SportsDirect Inc. staff
Nov 30, 2013
No. 11 Michigan State 14, Minnesota 3: Jeremy Langford ran for 134 yards and a touchdown as the Spartans outlasted the visiting Golden Gophers to win their eighth consecutive game.
Langford rushed for at least 100 yards for the seventh straight contest, matching the school record set by Lorenzo White in 1985. Connor Cook completed 10-of-20 passes for 143 yards and a score for Michigan State (11-1, 8-0 Big Ten), which plays Ohio State for the Big Ten title next Saturday.
David Cobb ran for 101 yards on 27 carries to lead the way for Minnesota (8-4, 4-4), which turned the ball over three times to lose its second straight. The Golden Gophersกฏ quarterbacks, Philip Nelson and Mitch Leidner, combined to go 9-of-25 for 125 yards and a pair of interceptions.
It took Michigan State only seven plays to drive 80 yards for a score on its first possession as Langford ran the final 15 into the right corner of the end zone. The Golden Gophers used a fake punt to keep a drive alive and pulled within 7-3 on a Chris Hawthorne 21-yard field goal with 3:49 left in the first half.
The Spartans scored on the opening possession of the second half when Cook capped an eight-play drive with a 12-yard scoring strike to Josiah Price over the middle for a 14-3 lead. Minnesota drove inside the Michigan State 20 with just under five minutes left in the game, but fumbled and the Spartans recovered to seal it.
GAME NOTEBOOK: The Spartans shut out six of eight Big Ten opponents in the second half, including Minnesota. กญ The Golden Gophers became only the second team to rush for 100 yards against Michigan State this season, totaling 124 on the ground. กญ Spartans WR Tony Lippett caught four passes for 71 yards.