Michigan State standout quarterback Connor Cook didn’t play his best game, but he made plays when it mattered to give his team the Big Ten Title.

By Charlie Green
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INDIANAPOLIS — Michigan State quarterback Connor Cook might be the best quarterback in college football, but for three-and-a-half quarters on Dec. 5 night, he looked nothing like it.

Yet on the Spartans’ final drive, the senior delivered in a big and unlikely way. On fourth and 2 with his team down by 4 deep in Iowa territory, he all but ended Iowa’s dreams of a national title.

“It was just an option,” Cook said. “It was a good play because the defensive end was inside our tight end, so they could get a down block on him, and they could pin him inside.”

As he ran left with his pitchman trailing, Cook cut upfield, plunging into a small opening and picking up just enough for the first down.

It was a devastating blow for Iowa. Although the Spartans needed a touchdown to go ahead, the Hawks had just burned three time-outs on the drive, trying to give its spent defense a rest.

Iowa’s defense was on its heels already. But a fresh set of downs for the Spartans from Iowa’s 3-yard line felt like a death sentence.

Cook, who the Hawkeyes rendered ineffective most of the game, buried them in an instant. It was a play call that appeared to catch an exhausted unit off guard.

“We knew that the quarterback always wants to keep the ball,” cornerback Desmond King said. “But I don’t think anyone was assigned to him. We had our assignments. Somebody was on the pitch guy, and someone should have been on the quarterback.”

Cook was clearly still hampered by a shoulder injury sustained against Maryland on Nov. 14. Throws hung in the air in a windless building. Timing and accuracy were issues as well. He finished 16-of-32 for 191 yards and 1 interception — coming in the first quarter after a hit from defensive end Parker Hesse forced an errant throw.

Pressure wasn’t much of a problem for Cook, but coverage was all night. He often had to run out of the pocket and make low-percentage throws because no one was open downfield.

But starting in the second half, Michigan State began to control the ball. Long drives slowly wore down Iowa’s defense to a point exactly where the Spartans wanted it.

On the drive that put it ahead, Michigan State ran 18 times and threw just 4 passes, ultimately leaving just 27 seconds on the clock.

One of those throws was another huge play, coming on a third and 8 after a penalty had negated a first down. On it, Cook connected with Aaron Burbridge for 16 yards, fitting a ball in between two Iowa defenders and continuing his march to strip the Hawks of any life left.

“He was just giving the ball to his playmakers,” cornerback Greg Mabin said. “He was putting it in a spot where only they could get it.”

While a great game plan from head coach Mark Dantonio was carried out largely by stellar offensive line play and opportune running backs, at some point he was going to put the ball in his quarterback’s hands.

When it came on fourth and 2 from Iowa’s 5-yard line, Cook was ready.

“That’s the same play we ran against Ohio State in 2013 on fourth down,” Cook said. “We’ve run it before, we’ve repped it a lot in practice, and I had full confidence in myself that I was going to go out there and get the first down.”

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