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Stakes much higher when Clemson-Oklahoma meet again
Posted On Dec 06 2015
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Michigan State is expected to be one of the four teams in the College Football Playoff, which will be announced on Sunday at 12:30. Four minutes later, the Spartans embarked on a legendary 22-play, 82-yard drive that soaked up nine minutes and instead gave Michigan State the league title and likely a playoff berth. A half-dozen Iowa defenders tried to stop Scott, but he wouldn’t be denied. The only real debate was the order.
Oklahoma slips one spot to No. 4. Prior to Mark Dantonio’s arrival, the Spartans had just two 10-win seasons in school history (1965, 1999). L.J. Scott fought five Iowa Hawkeyes from the Iowa 1-yard-line.
Michigan State earned its second conference title in three years, will chase its first national championship since splitting the title with Notre Dame in 1966. A big difference from last season, when the committee had to choose from Ohio State, Baylor and TCU, and ticked off the Big 12 by jumping the Buckeyes past Bears and Frogs in the final rankings.
The result? A 16-13 win for Michigan State in a classic Big Ten battle.
As for the Spartans, back-to-back national top-5 finishes in the AP poll weren’t enough.
Saturday night, Michigan State won a Big Ten championship.
It looked like the Hawkeyes had him stopped again, but Scott refused to go down. The drive consumed 9:04 and included key completions from quarterback Connor Cook, the game MVP, to tight end Josiah Price for 13 yards and to wide receiver Aaron Burbridge for 16 yards, moving Michigan State into position to win the game.
That’s how it stayed until Scott’s score.
FAMILIAR SETTING: Both Michigan State and Alabama have already played in AT&T Stadium this year. The 6-foot-4, 218-pound senior will have a few weeks to rest his balky shoulder before Michigan State plays Alabama in the CFB Playoff.
In all, it took six seconds for the 233-pound running back to travel that final, season-saving yard.
The game will be the sixth night game for the Spartans this year.
Michigan State finally tied it on Geiger’s 29-yard field goal late in the third quarter and then regained the lead on a 47-yard field goal in the final minute of the third quarter.
