Top-Rated Ohio St. Loses to Michigan St.

For the third time in four years, an undefeated Ohio State team was stunned by a team from Michigan.

The top-ranked Buckeyes, who had perfect records spoiled by the Michigan Wolverines in 1995 and 1996, were shocked by four-touchdown underdog Michigan State, 28-24, on Saturday.

“We came in here with the attitude we were the squirts in the neighborhood who had to pick a fight with the bully,” Spartan Coach Nick Saban said.

Julian Peterson forced three fumbles and Renaldo Hill made a goal-line interception with 1:12 left to secure the victory for Michigan State, which overcame a 24-9 deficit in the second half.

Ohio State, 8-1 overall and 5-1 in the Big Ten, came into the game No. 1 in both major polls and theBowl Championship Series standings. The Buckeyes had beaten every opponent by at least 17 points before running into the Spartans.

“This hurts, no question about it,” Ohio State Coach John Cooper said. “It seems like anything that could happen to us did happen to us.”

The Spartans (5-4, 3-2) trailed, 24-9, early in the third quarter after Ohio State’s Damon Moore intercepted Bill Burke’s pass and returned it 73 yards for a touchdown.

But the Spartans rallied and took a 25-24 lead on Sedrick Irvin’s three-yard touchdown run early in the fourth quarter, then added to the lead on Paul Edinger’s fifth field goal with 9:26 left.

Ohio State drove to the Michigan State 15 in the closing minutes, but three consecutive incomplete passes left the Buckeyes facing fourth down.

The Spartans blitzed, leaving flanker Dee Miller isolated in single coverage on Hill, but quarterback Joe Germaine underthrew the ball and Hill intercepted near the goal line.

“This hurts the most,” Miller said. “We had everything lined up. We just didn’t get it done.”

It was Michigan State’s first victory over a No. 1 team since the Spartans defeated Michigan, 28-27, in 1990. That also was the last time an unranked team beat a No. 1 team.

“We’ve been an inconsistent team this year,” Saban said. “We’re young. For us to grow up and make the plays at the end of the game like we did is a positive step for our program.”

Ohio State not only lost its No. 1 ranking, but fell to third in the Big Ten behind Michigan and Wisconsin, both unbeaten in conference play.

Burke, an Ohio native, completed only 18 of 46 passes, but frequently completed the big pass on long-yardage downs.

“It’s the kind of thing you’ll never forget,” he said. “It was a game you like to play in, that you dream about as a kid.”

Burke threw for 323 yards. Germaine was 16 for 34 for 239 yards.

“All week in practice we thought we could win,” Burke said. “We kept it in the family and didn’t talk about it much.”

With 3:33 left in the game, Michigan State’s T.J. Turner, with help from Sorie Kanu and Josh Thornhill, stuffed the Buckeyes’ Joe Montgomery for no gain on fourth and one at the Spartan 26.

After forcing a punt, the Buckeyes took over at their 49 with 1:39 left after a 26-yard return by David Boston.

Germaine, who had engineered a 20-17 upset of Arizona State in the Rose Bowl two years ago under similar circumstances, completed passes to Boston and John Lumpkin before missing on his final four.

Edinger’s five field goals tied a Michigan State record and extended his overall streak to nine in a row.

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