One of the biggest drivers of perception in college football, both in the BCS era and now in the College Football Playoff era, is the single loss.
At times, it seems like a single loss might as well be two or three or four. That almost seemed to be the case for Michigan State, whose only loss in 2015 before Saturday was one on a questionable call Nov. 7 at Nebraska.
And after a 17-14 win Saturday against Ohio State, that remains the Spartans' lone loss.
For the second time in three years, Michigan State handed what appeared to be a national championship-bound Ohio State team its first loss of the season. In 2013 it came in the Big Ten Championship, and the Spartans went on to a Rose Bowl victory. On Saturday, it came in Columbus against the a Buckeyes team that is No. 3 in the Playoff selection committee's top 25.
What will it lead to? First, if the Spartans (10-1) beat Penn State at home on Saturday, it will lead them to the Big Ten title game. Then, with a win there, it could lead them to the Playoff.
Kansas State: The Wildcats were 0-6 in the Big 12/Big Eight for the first time since 1989, Bill Snyder's first season in Manhattan, Kan. And despite a fantastic second-half comeback at home in the second half, it looked like the Wildcats were going to go to 0-7.
Kansas State got down by 21 points before cutting Iowa State's lead to 35-28 with three minutes, 52 seconds to play in the third quarter.
It still trailed by a touchdown with 1:31 left in the fourth quarter, and Iowa State had possession. Only needing a first down to seal it, Iowa State fumbled on the next play. Four plays later Kansas State's Charles Jones tied the score at 35-35 on a 5-yard run.
Still, only 42 seconds remained, and Iowa State was getting the ball back. But the Cyclones couldn't hold onto it. Twelve seconds later, they fumbled for the third time in the quarter, and Kansas State recovered on the Cyclones' 22. Two plays later, with three seconds left on the clock, the Wildcats kicked what turned out to be the winning field goal.
But the game wasn't over. It ended on an Iowa State pass play to Allen Lazard that included two laterals and — you guessed it — two more fumbles.
Other winners and losers around college football on Saturday:
Winners
Indiana: The Hoosiers entered Saturday with an 0-6 record in the Big Ten. They closed the day with a 47-28 conference win against Maryland that puts them one win from bowl eligibility with a game at 2-9 Purdue on Nov. 28.
Iowa: The first 11-0 start in school history is something to be proud of.
Frank Beamer: Because of what Virginia Tech football was before him, and what it became thanks to him.
Losers
South Carolina: When you're in danger of securing your worst season since 1994, nothing's better than having a lower-level opponent coming to town. Or maybe not.
The Gamecocks assured themselves of no better than a four-win season by losing 23-22 at home to The Citadel. They will try to avoid their first winless season vs. in-state opponents since 1990 on Saturday when it hosts No. 1 Clemson.
Utah: The Utes lost their best player — Devontae Booker — for the season to injury, and they now have lost three of their past five games after starting out 6-0.
Houston: For a brief moment after Ohio State's three-point loss to Michigan State, the Cougars were knotted with Iowa for the longest win streak in the FBS. Then the Cougars lost for the first time in 2015 in a situation few would have predicted. Connecticut occupied the place on the schedule between Memphis and Navy, and Houston seemed to have its minds on the latter two teams.
LSU: The No. 17 Tigers ended last season by losing three of their final four games. But that did not stop media and coaches from being bullish on them for 2015. LSU seemed to confirm their feelings by getting out to a 7-0 start this season. However, since a 48-20 win vs. Western Kentucky on Oct. 24, LSU has lost three games in a row — its first three-game losing streak since going 3-8 in 1999.
No wonder the questions about coach Les Miles' employment status, are increasing in their frequency. That trend is sure to continue following a 38-17 loss at No. 25 Mississippi.
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