Big Ten Championship Game 2015: Preview, Prediction for Michigan State vs. Iowa

The Big Ten title is on the line when once-beaten Michigan State (11-1) faces undefeated Iowa (12-0) Saturday in the conference's championship game, but that's not the only prize that is up for grabs.

When the two teams meet at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, they will also be competing for a likely spot in the second edition of the College Football Playoff.

Date: Saturday, Dec. 5

Kickoff Time (ET):  8:17 p.m.

Location: Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis

TV: Fox

Live Stream: Fox Sports Go

Nothing is guaranteed to the winner, but Iowa is the fourth-ranked team in the current rankings and Michigan State is fifth. Since Big Ten representative Ohio State won the first national championship during the playoff era, it seems almost certain that a qualified Big Ten representative will get a chance to enter the fray once again. 

Both Michigan State and Iowa are qualified.

The Spartans and head coach Mark Dantonio were highly thought of prior to the start of the season, and they validated the faith their supporters had in them when they defeated Oregon in September. They also had season-defining wins at Michigan and Ohio State before clinching the Big Ten East division with a 55-16 win against Penn State.

Their only loss was a head-slapping defeat at Nebraska.

Nati Harnik/Associated Press

Iowa was just another team at the start of the season, and few expected the Hawkeyes to win the Big Ten West, let alone do it in undefeated fashion. Iowa did not face the same kind of challenging schedule as the Spartans, but it did beat Pittsburgh, Wisconsin and Northwestern.

"

Iowa beats Nebraska 28-20, stands a win away from a playoff spot https://t.co/vnOeU8LtbE pic.twitter.com/04ZsNjzWP7

— CBS Sports CFB (@CBSSportsCFB) November 28, 2015"

Michigan State has an explosive offense led by senior quarterback Connor Cook, who injured his shoulder late in the season and could not play in the upset win at Ohio State. However, he returned to play against Penn State in the final regular-season game, and he was on target as he completed 19 of 26 passes for 248 yards with three TDs and no interceptions

Cook has completed 194 of 337 passes for 2,730 yards with 24 TD passes and just four interceptions for the season. Cook is one of the most highly ranked quarterbacks in college football and appears to have an excellent chance to be selected in one of the first two rounds of next year's draft.

"

Connor Cook is now MSU's all-time leader in total offense. Just passed Kirk Cousins.

— Joe Rexrode (@joerexrode) November 28, 2015"

Al Goldis/Associated Press

He has an excellent crew of receivers in Aaron Burbridge, Macgarrett Kings and R.J. Shelton. Burbridge is the home run hitter of the group after catching 75 passes for 1,158 yards and seven touchdowns. Burbridge's best characteristic is his ability to make the clutch catch in traffic. He also excels at picking up yards after the catch.

L.J. Scott and Gerald Holmes give the Spartans a competent ground game. The two have combined for 1,139 yards and 18 touchdowns.

The Hawkeyes don't have the big-name stars as some of the more highly ranked teams, but quarterback C.J. Beathard is an impressive leader who completed more than 60 percent of his passes this year.

Beathard has completed 184 of 303 passes for 2,354 yards with 14 TDs and three interceptions. He has shown excellent leadership ability and has remained focused for 12 games.

The Hawks feature a productive running game, featuring the explosive Jordan Canzeri. He has carried the ball 176 times for 964 yards and 12 touchdowns, and he has shown he can hit the home run on occasion. Fellow running backs LeShun Daniels Jr. and Akrum Wadley have also been productive.

Matt VandeBerg is Iowa's best receiver with 59 catches for 625 yards and three touchdowns.

Prediction: Michigan State 38, Iowa 27

The Spartans simply have too many offensive weapons and have been there before. Their signature wins over Oregon, Michigan and Ohio State should provide the confidence needed to win the Big Ten title game and earn a spot in the College Football Playoffs.