Iowa was playing great defense I was wrong.
Chris was right.
And I was happy.
We were the last men standing at the Outdoor Ampitheatre. It was about 10 degress below chilly. We were wearing several layers of clothes, mittens and jackets. The heater was cranked making things toasty. We were bundled up outdoors to watch an indoor game.
Ellis had left to watch the UNC game. He knew that the TV would be tuned into the State game and he wanted to see if his Heels could pull out a miracle (they tried, got close but didn’t)
It was at the end of the third quarter. State had just gone ahead 9-6. I turned to Chris and said the way this game is going the first touchdown will win it. With both teams being forced to kick FGs - a TD is like having a two score lead.
Sure enough, on the very first play of the fourth quarter Iowa QB CJ Beathard gets the ball just past the outstretched hand of Darian Hicks into the hands of his WR Tevaun Smith. Hicks used the proper technique, he put his arms between Smith’s but he was a microsecond late. Smith caught it and ran into the end zone. Iowa was up 13-9. They had the two score lead.
Chris was right.
And I was happy.
We were the last men standing at the Outdoor Ampitheatre. It was about 10 degress below chilly. We were wearing several layers of clothes, mittens and jackets. The heater was cranked making things toasty. We were bundled up outdoors to watch an indoor game.
Ellis had left to watch the UNC game. He knew that the TV would be tuned into the State game and he wanted to see if his Heels could pull out a miracle (they tried, got close but didn’t)
It was at the end of the third quarter. State had just gone ahead 9-6. I turned to Chris and said the way this game is going the first touchdown will win it. With both teams being forced to kick FGs - a TD is like having a two score lead.
Sure enough, on the very first play of the fourth quarter Iowa QB CJ Beathard gets the ball just past the outstretched hand of Darian Hicks into the hands of his WR Tevaun Smith. Hicks used the proper technique, he put his arms between Smith’s but he was a microsecond late. Smith caught it and ran into the end zone. Iowa was up 13-9. They had the two score lead.
As was State's Now I was worried. I told Chris that it looked like the bad Connor Cook had arrived. Cook used to have clunkers of games in the past but seemed to put that behind him this year. Yet, in this game he was sailing passes or drilling them into the dirt. Either his inaccuracies had returned or his shoulder was still hurt. It really didn’t matter. The passing game was off.
With State becoming one dimensional Iowa was stuffing the Spartans. I had long stopped doubting Iowa. I was impressed. They were tough and disciplined. They were the mirror image of the Spartans.
State gets the ball back, gains some ground but when Cook needs to make a third and 9 he misses RJ Shelton. It was a tight window. The kind Iowa was offering all night. The kind of window Cook can often squeeze in a completion. But tonight, he couldn’t. He misses Shelton high. State punts.
Once again, State will need the defense to rise to the occasion. Iowa tries to hit the home run ball again but this time Beathard is a little off and State has safety help. Iowa punts. State has the ball at their 18 with 9 minutes left.
With State becoming one dimensional Iowa was stuffing the Spartans. I had long stopped doubting Iowa. I was impressed. They were tough and disciplined. They were the mirror image of the Spartans.
State gets the ball back, gains some ground but when Cook needs to make a third and 9 he misses RJ Shelton. It was a tight window. The kind Iowa was offering all night. The kind of window Cook can often squeeze in a completion. But tonight, he couldn’t. He misses Shelton high. State punts.
Once again, State will need the defense to rise to the occasion. Iowa tries to hit the home run ball again but this time Beathard is a little off and State has safety help. Iowa punts. State has the ball at their 18 with 9 minutes left.
It looked like it would be a game of field goals The offense starts to move the ball. State gets to their 48 first and ten with 6 minutes to go. Chris turns to me and says “State is going for a last second TD.”
What??? No way, there’s 6 minutes left. They have all three timeouts. Neither team was scoring inside the red zone. State needs to kick a FG, use the timeouts and get the ball back and then get a walk off FG. No way can they run the clock out. Iowa has all their timeouts too.
“Nope” he said. “They’re going for the last second TD.”
State keeps grinding the ball. And the good Cook seemed to be back. He hits his favorite target Aaron Burbridge to get the ball to the Iowa 34. All night, I had been looking for the patented back shoulder fade to Burbridge. It was our best weapon all year. It wasn’t the fade but the two connected.
5 minutes were left on the clock. I was still saying it was going to be two FGs to win. Going for the last second TD was just too risky. My ticker could handle that strategy.
And then in the single most incredible display of power football I can ever recall, State just starts pounding away. Cook hands it to LJ Scott six straight times! He gets it to the Hawkeye 10. 2:15 left
Chris goes “Now Iowa is going to start using their timeouts. They need time when the get the ball back.”
What??? State hadn’t scored yet. Iowa would just be giving State time to score. If they can’t get the TD they could still kick the FG and with all their timeouts left, State would still have a chance at the walkoff. Iowa calling a timeout was almost as if they were conceding a TD.
What??? No way, there’s 6 minutes left. They have all three timeouts. Neither team was scoring inside the red zone. State needs to kick a FG, use the timeouts and get the ball back and then get a walk off FG. No way can they run the clock out. Iowa has all their timeouts too.
“Nope” he said. “They’re going for the last second TD.”
State keeps grinding the ball. And the good Cook seemed to be back. He hits his favorite target Aaron Burbridge to get the ball to the Iowa 34. All night, I had been looking for the patented back shoulder fade to Burbridge. It was our best weapon all year. It wasn’t the fade but the two connected.
5 minutes were left on the clock. I was still saying it was going to be two FGs to win. Going for the last second TD was just too risky. My ticker could handle that strategy.
And then in the single most incredible display of power football I can ever recall, State just starts pounding away. Cook hands it to LJ Scott six straight times! He gets it to the Hawkeye 10. 2:15 left
Chris goes “Now Iowa is going to start using their timeouts. They need time when the get the ball back.”
What??? State hadn’t scored yet. Iowa would just be giving State time to score. If they can’t get the TD they could still kick the FG and with all their timeouts left, State would still have a chance at the walkoff. Iowa calling a timeout was almost as if they were conceding a TD.
Until a great pass put Iowa up 13-9 And yet, as if on cue, Iowa calls a time out.
Chris and I are usually pretty good at assessing games but he was the Master this night. It was if he had tapped into the coaches sideline phones.
Out of the time out, again, LJ gets the ball and gets it to the Iowa 5. Third and 2. Another timeout Iowa. Their final one.
LJ gets it again and is stuffed. 4th and 2 at the 5 - 1:54 left. The clock is ticking. MSU is indeed going to roll the dice and either get a TD or lose.
There have been a ton of “most important play of the season” this year. Each one sets up the next. Now it was the latest “most important play”
State calls for the option by Cook. They were going to leave it in his hands but didn’t trust him to throw it.
Cook rolls left, he keeps it and leading with his right shoulder, the injured right shoulder, he just gets the first down. The refs review it but it was an easy call. He had it by about a foot.
First and goal at the Hawkeye 3! The refs move the chains and the clock restarts. 1:31 left, the clock is ticking. Once again LJ gets the ball and gets it to the Iowa 1, second and goal. My heart is pounding.
And again LJ gets the ball. Stuffed...
He had been given the rock 9 out of the last ten plays. The only other carry was by Cook for the first down.
State finally uses a time out. 33 seconds left. 3rd and goal. Two plays to win it and advance or go home.
Chris and I are usually pretty good at assessing games but he was the Master this night. It was if he had tapped into the coaches sideline phones.
Out of the time out, again, LJ gets the ball and gets it to the Iowa 5. Third and 2. Another timeout Iowa. Their final one.
LJ gets it again and is stuffed. 4th and 2 at the 5 - 1:54 left. The clock is ticking. MSU is indeed going to roll the dice and either get a TD or lose.
There have been a ton of “most important play of the season” this year. Each one sets up the next. Now it was the latest “most important play”
State calls for the option by Cook. They were going to leave it in his hands but didn’t trust him to throw it.
Cook rolls left, he keeps it and leading with his right shoulder, the injured right shoulder, he just gets the first down. The refs review it but it was an easy call. He had it by about a foot.
First and goal at the Hawkeye 3! The refs move the chains and the clock restarts. 1:31 left, the clock is ticking. Once again LJ gets the ball and gets it to the Iowa 1, second and goal. My heart is pounding.
And again LJ gets the ball. Stuffed...
He had been given the rock 9 out of the last ten plays. The only other carry was by Cook for the first down.
State finally uses a time out. 33 seconds left. 3rd and goal. Two plays to win it and advance or go home.
Then LJ Scott caps a fantastic drive and stretches for the winning TD! There was no mystery who was going to get the ball. Iowa knew it, their fans knew it. The announcers knew it. It wasn’t who would get it – it was will he score?
Scott gets the ball and rolls right, he gets hit, hit again, hit again! He breaks four tackles and from the one reaches out “Hang on to the ball!!!!!” he stretches and……
TD MSU!!!!
The replay clearly showed how Scott kept his knee off the ground, stretched and got the TD. Fantastic run - breaking at least four tackles and willing his way into the end zone. The offensive line and Scott gave State the lead 16-13.
The last Hawkeye series was anticlimactic With no timeouts left Iowa had to go deep much like they did to open the fourth quarter with the TD and on the next series that ended with a punt.
This time State was ready, The DL pinned their ears back and the safeties would cover deep.
CJ Beathard gets sacked and then spikes the ball. With 5 seconds left, Iowa tries the hook and ladder, fumbles it and State wins.
But the win was not on that drive. It was the 22 play, 82 yard, 9 minute drive that MSU willed into a TD. It was the longest drive in Div 1A football this year.
And you can bet that Bama and the other playoff teams were watching.
Stop us if you can Nick.
Scott gets the ball and rolls right, he gets hit, hit again, hit again! He breaks four tackles and from the one reaches out “Hang on to the ball!!!!!” he stretches and……
TD MSU!!!!
The replay clearly showed how Scott kept his knee off the ground, stretched and got the TD. Fantastic run - breaking at least four tackles and willing his way into the end zone. The offensive line and Scott gave State the lead 16-13.
The last Hawkeye series was anticlimactic With no timeouts left Iowa had to go deep much like they did to open the fourth quarter with the TD and on the next series that ended with a punt.
This time State was ready, The DL pinned their ears back and the safeties would cover deep.
CJ Beathard gets sacked and then spikes the ball. With 5 seconds left, Iowa tries the hook and ladder, fumbles it and State wins.
But the win was not on that drive. It was the 22 play, 82 yard, 9 minute drive that MSU willed into a TD. It was the longest drive in Div 1A football this year.
And you can bet that Bama and the other playoff teams were watching.
Stop us if you can Nick.
