The Spartans controlled the tempo for most of Saturday’s matchup between No. 8 MSU and No. 19 Nebraska. Some would consider it complete dominance by MSU.
MSU had what many would think, including players and coaches, a comfortable lead heading into the fourth quarter. The green-and-white lead 27-3 entering the final frame, but 19-unanswered Nebraska points turned what once was a blowout into a nail-biter. Nebraska used a punt return touchdown and timely — somewhat lucky — passing to dig its way back into the game.
Combine that with senior running back Jeremy Langford running out of bounds on the final Spartan drive to leave an extra 40 seconds on the clock and a missed 36 yard field goal by sophomore kicker Michael Geiger , and quickly Nebraska had one final shot.
With 1:07 to go in the game, Nebraska needed to go 80 yards with no timeouts to pull off a previously unthinkable comeback — one that would have left Spartan fans who left early shocked by the time they got back to their cars. Sophomore quarterback Tommy Armstrong Jr.’s first pass fell incomplete, but one play later he was able to connect with sophomore wide receiver Alonzo Moore for 43 yards into MSU territory.
Nebraska now had 42 seconds remaining, sitting at MSU’s 37 yard line and all of the momentum in its back pocket. Everything felt like it was going the Cornhuskers’ way. It felt like the Spartans were a sinking ship, slowly submerging into the sea.
One play later, it appeared the comeback bid would come true as Armstrong Jr. found Moore on the right side of the endzone. The perfect pass by Armstrong hit a diving Moore, but he just barely missed reeling in the one-handed catch.
Following the game, head coach Mark Dantonio said he was already thinking about how he could get his offense to score in the final minute when that play was unfolding in front of him.
Just like that, the Spartans’ College Football Playoff hopes flashed before their eyes. Another loss and MSU would be out of the picture for sure.
But unlike two years ago during a similar night at Spartan Stadium, Nebraska’s comeback bid came up just short. Junior cornerback Trae Waynes was able to secure the Spartan win with an interception two plays later to seal a Spartan 27-22 victory and keep the green-and-white off the wrong end of an ESPN instant classic.
“Nebraska caught fire a little bit and we had a missed interception,” Dantonio said. “Next thing you know, they return a punt and you find yourself in a game. It is good that you have a close game. I don’t like them, but it’s good to have a close game and win it in the end.”
The win didn’t come easily, but in the end MSU survived and advanced, and after a wacky Saturday of college football, it finds itself still in a position of national relevance.
Nearly slipped away
There weren’t many smiles from players following MSU’s 27-22 victory over Nebraska on Saturday. Despite playing a near perfect first three quarters, the ending of the game appeared to leave a bad taste in the mouth of many players, including junior quarterback Connor Cook.
Cook, who had a below-average evening completing only 11-of-29 passes for 234 yards, one touchdown and one interception, said the offense didn’t play as well it should have and he felt responsible for nearly letting this one slip away.
“I feel on offense we did not play well, including me, obviously with the completion percentage,” Cook said. “We have to execute the run game, we have to execute the pass game. I feel defensively we took 10 steps forward, (but) on offense we kind of took a couple of steps back.”
MSU was able to take a 17-0 lead into halftime and continued to pad its lead in the second half . Senior wide receiver Tony Lippett put MSU up 27-3 on a 32-yard end around reverse late in the third quarter, something that coaches and players considered the knockout blow.
The Spartan offense elected to run the ball throughout the final quarter, with 15 rushing attempts compared to six passing. Consequently, MSU only recorded 67 total yards in the final frame. Co-offensive coordinator and running backs coach Dave Warner said down the stretch, MSU was trying to run out the clock and the failure to pick up first downs was the biggest problem for the Spartan offense.
“Do you keep the clock running or do you try and take advantage of them packing the box and trying to stop the run?” Warner said. “We tried to keep running the clock the best that we could. We made a critical error there at the end of the game when we went out of bounds, but we’ve just got to run the ball and get first downs. That’s what we have to do.”
The other side of the ball was the same story down the stretch for the defense. Long completions and multiple penalties plagued MSU late in the game, but sophomore linebacker Riley Bullough was happy that the green-and-white were able to hold on for the win.
“At the end, Nebraska got some momentum,” Bullough said. “They made a couple big plays and we had an opportunity to make plays and we didn’t. That’s what happens when you play a good team, they’re going to bust a couple out, which they did. Thankfully we could hang on to it.”
Where MSU stands
Saturday’s win pushes MSU to 1-0 in conference play and sets the Spartans up for what can be a solid run.
Nebraska stood as one of, if not the, toughest game remaining on the Spartans’ schedule. According to ESPN’s Football Power Index, MSU is projected to win all of its remaining games except for No. 20 Ohio State (4-1 overall, 1-0 Big Ten) . However, the matchup between MSU-OSU will be played at Spartan Stadium, giving MSU an extra advantage.
MSU’s next test in Big Ten play will come next Saturday at sputtering Purdue (3-3 overall, 1-1 in Big Ten) . Cook is looking at this week’s win as the beginning of a bigger picture and using this game as a stepping stone for next week’s matchup against the Boilermakers.
“A win is a win, no matter how you cut it,” Cook said. “If it’s pretty, if it’s ugly, we are all pretty thankful to walk away from this game. If it’s a blowout, if it’s a close game, we were up early, then they came back. A win is a win, they all count as one.”
Looking at the bigger picture, MSU’s College Football Playoff hopes got some much-needed help around the country. Five top-eight teams lost last weekend, including playoff favorites Oregon, Alabama and Oklahoma.
Winning the Big Ten has been the goal for MSU, and that remains the case with potentially even more at stake involving the playoff. Junior defensive end Shilique Calhoun said he’s ready for people to stop talking about last year’s success and look forward to what is on the table for this year’s Spartan team.
“A lot of people just say that we’re defending Rose Bowl champions and defending Big Ten champions, but we’re not defending anything,” Calhoun said. “That’s in the books already. We’re trying to focus on another championship and we came out with that attitude.”
