EAST LANSING, MI – NOVEMBER 03: Le’Veon Bell #24 of the Michigan State Spartans battles for extra yards during a second quarter run while being tackled by P.J. Smith #13 of the Nebraska Cornhuskers at Spartan Stadium Stadium on November 3, 2012 in East Lansing, Michigan. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
Reporting i) Pat Caputo
By: Pat Caputo
There has been a lot of whining about Michigan State’s loss to Nebraska, blaming a couple questionable calls by the officials for the defeat. Here are three reasons such crying is badly misguided.
1. The Spartans had the ball in the final three minutes of the game. They got one first down, but not a second. If they had, they would have been able to run out the clock.
2. It was fourth and 10 on the eventual winning drive, but it was kept alive when passing-challenged Nebraska quarterback Taylor Martinez hit a wide open receiver receiver in the middle of the field.
3. The ball was at the 5-yard with 11 seconds left. All MSU had to do was hold Nebraska out of the end to force a field goal and overtime. Martinez hit a wide open receiver on a simple down and out pattern for the game-winning score.
