Michigan State Football: Top 10 games of the Mark Dantonio Era
7. Ohio State (2013 Big Ten Championship)
Since taking over at Ohio State in 2012, Urban Meyer was 24-0 and had been rolling through opponents like a bulldozer. Michigan State was the only team standing in the way of Meyer’s national title game appearance, his first since he was at Florida and Tim Tebow was his quarterback.
With a stacked roster and an incredible dual-threat quarterback in Braxton Miller, the Buckeyes were expected to just demolish the Spartans and head to the national title game, no problem.
In case you haven’t realized this by now, Mark Dantonio loves when his team is considered the underdog because he can get his guys riled up to play these big games when no one is counting on them to win.
Having not lost to a Big Ten opponent in two years, Ohio State was heading into the fourth quarter with a four-point lead and all the momentum in the world.
Connor Cook was looking to change that as the first-year starter threw a huge nine-yard touchdown pass to tight end Josiah Price with just under 12 minutes to go, putting Michigan State up for the first time since early in the third quarter.
That was ultimately all the Spartans needed as Jeremy Langford broke a 26-yard touchdown run with just over two minutes left and as he crossed the goal-line, Spartan Nation realized that Michigan State would be headed to its first Rose Bowl since 1988.
Next: 6. Wisconsin (2011)