Playing without its star quarterback, Michigan State put the defending national champions on the outside looking in at the College Football Playoff race.
Michael Geiger kicked a 41-yard field goal as time expired and No. 9 Michigan State, playing without injured Connor Cook, beat No. 2 Ohio State 17-14 Saturday to snap the Buckeyes’ 23-game winning streak.
On a rainy and windy day at Ohio Stadium, the Spartans (10-1, 6-1 Big Ten) took control of the Big Ten East, put themselves into the thick of the playoff hunt and very likely ended the Buckeyes’ chances to repeat as national champs.
Ohio State (10-1, 6-1) managed just 132 yards against a rugged Spartans defense and lost for the first time to a Big Ten team in the regular season since Urban Meyer became coach four seasons ago. The Rose Bowl might be the best that the Buckeyes can do now.
Without Cook, the Spartans completed one pass in the second half, but they gave Geiger a chance to win it with 3 seconds left and the 5-foot-8 junior curved it through.
The Buckeyes started the season as the unanimous No. 1 team in the country, an overwhelming favorite to win another national title. They had more quarterbacks then they knew what to do with, one of the best running backs in the country and a defense with potential All-Americans at every level. Ohio State sputtered some through 10 games but was never really challenged. At least not like this.
The Spartans relish the role of underdog like no powerhouse program in the country and it seemed to fuel them in the Horseshoe. They were 13-point underdogs coming into the game and you probably could have gotten another touchdown from the odds makers Michigan State took the field for its first drive without Cook.
”The one thing that made a difference … this game we got to be the chaser,” Spartans coach Mike Dantonio said. ”So we could chase this game, so we could play with emotion.”
Cook took a shot to the shoulder last week against Maryland. Michigan State gave no hints to whether he would play but when he warmed up cautiously in pregame it was obvious something was up.
Without Cook, the Spartans used both backups. Tyler O’Connor started and played Damion Terry, too.
Terry took a hard sack by Sam Hubbard and fumbled late in the first quarter. The Buckeyes recovered the Michigan State 32 and it led to Ezekiel Elliott’s 1-yard touchdown on fourth-and-goal.
It was easy to think Ohio State was on its way to a relatively easy victory. Michigan State had other plans.
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