INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – The Buckeyes’ school-record winning streak and national championship hopes came crashing to earth Saturday night, thanks to the Michigan State Spartans, who upset OSU 34-24 in the Big Ten Championship Game.
Ohio State (12-1) had the nation’s longest active winning streak end at 24 as coach Urban Meyer suffered his first loss since taking over in Columbus.
“I’m just at a loss for words…We worked so hard and it just slipped out of our hands,” said linebacker Ryan Shazier.
“We’re hurt right now…We’re going to let this one sink in and move on and get ready for whatever bowl game we’re going to play in and get ready for that team,” said senior running back Carlos Hyde, who rushed for 118 yards.
That bowl game is expected to be the Orange Bowl and the opponent to be Clemson.
Hyde and quarterback Braxton Miller led the Buckeye offense, which gained 374 total yards against the nation’s best defense, but were outgained by the unheralded MSU offense with 438 yards, 304 of them through the air.
The No. 10 Spartans shook up the BCS title chase a week after it was shuffled by Ohio State’s tense win over Michigan and Auburn’s upset of then-No. 1 Alabama on a miracle last-second play.
The third-ranked Tigers now have national championship hopes after winning the SEC title game, 59-41, over fifth-ranked Missouri. They will likely face top-ranked Florida State, who clinched its championship-game appearance by clobbering No. 20 Duke, 45-7.
The game at Lucas Oil Stadium was one of wild swings, taking fans on a roller-coaster ride.
The Spartans (12-1) led 17-0 after 21 minutes before the Buckeyes scored 24 unanswered points. MSU then scored the final 17.
They regained the lead, 27-24, on Connor Cook’s 9-yard touchdown pass to Josiah Price with 11:41 left.
Following a blocked punt that gave the Buckeyes possession with good field position and plenty of time, Miller was stopped short on fourth-and-two, setting up an insurance score by the Spartans.
“I wanted to put the ball in the hands of our best player, Braxton…It was a chance to try and go win the game,” Meyer said of the decision to go for the first down.
On the ensuing possession, Michigan State sealed the victory, and its probable trip to the Rose Bowl, with Jeremy Langford’s late 26-yard TD run.
The Spartans haven’t played in Pasadena since 1988.