The Michigan State Spartans steamrolled back into the college football national conversation Saturday with a decisive 49-0 shutout of Rutgers. The home victory ended the Spartans 7-game slide and handed them their first conference win in the powerful Big Ten, raising their conference record to 1-6.
Michigan State quarterback Tyler O’Connor may have also played himself back into Heisman Trophy contention. The senior threw for 141 passing yards on ten successful completions, including three touchdown passes.
Meanwhile Michigan State star running back LJ Scott gained 122 yards rushing. The sophomore ran for 103 yards and a touchdown by halftime, when the Spartans held a commanding 35-0 advantage. Rutgers got no closer in the second half as Michigan State cruised to a 7-touchdown win.
Now Michigan State looks to upcoming wins over #10 Penn State and #5 Ohio State to close out its regular season. Even before dismantling Rutgers, the Spartans’ 2016 schedule included two victories in September, highlighted by an 8-point stomping of traditional powerhouse Notre Dame, a school with 11 college football national championships.
Another boost to Michigan State’s resume came Saturday when Pittsburgh upset No. 2-ranked Clemson. Pitt head coach Pat Narduzzi was Michigan State’s defensive coordinator from 2007-2014.
Only time will tell if Michigan State’s resurgence will be enough to convince the Selection Committee to offer them a return trip to the Playoff. One more complication remains regarding the eligibility hurdle. Even after soundly beating Penn State and Ohio State, the Spartans 5-7 record will leave them one win shy of the required 6 victories to be “bowl eligible.”
In just the third season of the young College Football Playoff, there is no formal precedent for procedural details if the Selection Committee ranks a team in the top 4 that technically isn’t bowl eligible. Exhaustive study of the College Football Playoff FAQs page revealed no established protocol for what now seems to be an inevitable scenario.
Michigan State quarterback Tyler O’Connor sets his sights on Alabama.