Michigan State upsets Ohio State; Ezekiel Elliott says he won't be back
Ezekiel Elliott #15 of the Ohio State Buckeyes is gang tackled by Craig Evans #72 of the Michigan State Spartans, Riley Bullough #30 of the Michigan State Spartans and Lawrence Thomas #8 of the Michigan State Spartans in the third quarter at Ohio Stadium on November 21, 2015 in Columbus, Ohio. Michigan State defeated Ohio State 17-14. Credit: Getty Images / Jamie Sabau
Michael Geiger kicked a 41-yard field goal as time expired to give No. 9 Michigan State a 17-14 upset over No. 3 Ohio State yesterday to snap the Buckeyes' 23-game winning streak.
But Geiger and the Spartans soon were upstaged by the losing team's tailback, who rushed for only 33 yards.
Ezekiel Elliott strongly criticized the Buckeyes coaching staff after the loss and the junior said there was "no chance" he'd be coming back in 2016.
Elliott questioned why he carried the ball only 12 times for 33 yards, snapping his streak of 15 straight games with 100 yards or more. He said the coaching staff, led by coach Urban Meyer, did not put the team in a position to win.
"I mean there's no chance of me coming back next year. I got to make the most of my time left," said Elliott, who scored the game's first touchdown.
Quarterback Cardale Jones also suggested on Twitter that he would be leaving Ohio State at the end of the year. He posted a photo of himself walking into the stadium and said, "Last time walking down them steps and into The Shoe, wish the results were different tho."
The Spartans (10-1, 6-1 Big Ten), playing without injured star quarterback Connor Cook on a rainy and windy day at Ohio Stadium, took control of the Big Ten East, barged into the thick of the College Football Playoff hunt and very likely ended Ohio State's chances to repeat as national champions.
"We know how to win," coach Mark Dantonio said.
With a victory next week at home against Penn State, the Spartans will clinch a spot in the Big Ten title game. The last time Michigan State beat Ohio State was the 2013 Big Ten championship game and that broke a 24-game winning streak by the Buckeyes and kept them out of the BCS title game.
Ohio State plays at Michigan next week. As far as the postseason goes, it's likely the best the Buckeyes will be able to do is the Rose Bowl.
The Buckeyes (10-1, 6-1) managed just 132 yards against a rugged Spartans defense and lost to a Big Ten team in the regular season for the first time since Meyer became coach four seasons ago.
Ohio State's only touchdowns came after Michigan State turnovers gave it a short field. The Spartans responded after each one with a 75-yard touchdown drive. Gerald Holmes reached the ball over the goal line for a 2-yard touchdown to tie it at 14 for the Spartans with 12:03 left.
The Spartans completed one pass in the second half, but they ran for 203 yards on 51 attempts in the game and gave Geiger a chance to win it with 3 seconds left by churning out 25 yards on their last drive.
Geiger had missed from 43 yards in the second quarter.
"I told him earlier in the game make the rest of your kicks," defensive end Shilique Calhoun said.
