 39-38 loss at Nebraska.