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DETROIT &#8212; Three zeroes left on the clock &#8212; Michigan State&#8217;s favorite sight this season.It&#8217;s now the symbol of the Spartans&#8217; resurrected national title hopes, which had been all but vaporized just three weeks ago after their controversial loss to Nebraska.Somehow, the Spartans have managed to beat both Michigan and Ohio State despite leading both games for exactly zero seconds.A surreal botched punt was returned for a touchdown on the final play against the Wolverines and kicker Michael Geiger booted a 41-yard field goal with time expired last week to knock off the Buckeyes in Columbus.&#8220;We found a way to win,&#8221; Spartans coach Mark Dantonio said. &#8220;I think it speaks to the foundation of the program, really. We know how to win. We understand how to win. Now you have to do that, but we do understand what it takes to win. We understand how to play until the end of the game.&#8221;When the clock hits all zeroes on Saturday, the Spartans are hoping it signals a return trip to the Big Ten title game.Only Penn State stands in their way.&#8220;Going into it, we&#8217;re not looking at it like, &#8216;Oh, let&#8217;s spoil this for Michigan State,&#8217; &#8221; sophomore tackle Andrew Nelson said. &#8220;It&#8217;s that we have a real opportunity to play a great team.&#8221;Michigan State will clinch the Big Ten East with a win. Should Penn State spring the upset, the division crown will go to the winner of the noon game between Michigan and Ohio State at the Big House.For the visitors, it&#8217;s a chance to break the narrative.Unable to close the deal against Northwestern or capitalize in the red zone against Michigan, the Lions fell short of earning that elusive win against a ranked opponent.The Lions are hoping to emulate the Spartans&#8217; recent rise to national prominence.&#8220;You could make an argument (they&#8217;re) maybe the top program in the conference right now,&#8221; Penn State coach James Franklin said. &#8220;A team that finds a way to win. You look at their Michigan win this year, you look at their Ohio State win on the road.&#8220;They&#8217;ve got a culture of winning that they&#8217;ve established now.&#8221;THREE AND OUTQB questionConnor Cook&#8217;s shoulder has been under the microscope as the Spartans quarterback &#8212; seen as a potential first-round draft pick in the spring &#8212; has been ailing for most of November.Cook tried to gut it out two weeks ago against Maryland before being pulled out for good at halftime. He suited up for last week&#8217;s upset of Ohio State but did not see the field.&#8220;I think you have to plan that he&#8217;s going to play this week,&#8221; Franklin said.The Spartans still managed to knock off the unbeaten Buckeyes using a combination of backups Tyler O&#8217;Connor and Damion Terry. O&#8217;Connor took most of the snaps while running the team&#8217;s typical pro-style offense. Terry was brought in as part of a new package that includes some designed run.Just like last week, Dantonio isn&#8217;t about to say if Cook will be able to return.&#8220;It&#8217;s hard to assess those things until you get to game day,&#8221; Dantonio said. &#8220;It really is. Because it hinges on very small things, I think.&#8221;And so, once again, Penn State will have to prefer for some very different looks on offense. The Lions faced multiple quarterbacks with different skillsets against Indiana, Ohio State and Northwestern.Black and blueAs for Penn State, there will be plenty of walking wounded taking the field at Spartan Stadium.Franklin rarely addresses specific injuries. But he admitted that, even after a bye week, the physical game against the Wolverines took its toll.&#8220;We&#8217;re banged up right now this week probably more so than we&#8217;ve been in a long time,&#8221; Franklin said. &#8220;That&#8217;s shown up as the season has gone on, but probably more so this week than really in the year-and-a-half we&#8217;ve been here.&#8221;The biggest question mark will be national sack leader Carl Nassib. The senior defensive end missed all but a few plays last week against Michigan with an apparent upper-body injury.&#8220;Obviously not having Carl last week &#8212; one of the better players in the country, one of the most productive players in the country &#8212; you could argue that he could&#8217;ve been the difference in five plays,&#8221; Franklin said. &#8220;And those five plays could&#8217;ve been significant.&#8220;We&#8217;re hoping to get him back along with some other guys.&#8221;Different stakesThe difference between a win and a loss for Michigan State is a spot in the Big Ten title game and a shot at reaching the College Football Playoff to go for a national championship.For Penn State, perhaps, it&#8217;s the difference between a higher-profile game like the Outback Bowl or Holiday Bowl or another year in a middle-tier game such as the Taxslayer Bowl or Foster Farms Bowl.Franklin said that he and his players, however, can&#8217;t afford to look at it that way.&#8220;Trust me, we&#8217;re playing for a lot,&#8221; Franklin said. &#8220;A lot of people live and die Penn State football, and it&#8217;s very, very important to them. So trust me, my staff and our players feel like we&#8217;re playing for a lot on Saturday and feel like that every single Saturday.&#8221;&#8220;A lot of people out there question how high of a level are we capable of playing at,&#8221; linebacker Troy Reeder said. &#8220;I think we&#8217;ve done a good job of hanging in some tight games. But you know, for us, I think it&#8217;s time that we knock off a power-five (conference) team.&#8221;<style>
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<div class="neCaption">Michigan State kicker Michael Geiger (4) resurrected the Spartans&#8217; Big Ten and national title hopes with a game-winning field goal at Ohio State last week. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/web1_sparty.jpg</photo0><caption0>Michigan State kicker Michael Geiger (4) resurrected the Spartans&#8217; Big Ten and national title hopes with a game-winning field goal at Ohio State last week. </caption0><photoCredit0>Adam Cairns | AP photo, The Columbus Dispatch </photoCredit0></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta>By Derek Levarsedlevarse@www.timesleader.com</bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><factboxMeta>PSU GAMEDAYPenn State (7-4, 4-3) atNo. 5 Michigan State (10-1, 6-1)3:30 p.m., ESPNSpartan StadiumEast Lansing, Mich.</factboxMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta>Reach Derek Levarse at 570-991-6396 or on Twitter @TLdlevarse</shirttailMeta></div>

Penn State stands in the way of Michigan State’s title berth