Michigan State Football: Top 30 games in school history
24. MSU vs. TCU (2012)
Not many people realize that this was the first time we got a true taste of Michigan State’s all-time leading passer, Connor Cook. OK, he may be 150 yards away from breaking the school’s passing record, but he has shattered the touchdown pass record with 71 in a little over three years, but No. 1 came against TCU in the Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl.
The 2012 campaign was one of those seasons in which Mark Dantonio probably wants to forget. Michigan State had a very mediocre offense led by Andrew Maxwell and the Spartan receivers couldn’t catch a ball if their lives depended on it.
With about 30 second left in the third quarter of a snoozer which saw basically zero offense, Cook came into the game and threw a touchdown pass to freshman wide out Aaron Burbridge who did the rest with the ball, finding the end zone for Michigan State’s first score of the game.
On the final drive for the Spartans, trailing 16-14, Dantonio surprised some people, putting Cook in the game even though Maxwell was the starter. This turned out to be a great decision as he led MSU down the field and the Spartans hit a go-ahead field goal with about a minute left for senior Dan Conroy.
It was ugly, but it was a great game.
Next: 23. MSU vs. Michigan (2009)