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So, Both Michigan State And Ohio State Lost

This deserves some good schadenfreude.

By Nick Bodanyi
NCAA Football: Ohio State at Penn State Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports

Yeah, yeah, September 17th, 2011. That was the last time Michigan won, Ohio State lost, and Michigan State lost. But those games sucked. (Seriously, Michigan over EMU? 31-3? That’s embarrassing.) Besides, that happened five years ago. I’m pretty good at math, so I know that’s true.

The games last night, on the other hand, were lit. There was a White Out in Happy Valley, and in some, small way it felt like our White Out because they were trying to beat the enemy. That game had an unbelievable scoop and score late in the fourth quarter after Ohio State had spent the majority of the time choking the hell out of Penn State’s offense. The Spanish-speaking announcers did it best:

Then, of course, Penn State fans rushed the field, because that’s what you do when you earn the biggest win for your program since New Year’s Day, 2010, when Joe Paterno beat Les Miles in the Citrus Bowl 19-17 - a game played in some terrible weather conditions.

Last night, though, was at their home. And it was a perfect fall evening to rush the field.

Ohio State v Penn State Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images

This was the first time an Urban Meyer team has surrendered a double-digit lead in the fourth quarter. And the Buckeyes did it to a team that was unranked, written off, and getting beat for most of the evening - to the point where it felt like a blowout, right up until Penn State had the lead.

*****

Luckily, that wasn’t the only game that happened yesterday; Michigan State was also playing, which may have been news to their DBs a couple of times.

I didn’t know whether to be unnerved or impressed by Mark Dantonio’s post-game presser; he calmly ran down problem after problem, after problem, after problem. Michigan State had not lost five in a row since an 0-11 1994 season, and that was because they self-forfeited the wins. The last time they actually lost five in a row was in 1991. Even John L. Smith couldn’t do it.

This win meant a whole lot to the Maryland players, and they celebrated accordingly. Next up for them is an away game with Indiana, followed by Michigan, OSU, and Nebraska in successive weeks. Coach Durkin has promised to build this team on enjoying hard work; it seems he’s found his guys.

*****

So, what does all this mean? We’re the #2 team in the country, baby. Not many even come close.