The clock read 4:03 remaining in the third quarter when 390 pound lineman LaQuan McGowan scored on an 18 yard touchdown reception to give Baylor a 41-21 lead in the 79th Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic. That was enough for MSU.
It looked like MSU was going to get run out of the building. Trailing 34-14 and then 41-21 after giving up countless deep passing touchdowns of over 45 yards, but a surprise onside kick changed the momentum and gave MSU their first Cotton Bowl championship. A blocked field goal incited the winning drive, and MSU won maybe the most improbable Cotton Bowl in a long time.
When two teams average 48 and 43 points per game, a shootout in the first half shouldn't come as much of a surprise. There were almost as many touchdowns as punts in the first half, and when the dust settled Baylor went into the locker room leading 24-14.
When head coach Mark Dantonio and the Spartans started the season, Arlington, Texas was where they wanted to be.
New Year's Day at AT&T Stadium will be reserved for the football players, but New Year's eve saw a different battle take place in North Texas. For the first time ever, the two marching bands competed in a battle of the bands at Klyde Warren Park in downtown Dallas.
After 14 games, MSU has yet to play a complete game from start to finish against a noteworthy team. The Spartans have showed flashes of what they are capable of from time to time but consistency has been an issue all year.
The men's basketball team had plenty of chances to put the game away. But in yet another close game, missed opportunities cost MSU a signature win. The Spartans (9-5 overall, 0-1 Big Ten) fell to No. 12 Maryland (13-1 overall, 1-0 Big Ten) 68-66 in a double-overtime thriller at Breslin Center Tuesday.
MSU hockey made its 26th appearance in the Great Lakes Invitational title game on Monday night, facing off against UM for the 300th time in the programs’ storied rivalry.
MSU hockey (7-9-1, 1-2-1-1 Big Ten) got its “second half” of the season off to a good start Sunday night.
In its first Big Ten game of the season the women's basketball team (8-4 overall, 0-1 Big Ten) was defeated by the Northwestern Wildcats (11-1 overall, 1-0 Big Ten) 61-57 on Sunday afternoon in East Lansing. The Spartans were unable to find any rhythm shooting the ball in the game, ultimately shooting 29 percent on 20-of-69 shooting.
When it was announced that Pat Narduzzi would be named the newest head coach of the Pittsburgh Panthers a void was left at the defensive coordinator position for MSU.
MSU head coach Mark Dantonio said last week in a press conference that his team will be prepared if Pat Narduzzi skips town and accepts a head coaching position with another program.
After a road-heavy, up-and-down start to the season, the Spartans will see eight days off for the holiday break. And the Spartans have a list — not a Christmas list for Santa, but a list of areas that need to be improved before the team returns to action against Maryland next Tuesday.
For the second straight game, MSU was without senior forward Branden Dawson, and after a first-half grinder, MSU used a 19-point second half run to blow by The Citadel, pulling away for an 82-56 victory. The Citadel gave the Spartans everything they could handle in the first half.
At halftime, the men's basketball team leads The Citadel, 32-26. Sophomore forward Gavin Schilling leads the Spartans with nine points on 4-of-4 shooting.
In the its second game of the Florida Sunshine Classic, the No. 18-ranked women's basketball (8-3) team defeated the No.
With senior forward Branden Dawson sitting out because of a fractured wrist, it was obvious that Michigan State was missing something in a 71-64 loss to Texas Southern. Beyond the absence of a veteran starter and a consistent rebounding threat in Dawson, MSU couldn’t find the energy to take care of business against a Southwestern Athletic Conference team that entered the game at 1-8 overall.
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For roughly 25 minutes, the men's basketball team had a fully healthy squad for the first time all season.
After knocking off Big Ten foe Michigan on Dec. 9, upset-minded Eastern Michigan came to Breslin with the hopes of defeating another in-state power conference team. MSU needed some time to adjust to the Eastern 2-3 zone but eventually found its groove, pulling away for a 66-46 victory. EMU (8-2) caused early problems for the Spartan offense.