Two days ago, you could have summed up Michigan State’s season this way: An average defense, a bunch of tight victories and an ugly, controversial loss to Nebraska. The Spartans looked like a borderline top-15 team.
Now they’re surging up the College Football Playoff rankings thanks to a road win over the former No. 3 team and one of the top defensive performances of the season — Big Ten or otherwise.
The Spartans’ ‘D’ was so dominant in their 17-14 victory, Ohio State had more punts (nine) than first downs (five).
More numbers that help the cause: Michigan State victims Oregon, Air Force and Michigan are a combined 25-8, or 25-5 if you remove the losses to the Spartans.
Penn State is a fur-soft 7-4, so the 10-1 Spartans wouldn’t get much bounce from a victory Saturday. But if Iowa can topple Nebraska on Black Friday to take a 12-0 record into the Big Ten title game, Michigan State would get another chance to add to its impressive portfolio.
It will be intriguing to see where the committee ranks Michigan State in relation to Notre Dame and Oklahoma, the Big 12’s last realistic shot at a playoff berth.
The AP and coaches polls have an identical top six: Clemson, Alabama, Iowa, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Michigan State.
The key questions regarding the Spartans: Will committee members excuse the loss to Nebraska because of a blown ruling on the Huskers’ game-winning touchdown catch by Brandon Reilly? Or will they focus on the 39 points and 499 yards allowed to a 5-6 team?
Also huge for the Spartans — whether Notre Dame can close out its season with a victory over Stanford and if the Sooners can win at Oklahoma State to finish 11-1.
Sweet 16: Here’s how I voted in the Football Writers of America-National Football Foundation Super 16 Poll: 1. Clemson; 2. Alabama; 3. Iowa; 4. Notre Dame; 5. Oklahoma; 6. Michigan State; 7. Stanford; 8. Baylor; 9. Michigan; 10. Florida; 11. Ohio State; 12. Oklahoma State; 13. TCU; 14. Northwestern; 15. Oregon; 16. Florida State.
Three’s company: Once he realized he wouldn’t play Saturday, Michigan State’s Connor Cook assumed a new identity — going from quarterback to coach.
He advised backups Tyler O’Connor and Damion Terry to pretend they’d be performing in practice, rather than before an Ohio Stadium-record crowd of 108,975.
“Connor came up to us and said: ‘Be confident,’ ” Terry recalled. “He made us comfortable. It was awesome.”
Cook said the three have unusually strong chemistry: “The laughter that goes on in our meetings, how often we hang out outside of football … we think we have the best (meeting) room out of all the positions on our team.”
Said center Jack Allen: “They want their best friends to do well even if it means them not playing.”
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Terry is the rushing specialist, but it was O’Connor who ran for 11 yards on a fourth-and-3 on the game-tying touchdown drive. He also completed 7 of 12 passes for 89 yards in windy, rainy conditions.
“Our quarterbacks didn’t flinch,” coach Mark Dantonio said.
Cook, 32-4 as a starter, hopes to rebound from his sprained shoulder in time for the Penn State game.
Singular focus: Given the chance to lobby for a playoff spot after the game, Michigan State defensive end Shilique Calhoun wisely declined.
Asked if the Spartans are worthy of the top four, he replied: “I’m not sure, but I think you can look at the magnitude of the game and our opponent and see that we came out to compete.”
Indeed they did. Show the same intensity Saturday and they’ll beat Penn State to claim the Big Ten East.
“We cannot lose sight,” Dantonio said. “We have to win next week.”
Twitter @TeddyGreenstein