Just a short time ago, we were all set to hand the Big Ten floor over to Messrs Wisconsin and Ohio State. However, Michigan State had other ideas.
Trailing 28-13 entering the fourth quarter, and looking limp, lethargic and disinterested throughout the first three quarters, Michigan State abruptly came to life in the final period, scoring three touchdowns and stealing -- literally -- a 35-31 win.
Pending the results of the Ohio State-Iowa game this afternoon, MSU’s win keeps the Spartans locked in a three-way tie with the Buckeyes and Wisconsin.
If all three schools win their remaining games -- Michigan State plays at Penn State, Wisconsin hosts Dan Persa-less Northwestern, and Ohio State hosts Michigan after the road date with Iowa -- the tiebreaker to determine the Big Ten’s Rose Bowl representative would come down to the BcS rankings. Currently, Wisconsin has an edge on both Ohio State and Michigan State, although the Buckeyes have sliced into the Badgers’ advantage over the past couple of releases. Whether or not the remainder of the deficit can be overcome in the final two releases remains to be seen -- though highly doubtful -- especially given the fact that, ya know, the Badgers beat the Buckeyes on the field a month ago.
Michigan State, on the other hand, has a slim-to-none chance of leapfrogging both Wisconsin and Ohio State in the Bcs rankings if both win out.
In other words, the Badgers are all but assured of the Big Ten’s automatic BcS slot with a win over Northwestern next weekend. As long as there’s a three-way tie, of course.
