Head coach Mark Dantonio congratulates Ohio State team members after the game Saturday, Sept. 29, 2012 at Spartan Stadium. The MSU football team lost a close game to the Buckeyes by a score of 17-16 in the first Big Ten conference game of the season. Adam Toolin/The State News.
Trailing No. 14 Ohio State 17-16 with just over four minutes to go in the game, junior linebacker Max Bullough trotted out onto the field knowing he and his defense needed to come up big.
He knew he needed to get the offense the ball. He knew he had to stop Ohio State quarterback Braxton Miller from carving up the defense the way he had all day. And as far as Bullough was concerned, there wasn’t any question the Spartans would be able to do it.
“I had full confidence that our offense was going to get the ball back,” Bullough said. “I wasn’t even thinking they’d run the clock out — that hadn’t even crossed my mind.”
On the first play from scrimmage, Buckeye running back Marcus Hyde dashed for seven yards. On the second, Hyde ate up another six yards for Ohio State’s first conversion of the drive.
On first and ten, Miller gained 14 yards on the quarterback keeper, and Ohio State’s second first down of the series. After another six yard run by Miller, MSU called its second timeout of the half with 2:10 remaining. Miller was stuffed on the next play, and the Spartans called their final timeout.
And then a five-yard scamper from Hyde gave the Buckeyes a first down, and nailed shut the Spartans’ coffin. MSU fell 17-16, and dropped its Big Ten season opener at home before 76,705 fans.
Although the Spartans will start conference play in the hole, junior quarterback Andrew Maxwell said MSU could not dwell on the tough loss.
“I think (bouncing back) starts with realizing all our goals are still intact,” he said. “We can still win our side of the conference, we still have a chance to go to Indianapolis and we still have a chance to go to Pasadena.”
The Spartans saw a marked improvement in the passing game, as Maxwell threw for 269 yards and a touchdown on a 22-of-44 afternoon. Sophomore wideout Keith Mumphery hauled in his first career touchdown pass, blowing by defenders and fighting through to the end zone for a 29-yard score. He would finish with five catches for 79 yards.
However, junior running back Le’Veon Bell — who to this point has been MSU’s biggest offensive threat — was shut down on the ground, rushing 17 times for 45 yards, his lowest output of the season.
Meanwhile, Miller looked like a true Heisman candidate, accounting for 315 total yards of offense and throwing a perfect 63-yard touchdown strike to wide receiver Devin Smith which would prove to be the game winning score.
“He’s a great quarterback, he can run the ball, and we just didn’t make enough plays on him,” defensive coordinator Pat Narduzzi said. “He does a great job running the ball, he is their offense … Number five changed the game.”
Several times, the offense failed to capitalize on plays made by the Spartan defense. The unit forced three turnovers, but could not make points off it. Still, head coach Mark Dantonio said he was encouraged by the way his team played against one of the top teams in the country.
“We still have to grow as a football team, but I thought we played better,” he said. “Even with a loss, I thought we played very competitively, and we played a good football team with some playmakers.”
Dantonio added the missed opportunities were crucial to the final outcome, and something the Spartans would have to focus on moving forward.
“We left some plays on the on the field, and we have to be better in certain situations,” he said. “There are plays out there to be made.”
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