Insanity in East Lansing: Michigan State Topples Wisconsin with Epic Finish

Wow, wow, wow.

Those aren’t nearly enough wows to describe the finish to the Michigan State-Wisconsin game that we just saw.

Tied 31 all, with four seconds remaining, Michigan State quarterback Kirk Cousins rolled to his right, chucked a midfield prayer pass and hoped for the best.

Wide Receiver Keith Nichol somehow found a ricochet and answered those prayers with one of the most improbable finishes we’ve seen in college football in quite a while.

Doug Flutie, eat your heart out.

It was a fitting end to one of the best battles of the 2011 season.

After powering their way to a 31-17 fourth quarter lead, the Spartans couldn’t stop Wisconsin and its star quarterback Russell Wilson from coming roaring back and tying things up, but the 1:26 the Badgers left Michigan State with proved to be just four seconds too much.

Like Al Pacino says in Any Given Sunday, football is a game of inches and Keith Nichol proved that tonight as he inched a surprising catch across the goal line by the slimmest of margins to give us all the most exciting finish we’ve seen this season.

Use whatever word you want to describe it, the fact is, we’ve just seen a remarkable end to a game that finally gave us that one big upset that we’ve been waiting for the whole season.

Folks, this is why college football is the greatest sport in the world.

The Badgers just watched their national championship dreams go by the wayside but they’ll likely have their chance to avenge the loss in Indianapolis on Dec. 3.

For now, though, the Spartans will get to soak up the Big Ten limelight.

Michigan State fans, you deserve a night to celebrate because your team just gave us one of the most thrilling finishes in college football history.