Looking Back (Oct. 22) | State Comes through in the Nichol of Time
A humdrum college football season took a dramatic turn late Saturday night, as then-No. 6 Wisconsin fell to then-No. 16 Michigan State 37-31 on a last second 44-yard Hail Mary from senior quarterback Kirk Cousins to classmate Keith Nichol. The pass was batted out of the end zone by a Badgers defenseman and landed in Nichol's hands on the 1-yard line. Nichol lowered his head and tried to force his way through four opposing players. He was originally ruled short, but a review of the play overturned the call on the field, ending Wisconsin's hopes of a national championship in the process.
The Spartans looked to be the better team for most of the night, and took a nine-point lead into the half after returning a blocked punt for a touchdown. They were up 14 after a fourth-quarter strike, but Wisconsin responded with two late touchdowns — one with less than 90 seconds on the clock — to tie the game at 31.
Michigan State, which did not commit a single penalty on the night, looked content to send the game to overtime, but a Badgers time-out gave them a chance to move the ball — which they capitalized on — setting up the game-winning Hail Mary. While neither team is now likely to figure into the BCS title game picture, America can only hope for a rematch between these two for the first-ever Big 10 Championship Game on Dec. 3 at Lucas Oil Stadium.
Looking Ahead (Oct. 29) | Jumbos Look to Collect NESCAC Quarterfinal Victories
Men's and women's soccer, along with field hockey, will all be starting their NESCAC Championship campaigns on Saturday. Field Hockey is guaranteed to be playing on Bello Field, while women's soccer has a home game all but sewn up heading into their final regular season contest on Wednesday. Men's soccer will need a victory on Wednesday against Bowdoin and a little help to join the other two squads on the Hill.
No matter where the games are played, all are expected to be exciting contests. Field hockey and women's soccer will both likely be going in as the fourth seeds, putting them against Trinity and Wesleyan, respectively. Field hockey snuck by the Bantams 3-2 in overtime during the regular season, while women's soccer hung on for a 1-0 victory against the Cardinals.
The men's soccer team's seed is more variable, and they could go into the tournament with anything from the fourth to the seventh spot. Regardless the squad, currently ranked No. 4 in New
England, will be one of the most dangerous underdogs in the tournament.
Field hockey will play on Bello Field at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, while the men's and women's soccer schedules will be solidified after Wednesday night's games. Check the Daily on Thursday and Friday for updated information and postseason previews.
