In one of the most memorable upsets in college football history, today’s Flashback Friday looks at Michigan State football’s victory over the Ohio State Buckeyes on Nov. 22, 2015.
Coming into the game, the Michigan State Spartans were ranked No. 9 in the country while the Ohio State Buckeyes were ranked No. 3. Until that week, MSU had won every game on its schedule outside of a controversial 39-38 loss at Nebraska two games before. Meanwhile, OSU had started the first eight games of the season at the top of the AP Poll. It wasn’t until the College Football Playoff rankings took effect in week nine that OSU lost the top spot to Clemson.
Ohio State, being undefeated albeit without a real challenge until now, faced a Michigan State team that was 5-1 in its last six games against top-10 competition.
MSU’s defense held Ohio State to 132 yards of total offense. OSU quarterback J.T. Barrett held a stat sheet of 9-for-16, 46 passing yards, one touchdown and a rating of 33.5. Meanwhile, MSU was without its starting quarterback Connor Cook, who had just injured himself the week before against Maryland.
In Cook’s place were both second-string quarterback Tyler O’Connor, who finished 7-for-12 with 89 passing yards and one touchdown, and third-string quarterback Damien Terry, who was 1-for-4 with two passing yards.
The last-minute game-winning field goal came on the foot of Michael Geiger with several seconds remaining. Geiger missed a 41-yard field goal earlier in the game.
"I told him earlier in the game, make the rest of your kicks," defensive end Shilique Calhoun said after the game.
Geiger made the kick at the end of the game and the rest is history.
