2015 Big Ten Football Championship Game

August 2023 Big Ten Football Championship Game Conference Championship Big Ten Football Championship Game Logo.svg December 5 2015 2015 Lucas Oil Stadium Indianapolis, IN University of Iowa Iowa Hawkeyes 12–0 4 3 4 Kirk Ferentz 3 3 0 7 Michigan State University Michigan State Spartans 11–1 5 5 5 Mark Dantonio 3 0 6 7 Connor Cook (MSU) Michigan State by 3 Hawkeye Marching Band and Michigan State University Spartan Marching Band John O'Neill 66,985 Fox Gus Johnson (play-by-play), Joel Klatt (color analyst), Molly McGrath (sideline) 5.7 (9.8 million viewers) The 2015 Big Ten Football Championship Game was a college football game that was played on December 5, 2015, at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana. It was the fifth annual Big Ten Football Championship Game, and it determined the 2015 champion of the Big Ten Conference. The game featured the Michigan State Spartans, champions of the East Division, and the Iowa Hawkeyes, champions of the West Division. Michigan State defeated Iowa 16–13 to win its second Big Ten Championship in three years.No. 5 Michigan St. snatches Big Ten, likely playoff spot from No. 4 Iowa https://www.espn.com/college-football/recap?gameId=400852682 ESPN December 5, 2015 December 14, 2019 Since both teams were #5 and #4 respectively, the winner automatically clinch a berth to the four-team College Football Playoff. History The 2015 Championship Game was the fifth in the Big Ten's 120-year history, and the second to feature the conference's East and West division alignment. Iowa made its first appearance in the conference championship game, while Michigan State made its third appearance (L in 2011, W in 2013). To date, this game holds the Big Ten Football Championship Game attendance record. Teams Michigan State 2015 Michigan State Spartans football team Michigan State entered the Big Ten Championship Game with an 11–1 record and the No. 5 ranking in the College Football Playoff. On offense, the Spartans were led by Big Ten QB of the Year Connor Cook and Big Ten Receiver of the Year Aaron Burbridge. In the trenches, Jack Allen and Jack Conklin anchored the offensive line, while Shilique Calhoun and Malik McDowell led an imposing, stingy defensive unit. The Spartans survived a dramatic regular season to capture the Big Ten East division title. On October 17, they scored on the final play of the game (a botched punt attempt) at rival Michigan to win 27–23. Three weeks later, Michigan State lost its only regular season game 39–38 at Nebraska. Then, in a de facto East division title game, the Spartans defeated defending National champion and No. 2 Ohio State in Columbus 17–14, as kicker Michael Geiger drilled a 41-yard field goal as time expired. Iowa 2015 Iowa Hawkeyes football team Iowa came into the Big Ten Championship Game with a 12–0 record and the No. 4 ranking in the College Football Playoff. The Hawkeyes were led by junior QB C.J. Beathard and 2015 Big Ten Defensive Back of the Year, junior CB Desmond King, who tied the school record and led the Big Ten with 8 INT. The Hawkeyes sat atop the Big Ten West division standings wire-to-wire. They opened conference play with a hard-nosed 10–6 victory over the Wisconsin Badgers in Madison, and overwhelmed the Northwestern Wildcats 40–10 in Evanston two weeks later. Iowa clinched the Big Ten West division by defeating the Purdue Boilermakers 40–20 in the home finale at Kinnick Stadium, and completed an unbeaten regular season by defeating the Nebraska Cornhuskers 28–20 in Lincoln. Head coach Kirk Ferentz was named Big Ten Coach of the Year for the fourth time after guiding Iowa to its first unbeaten regular season in 93 years. Game summary Iowa turned the ball over twice in the first half – a fumble leading to the Spartans first points and an interception in the end zone – but led 6–3. Michigan State dominated the third quarter in time of possession and yardage, and two field goals from Michael Geiger to lead 9–6. Trailing entering the 4th quarter for the first time all season, the Hawkeyes responded in a big way with an 85-yard touchdown pass from C. J. Beathard to Tevaun Smith that gave Iowa a 13–9 lead with 14:49 remaining. After exchanging punts, Michigan State marched 82 yards in 22 plays and took 9:04 off the clock. The game-winning score came on a 1-yard touchdown run by LJ Scott with 27 seconds left. Michigan State Iowa 1 11:11 MSU 7 22 2:58 FG 23 Michael Geiger 3 0 1 5:08 IOWA 7 14 1:49 FG 24 Marshall Koehn 3 3 2 13:28 IOWA 9 42 4:33 FG 43 Koehn 3 6 3 4:23 MSU 11 47 4:49 FG 29 Geiger 6 6 3 0:57 MSU 6 33 2:38 FG 47 Geiger 9 6 4 14:49 IOWA 2 85 1:08 RecTD Tevaun Smith C. J. Beathard 85 good Koehn 9 13 4 0:27 MSU 22 82 9:04 RushTD LJ Scott 2 good Geiger 16 1316 13 Statistics 59% Michigan State Spartans MSU Iowa Hawkeyes IOWA 20 79–365 46–174 191 16–33–1 36:38 13 51–268 24–52 216 18–27–1 23:22 41% Michigan State Spartans Michigan State Iowa Hawkeyes Iowa Connor Cook 16/32, 191 yards, 1 INT LJ Scott 22 carries, 73 yards, 1 TD Aaron Burbridge 5 receptions, 61 yards C. J. Beathard 18/26, 216 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT Derrick Mitchell Jr. 4 carries, 24 yards Tevaun Smith 5 receptions, 110 yards, 1 TD Aftermath Michigan State, who had been ranked fifth in the College Football Playoff rankings heading into the game, jumped to third behind Alabama. Alabama beat then-No. 18 Florida 29–15 in the SEC Championship Game on the same day. As a result, Michigan State received a bid to the national semifinal against second-seeded Alabama in the Cotton Bowl Classic.Clemson, Alabama, Michigan State and Oklahoma named to 2015 College Football Playoff https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/sports/wp/2015/12/06/clemson-alabama-oklahoma-and-michigan-state-likely-to-be-named-to-2015-college-football-playoff/ The Washington Post December 6, 2015 December 14, 2019 Alabama defeated Michigan State 38–0 and later defeated No. 1 Clemson in the National Championship game. Iowa fell to fifth in the CFP rankings and received a bid to the Rose Bowl where they were defeated by Stanford 45–16. See also List of Big Ten Conference football champions References Championship Game Category:Big Ten Football Championship Game Category:Iowa Hawkeyes football games Category:Michigan State Spartans football games Big Ten Football Championship Game Big Ten Football Championship Game Category:2010s in Indianapolis