Nov. 28, 2015
 |  |
16 | 55 |
| Spartan Stadium | East Lansing, Mich. | 74,705 | |
POST GAME LINKS |
Box Score (HTML) | Box Score (PDF) |
| Quotes | Notes |
Photo Gallery (PSU)  | Photo Gallery (USA Today) |
| VIDEO: Coach Franklin Postgame |
| VIDEO: Player Postgame Remarks |
FINAL STATISTICS |
EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) The Nittany Lions fell to No. 5 Michigan State 55-16 on Saturday and the Spartans grabbed the division title.
Michigan State will play in the Big Ten title game for the third time in five seasons. The Spartans kept the Land-Grant Trophy with their win in a series with Penn State that started in 1914. The final touchdown came on a 9-yard run by Michigan State center Jack Allen, who lined up in the backfield, took a handoff from Cook and capped his last home game.
Ohio State, which easily beat Michigan earlier Saturday, was holding out hope that Penn State would spoil the regular season finale in East Lansing, but the Nittany Lions came up short.
Penn State moved the ball well in the first half but two turnovers earned Michigan State a comfortable lead. Arjen Colquhoun intercepted a pass in the end zone on the game's first drive, and the Spartans turned that takeaway into a touchdown when Cook threw a 29-yard pass to R.J. Shelton.
The extra point was no good, and Penn State kicked a short field goal early in the second quarter, but Michigan State went ahead 13-3 on a 6-yard touchdown run by Gerald Holmes. Then Demetrious Cox of the Spartans picked up a fumble and returned it 77 yards for another TD.
''I think that we're playing our best football down the stretch,'' Michigan State coach Mark Dantonio said. ''If you compare us with last year's Big Ten champion, that's what they were able to do.''
It was 20-10 at halftime, and the Spartans scored the only two touchdowns of the third quarter. Cook threw a 29-yard scoring pass to Aaron Burbridge to make it 27-10. Burbridge came back in from out of bounds, but officials ruled he was forced out. He caught the pass around the 10, bounced off one defender and spun past another before diving into the end zone.
It was 41-16 in the fourth when Malik McDowell intercepted a pass that had bounced off fellow defensive lineman Shilique Calhoun. McDowell ran it back 13 yards for a TD.
''They were able to dictate the game to us, especially with their offense,'' Penn State coach James Franklin said. ''Then the turnovers with our offense put the team into a difficult position.''
Final Stats | Quotes | Notes | USATSI Gallery | Photo Gallery