Nov 21, 2015; Columbus, OH, USA; Michigan State Spartans quarterback Damion Terry (6) hands the ball off to wide receiver Macgarrett Kings Jr. (85) during the game against the Ohio State Buckeyes at Ohio Stadium. Michigan State won the game 17-14. Mandatory Credit: Greg Bartram-USA TODAY Sports
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Michael Geiger kicked a 41-yard field goal as time expired and No. 9 Michigan State upset No. 3 Ohio State 17-14 to end the Buckeyes’ 23-game winning streak.
The Spartans (10-1, 6-1 Big Ten) started the winning drive at the Ohio State 48-yard line with 4:07 left after a punt.
Michigan State quarterback Connor Cook, 32-4 as a starter, did not play because of a shoulder injury sustained in the first half of the previous game against Maryland. He was replaced by the tandem of junior Tyler O’Connor and sophomore Damion Terry.
But the story was the Michigan State defense that held Ohio State (10-1, 6-1) to 132 total yards and five first downs. MSU had 294 yards, including 203 on the ground.
Michigan State went 75 yards to tie the score at 14 with 12:03 left in the fourth quarter when running back Gerald Holmes ran in from 2 yards. All 13 plays on the drive were runs.
The second costly turnover by Michigan State helped Ohio State take 14-7 lead with 3:33 left in the third quarter.
Wide receiver MacGarrett Kings fumbled a punt that Ohio State’s Terry McLaurin recovered at the Michigan State 6-yard line and J.T. Barrett immediately hit Jalin Marshall across the middle for the score.
O’Connor committed the first turnover that led to Ohio State taking a 7-0 lead with l2:15 left in the second quarter. He was sacked by defensive end Sam Hubbard and defensive tackle Adolphus Washington recovered the fumble at the Michigan State 32.
It took Ohio State 10 plays to reach the end zone on a 1-yard burst up the middle by running back Ezekiel Elliott.
O’Connor was steady when the Spartans got the ball back. Faced with a third-and-14 from the Michigan State 36, he connected down the left sideline with wide receiver Aaron Burbridge for 36 yards.
O’Connor then hit fullback Trevon Pendleton on a wheel route for 12 yards to tie the score at 7 with 7:57 left until halftime.
Later, Geiger missed a 43-yard field goal attempt after a 5-yard punt by Ohio State’s Cameron Johnston put the ball at the Buckeyes’ 23.
NOTES: Ohio State RB Ezekiel Elliott was held to 33 yards and had his consecutive streak of 100-yard games stopped at 15. … Ohio State leads the series 29-15. … Michigan State has beaten the Buckeyes 10 times when Ohio State entered as a ranked team. … Michigan State coach Mark Dantonio was an assistant at Ohio State under Jim Tressel (2001-03), winning the BCS national championship in 2002. … Ohio State honored 18 seniors before the game. Five are fifth-year seniors, including WR Braxton Miller.
