Game thread: Michigan State beats Iowa for Big Ten title

Updates as they happened from the Big Ten championship in Indianapolis.

Final - Michigan State 16, Iowa 13

C.J. Beathard was hit and fumbled on the first play of the final possession. It was recovered and spiked, and a last-ditch lateral effort came up short.

Michigan State wins the Big Ten championship and will head to the College Football Playoffs with a 12-1 record.

Iowa will settle for a New Year's Six bowl after suffering its first loss of the season.

0:27 4th - Michigan State 16, Iowa 13

Connor Cook converted a 4th-and-2 on the option down to the Iowa 3. L.J. Scott ran to the 1 then was stopped on 2nd down.

MSU called timeout with 33 seconds left and handed to Scott again. He was stood up, spun around, and somehow stretched the ball over the goal line for the go-ahead score.

That was a 22-play, 82-yard drive. Massive.December 6, 2015

14:49 4th - Iowa 13, Michigan State 9

That was a 22-play, 82-yard drive. Massive.

— marcmorehouse (@marcmorehouse)

It took 45 minutes, 11 seconds, but the Big Ten championship finally has a touchdown.

And it was a huge one, both in terms of its importance to the game, and the length of the play.

C.J. Beathard airs it out for an 85-yard TD to Tevaun Smith, and Iowa is back in front.

That's 14 times as many yards the Hawkeyes had the entire third quarter.

.December 6, 2015

.@LucasOilStadium just erupted. Why? Because @HawkeyeFootball just took the lead on this *long* TD. https://t.co/AdE6L3P3p2

— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork)

Nice dab for good measure.

END 3RD: MICHIGAN STATE 9, IOWA 6

End of 3, MSU 9, Iowa 6. Hawkeyes now will trail for first time entering fourth quarter.December 6, 2015

End of 3, MSU 9, Iowa 6. Hawkeyes now will trail for first time entering fourth quarter.

— Scott Dochterman (@ScottDochterman)

0:57 3rd - Michigan State 9, Iowa 6

Geiger from 43 yards puts the Spartans up. 

Iowa had ran just six plays for three yards in the first 14 minutes of the third quarter.

You could sense the defense wearing down being on the field that long. With that in mind, not terrible to give up another field goal.

MSU would have had it in the redzone was it not for an offensive pass interference penalty that backed it up to a 3rd-and-18.

4:23 3rd - Iowa 6, Michigan State 6

Michael Geiger connects from 29 yards to tie the game. He's now 2-for-4 tonight.

It remains a kickers' duel.

INJURY UPDATE

Per Fox's Molly McGrath, running back Jordan Canzeri will not return.

Nathan Bazata is back in at defensive tackle.

Half - Iowa 6, Michigan State 3

Connor Cook with a completion to the Iowa 36, and Michael Geiger from 53 yards...Doink. Exhale, Iowa fans.

Does it have the distance? Is it on line? Michael Geiger's field goal to end the first half hits the crossbar. December 6, 2015

Does it have the distance? Is it on line? Michael Geiger's field goal to end the first half hits the crossbar. https://t.co/3gXnWStA0g

— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork)

Geiger is 1-for-3, with both misses coming from 50-plus yards. His counterpart, Marshall Koehn, is 2-for-2.

If you couldn't tell by the score, it's a defensive battle.

The Hawkeye defense has come up big when it's needed to, preventing MSU from turning opportunities into game-changers.

Connor Cook is 9-of-14 for 96 yards while the Spartans gained 46 yards on 12 rushes.

Iowa has nearly equal numbers, with 93 yards passing (Beathard 12-17) and 59 on the ground.

"This defense has been sensational tonight," Fox analyst Joel Klatt said.

"This is like a good old-fashioned pitchers' duel in Major League Baseball. Both defenses going out there with a sense of urgency and also great effort."

UNBELIEVABLE INT (3:51 2nd)

You won't see an interception like this for a long time.

Iowa 3rd-and-goal, pass intended for George Kittle, who is drilled by Riley Bullough. Ball lands on Bullough's back and is scooped up by Demetrious Cox for the pick.

Iowa comes up empty.

As December 6, 2015

As @joelklatt just said, this clutch @MSU_Football interception was "unbelievable." https://t.co/z7HhJDMyJ0

— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork)

GEIGER WIDE LEFT (8:52 2nd)

Huge play by the Iowa defense, sacking Connor Cook on 3rd-and-long (looked like Bo Bower).

That pushed Michael Geiger's field goal attempt back five yards to a 53-yarder, and he pushed it juuust wide left.

Iowa maintains its 6-3 lead.

BAZATA DOWN (11:39 2nd)

More bad injury news for Iowa. Defensive lineman Nathan Bazata down on the field, attended to with an apparent knee injury. Limps off.

Nathan Bazata down with an apparent right knee injury. Faith Ekakitie in for Iowa at DT. Spartans face 2nd/5 at Iowa's 45.December 6, 2015

Nathan Bazata down with an apparent right knee injury. Faith Ekakitie in for Iowa at DT. Spartans face 2nd/5 at Iowa's 45.

— Scott Dochterman (@ScottDochterman)

Jordan Canzeri left earlier in the game.

13:28 2nd - Iowa 6, Michigan State 3

New Kirk lines up to go for it!

And a false start penalty (Iowa was likely just trying to draw State offside anyway) backs the Hawkeyes up to a 4th-and-9 at the MSU 26.

Marshall Koehn hits his second field goal, this from 43 yards to put the Hawkeyes in front.

END 1ST: MICHIGAN STATE 3, IOWA 3

First quarter ends 3-3. Takeaways: MSU's team speed on defense is championship level. Iowa has scored just enough disruption on defense.December 6, 2015

First quarter ends 3-3. Takeaways: MSU's team speed on defense is championship level. Iowa has scored just enough disruption on defense.

— marcmorehouse (@marcmorehouse)

CANZERI HOBBLES OFF

Iowa got the ball back with just over two minutes to play in the first quarter, and running back Jordan Canzeri came up hobbled on a first-down carry.

He was shown wincing with pain as he was helped off the field with some sort of leg/ankle injury.

Right ankle for Canzeri. Walked to the lockerroom. Probably not going to return, according to Iowa radio.December 6, 2015

Right ankle for Canzeri. Walked to the lockerroom. Probably not going to return, according to Iowa radio.

— marcmorehouse (@marcmorehouse)

5:08 1st - Michigan State 3, Iowa 3

Just as the discussion had turned to how little a pass rush the Hawkeyes were generating, Parker Hesse gets pressure on Connor Cook, who throws it right to Josey Jewell.

Great ball skills by the Iowa linebacker give the Hawkeyes the ball at the MSU 20.

INTERCEPTION! December 6, 2015

INTERCEPTION! @HawkeyeFootball LB Josey Jewell picks off the Connor Cook pass. https://t.co/0cE4a9jOel

— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork)

But like the Spartans, Iowa settles for a field goal, unable to punch it into the end zone.

Marshall Koehn's 24-yarder ties the score at 3.

11:11 1st - Michigan State 3, Iowa 0

Well that could have gone better for Iowa. It also could have been worse.

Holding penalty on the second play, then a Henry Krieger Coble fumble (overturned by review) on the third play at the Iowa 27, less than a minute into the game.

Michigan State drives to the 6, but the Hawkeyes hold for three straight incompletions to force a field goal attempt.

Michael Geiger hits from 23 yards to put MSU up 3-0, 11:11 1st.

Geiger's 23-yard FG is good. Michigan State leads 3-0. First Iowa deficit since a brief few minutes in 2Q at Indiana on Nov. 7December 6, 2015

Geiger's 23-yard FG is good. Michigan State leads 3-0. First Iowa deficit since a brief few minutes in 2Q at Indiana on Nov. 7

— Scott Dochterman (@ScottDochterman)