Spartans complete comeback, win Big Ten Championship

Deshaun Watson did everything in his power to ensure Clemson’s ideal season continued. As the top seed, the Tigers get to play as close to home as possible.

West Division champ Iowa (12-0, 8-0) is one of two remaining unbeaten teams in the Football Bowl Subdivision and, along with Michigan State, was one of five FBS teams with multiple road wins over ranked foes. But Beathard had time for only three snaps, one of them a spike. At one point, an illegal touching call on Michigan State receiver Aaron Burbridge wiped out a first-down producing catch.

Run, pass and catch.

Iowa (12-0) understands what’s at stake.

The Michigan State Spartans sealed a spot in the college football playoffs after narrowly defeating the Iowa Hawkeyes late Saturday night.

Be proactive – Use the “Flag as Inappropriate” link at the upper right corner of each comment to let us know of abusive posts. 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. A half-dozen Iowa defenders tried to stop Scott, but he wouldn’t be denied.

In all, it took six seconds for the 233-pound running back to travel that final, season-saving yard. Even as we speak, chemists are trying to replicate the first 50 minutes of the game between the Spartans and No. 4 Iowa in pill form – as an antidote for Red Bull. Not because Michigan State beat the Nittany Lions, but because they completely dominated the game.

With the win, Michigan State earns its second Big Ten title in the last three seasons, and while that’s certainly something worth celebrating, this one has a bit more meaning.

“We still have games to play and I think everyone has that in the back of their head”, Colquhoun said.

Connor Cook, the game’s MVP, was 16 of 32 for 191 yards with one interception and no touchdowns.

Finally, just the run of the mill 22-play drive to win the conference championship Saturday night over Iowa. “I think we belong with anybody”. In 2013, Connor Cook’s career took off and a stout defense carried the team to a Big Ten title over Ohio State and a Rose Bowl victory and that run has put them on the map in terms of the country’s best programs.

“What I tell our players…is guys, you really should be happy and you should be excited about what you have been able to accomplish and winning the SEC championship, but now I have a question for you: What do you want to do now?” said Tide coach Nick Saban, who has led Alabama to three national championships and coached at Michigan State from 1995-99. “We don’t count ourselves out”.

For perspective, though, we flash back to 2006, the final season of the John L. Smith regime, and MSU’s football program at the lowest of lows.

The Spartans missed two other golden scoring opportunities before halftime, each chance failing when Geiger missed two 52-yard field goal attempts.

“Credit Michigan State”, Beathard said. Every time we’ve been in the locker room after a game it’s been exciting. “I would expect it just gives us another thing to maybe celebrate tomorrow”, Dantonio joked in his post-game press conference.

Especially when it appeared moments earlier that the Hawkeyes might be headed to the playoff game themselves.

Iowa was knocking on the door later at the Spartans’ 5-yard line when quarterback C.J. Beathard’s third down pass was intercepted in the end zone.

But for all of the talk about the league’s two best quarterbacks going head-to-head, this game ended with a decidedly old-school flavor.