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Michigan State Football: Ranking the 5 best moments of the 2010s

By Connor Muldowney

INDIANAPOLIS, IN - DECEMBER 05: LJ Scott #3 of the Michigan State Spartans runs for the game winning touchdown against the Iowa Hawkeyes in the Big Ten Championship at Lucas Oil Stadium on December 5, 2015 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
INDIANAPOLIS, IN - DECEMBER 05: LJ Scott #3 of the Michigan State Spartans runs for the game winning touchdown against the Iowa Hawkeyes in the Big Ten Championship at Lucas Oil Stadium on December 5, 2015 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) /
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ANN ARBOR, MI – OCTOBER 17: The Michigan State Spartans celebrate in the end zone after defensive back Jalen Watts-Jackson #20 scored the game winning touchdown against the Michigan Wolverines during the final seconds of college football game at Michigan Stadium on October 17, 2015 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The Spartans defeated the Wolverines 27-23. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
ANN ARBOR, MI – OCTOBER 17: The Michigan State Spartans celebrate in the end zone after defensive back Jalen Watts-Jackson #20 scored the game winning touchdown against the Michigan Wolverines during the final seconds of college football game at Michigan Stadium on October 17, 2015 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The Spartans defeated the Wolverines 27-23. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) /

4. Trouble with the snap (2015)

Ten seconds left on the clock, trailing Michigan 23-21 at the Big House and facing a punt return — or all-out block attempt — and it looked like Michigan State’s playoff hopes would be crushed with a rivalry loss in Jim Harbaugh’s first season.

The camera flashed to Desmond Howard before the final punt and he gave a grin that had Spartan fans sick to their stomachs. Michigan had finally beaten the Spartans after years of MSU dominance.

And then the ball was free.

Michigan snapped the ball low, Blake O’Neill dropped it and tried to pick it back up and get the punt off but the Spartans were already on him. And the rest was history.

Jalen Watts-Jackson will go down in Michigan State history as a hero but he broke his hip in the process of the touchdown and was never truly a factor on the depth chart. He didn’t finish his career in East Lansing but will forever be the most famous Spartan in terms of this rivalry game.

Ask any Michigan State fan, they can probably still recite the Sean McDonough play call. Whoa.

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