Michigan State Football: Report card for win over Iowa

Dec 5, 2015; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Michigan State Spartans defensive back Demetrious Cox (7) celebrates an end zone interception during the second quarter against the Iowa Hawkeyes in the Big Ten Conference football championship game at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Thomas J. Russo-USA TODAY Sports

Linebackers/Secondary: B

If it hadn’t been for an 85-yard touchdown pass in the second half to put Iowa up 13-9 in a game that looked like one touchdown would end up deciding it, the Michigan State secondary and linebackers would have received a much higher grade.

Tackling is still somewhat of an issue for both position groups. On multiple occasions, plays blown up behind the line of scrimmage by guys like Jon Reschke and Riley Bullough ended up as five-yard gains. That’s unacceptable.

Bullough finished with just five tackles, Reschke had four and Darien Harris led the way with nine — the latter has seemed like the most consistent of the three all year long. To be fair, the defensive line did a solid job of making sure the running backs didn’t need to get to the linebackers and secondary, bottling up Iowa for just 52 yards on 24 carries.

For yet another game, Michigan State’s secondary looked very much improved. That 85-yard touchdown pass by C.J. Beathard to Tevaun Smith that I mentioned earlier was the only big gash of the game allowed by these guys. Take that play out of the equation and Iowa’s gunslinger would have had just 131 yards on 17 completions.

Demetrious Cox recorded one of the most spectacular interceptions of the season to end an Iowa drive in the redzone, picking it off Bullough’s back and even on the long touchdown pass, the coverage by Darian Hicks was tight.

Really nothing to complain about other than the touchdown.

Next: Special Teams