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Sports

ICYMI: Michigan State Beat Iowa on One Helluva Play

LJ Scott made one graceful pivot that would change Michigan State forever.

Somehow, LJ Scott made it all look like a graceful pirouette.

With 33 seconds on the clock and down 9-13 against Iowa, the Michigan State true freshman was trusted to run the ball on 3rd and goal. He took the handoff, stiff armed a man, and was wrapped up by two defenders like an in-law's Christmas present. It seemed all-but curtains for Michigan State, but somehow, by some grace of a higher being, the man was able to trap that pressure, turn it against itself, and—like the undoing of a slip-knot—spread himself out to land one amazing, championship-winning touchdown.

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The end result looked like "Raising the Flag on Iwo Jima"—except replace the flag pole with LJ Scott.

Yes, the Big 10 Championship between No. 5Michigan State and No. 4Iowa was already slated to be a big one—and hoo-buddy did it deliver. Since the beginning of the season, Iowa—not having seen a national championship since 1958—received a truckload of ridicule about their easy schedule. But they took solid advantage of it and turned their season into one of fairy tales. (That is, until last night.)

Michigan State, perennial second fiddle to Michigan, hasn't seen a national title since 1966 and required a few miracles of their own to top the Big 10. And pairing these two on-a-whiff-of-a-prayer teams led to a game that just about had it all.

Sure, 16-13 doesn't sound like an action-packed scoreline, but take a look at the highlights below:

The game had everything: two jaw-dropping interceptions plucked off of two different players' backs—one of them in the end zone—an 85-yard touchdown pass, a triumphant dab. All of this topped off by LJ Scott's brilliant pivot to earn Michigan State an all-but-guaranteed shot at the Playoff.

So put it down in the record books, friends. These two underdogs just made a legend of their own.