The nightcap of a long day of bowl games ended in a close one that had a pair of clutch field goals and a hint of honey BBQ sauce.
The Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl between TCU and Michigan State didn’t start out particularly interesting when the Horned Frogs jumped out to a 13-0 lead over Sparty, but Michigan State scored 17 points in the second half, including a 47-yard field goal with one minute remaining, to come away with a 17-16 win. A muffed punt by TCU’s Skye Dawson put MSU in a position to take a 14-13 lead in the fourth.
Leading the way for the Spartans was running back Le’Veon Bell, who finished with 145 yards and a touchdown on 32 carries. As an example of MSU’s woeful offensive production, Bell was also the team’s second-leading passer with one completion on a trick play for 29 yards. Bell finishes the year with almost 1,800 yards rushing on 382 carries. Here’s betting this was Bell’s final game with the Spartans.
For TCU, however, there’s plenty of young talent coming back in 2013. Perhaps among those will be quarterback Casey Pachall, who left the program mid-season because of a drug problem. Trevone Boykin has done an admiral job filling in for Pachall, but the Horned Frogs would have a better player at their disposal if Pachall returns.
Texas showed earlier this evening against Oregon State in the Alamo Bowl that it’s a team to keep an eye on as a possible Big 12 championship contender in 2013. I would add TCU to that list as well.
Michigan State will have some questions to address at quarterback -- starter Andrew Maxwell was swapped in favor of Connor Cook -- with the possibility of Bell leaving and taking his load of offensive production with him.
