Ohio State chokes vs Michigan State, eliminated from playoff conversation
Michigan State kicked a field goal as time expired to beat Ohio State and are in control of the Big Ten East.
The defending national champion Ohio State Buckeyes saw their 23-game winning streak, their Big Ten title hopes and chance at a College Football Playoff berth slip away as Michael Geiger kicked a 41-yard field goal as time expired as Michigan State Spartans upset Ohio State, 17-14.
Ohio State couldn’t do anything offensively against Michigan State who limited Ohio State to 86 rush yards, including a season-low 33 yards from Ezekiel Elliott, snapping his 15-game streak with more than 100 rushing yards. Ohio State only had 46 passing yards and a total of 132 yards, five first downs and were 4/14 on third down.
Michigan State had to play without starting quarterback Connor Cook, but Spartans head coach Mark Dantonio rotated backups Tyler O’Connor and Damion Terry and it worked as the duo outplayed Ohio State starter J.T. Barrett.
The Spartans duo wasn’t asked to do much through the air, completing eight of 16 passes for 91 yards and a touchdown, but it was better than Barrett who was eight of 15 for 43 yards and a score. Where Michigan State won this game was with their best defensive showing of the year — by far — and with a ground control offense that was able to convert on 7/15 third down tries.
Michigan State just had the answer for anything Ohio State wanted to do today and Dantonio outcoached Urban Meyer who will surely be questioned about his gameplan that featured very little downfield throwing and didnt’ attack a Spartans secondary that was much-maligned this season.
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Ohio State now needs a win against Michigan next week and Michigan State to lose to Penn State next week to win the Big Ten East and play Iowa in the Big Ten Championship Game, but their chances of getting to the playoff took a significant hit on the chin today. Unlike last year when Ohio State overcame a loss to get in, they had two months to overcome that loss as opposed to one week this year.
Basically, they’re done.
As for Michigan State, how can you ever count out a team coached by Dantonio?