The Buckeyes then added a 53-yard field goal from place-kicker Mike Nugent, to take a 17-0 lead, with just more than 12 minutes left in the half.

"We said, let's go and we're not playing our game," senior running back DeAndra Cobb said. "We started to gradually pick it up (after that). We have to realize that we have to come out full throttle at the beginning of the game."

The Spartans responded by scoring 13 points to end the half, only down by four points. On a third and goal, senior quarterback Damon Dowdell found a wide open sophomore wide receiver Jerramy Scott for the 8-yard touchdown pass. It was Dowdell's third touchdown pass of the season.

About four minutes later, senior place-kicker Dave Rayner made a 27-yard field goal, to cut the lead to seven. Rayner added another field goal, this time from 44 yards. He had one more chance to cut the lead to one on the last play of the half, but missed a 54-yard attempt.

Both teams came out slow in the second half, but the Spartans put the only score of the third quarter on the board, when Rayner hit a 53-yard field goal, drawing MSU to within one point.

The fourth quarter was similar to the third, until the last five minutes of the game. Rayner hit his fourth field goal of the afternoon with 3:06 left and MSU had its first lead of the game, 19-17.

Ohio State came right back however, with a 58-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Troy Smith to Ginn, his third touchdown of the game -- one rushing, one receiving and one punt return. The Buckeyes then went for the two-point conversion and made it, taking a 25-19 lead.

The Spartans had one last chance to win the game, as they got the ball back with 1:37 left. The moved the ball into Ohio State territory, but Dowdell was picked off by Buckeyes linebacker A.J. Hawk. Ohio State scored on a 51-yard touchdown run by running back Maurice Hall, while trying to run out the clock.

"I don't know what to say," MSU head coach John L. Smith said. "You have to give Ohio State a lot of credit, they're a good football team."

After Smith said the loss was the fault of coaches, a reporter asked him why that was.

"Because I said it was like that," he responded. "OK?" Smith then asked if there were any more questions, but left the podium abruptly before any were asked.

The Spartans play at home against No. 5 Wisconsin next week. They must win that game and their final two at Penn State and Hawaii to be eligible for a bowl game.