Penn State crushed by Michigan State

“I’ve been very fortunate to be around some big-time games; very blessed”, Ohio State coach Urban Meyer said. I just wanted to come out and just manage the game and make smart decisions.

The Michigan State football team wrapped up their regular season and a Big Ten East division title with a 55-16 thrashing of Penn State in a battle for the Land Grant Trophy.

Iowa, of course, enters this game with a ideal record.

Ohio State’s loss to Michigan State last week took destiny out of its hands because the sixth-ranked Spartans would win a head-to-head tiebreaker.

Ohio State (11-1, 7-1 Big Ten, No. 8 CFP) needs to root for some major upsets, and even then would have to hope that the committee is feeling generous.

Chris Godwin had 11 catches for 109 yards and two touchdowns for Penn State (7-5, 4-4 Big Ten), with Christian Hackenberg throwing for 257 yards and two touchdowns in the defeat. While Alabama’s overall resume features more wins against good teams, Clemson gets the edge in big victories with wins against Notre Dame and Florida State. “That was a reality check”.

Michigan State may have ended the national champions’ quest to repeat by routing Penn State and earning a spot in next week’s title game against Iowa. It was 41-16 in the fourth quarter before Malik McDowell intercepted a pass that had bounced off fellow defensive lineman Shilique Calhoun.

OSU opened the scoring on a Barrett 7-yard run with 1:05 left in the first quarter.

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.

“He’s always locked in, and he always wants to be flawless”, Allen said of Cook. Remember, Ohio State was not the best team in the country for most of last season. The Spartans beat the Wolverines when MI botched a punt on the final play, and they edged the Buckeyes on a last-second field goal.

The Spartans led 20-10 at halftime, highlighted by Cox’s first career touchdown.

“We’re down right now, but we can always come back”, Chesson said. He bounced off one defender and spun past another before diving into the end zone.

It closed the door on whatever shot the victor of the Ohio State-Michigan game had at the Big-10 title.

Factor in the three-headed monster at running back that is Jordan Canzeri, LeShun Daniels Jr. and Akrum Wadley and it’s no wonder why Iowa has emerged as the Big Ten’s best this season.

Michigan State’s offensive line was announced Monday as one of six finalists for the Joe Moore Award, given to the top offensive line unit in football. He said he was able to practice Thursday, and against Penn State’s formidable pass rush, his offensive line kept him out of harm’s way. “We obviously have a lot of work to do”, Franklin said.

Penn State moved the ball well in the first half but lost two crucial turnovers.

The 1-2 punch of running back Ezekiel Elliott and quarterback J.T. Barrett combined for 353 yards rushing and five touchdowns in a 42-13 win at Michigan Stadium Saturday.

There will be plenty of time between now and Penn State’s bowl game, which could come as early as the December 26 Foster Farms Bowl in Santa Clara, Calif., or as late as the January 2 TaxSlayer Gator Bowl in Jacksonville, Fla.