Ohio State Buckeyes ©	Michigan State Spartans
Played September 18, 1982 at Spartan Stadium East Lansing, Michigan

  

 

Teams' Belt Records

 

Team	Belt Reigns	Overall Record				Home Record				Away Record				Neutral Record
		W	L	T	PCT	W	L	T	PCT	W	L	T	PCT	W	L	T	PCT
Ohio State ©	3	12	4	1	.735	6	0	1	.929	5	0	0	1.000	1	4	0	.250
Michigan State	0	0	2	0	.000					0	2	0	.000

 

                         Previous Belt Meetings:       None

 

Coach Muddy Waters’ 0-1 Michigan State Spartans prepared to host the 12^th ranked, 1-0 Ohio State Buckeyes of coach Earle Bruce in East Lansing.  Ohio State scored 3 touchdowns in the 4^th quarter while holding the Spartans to just 2 yards of total offense in the quarter to retain The Belt with a 31-10 victory.  The game looked to be an upset waiting to happen through the first 3 quarters before the Buckeyes took advantage of a critical Michigan State fumble to swing the momentum of the game.  After forcing Ohio State to punt on their first possession, the Spartans drove 62 yards in 8 plays with RB Aaron Roberts scoring on a 1-yard touchdown run for a 7-0 Michigan State lead.  The Buckeyes got on the board late in the 1^st quarter when PK Rich Spangler kicked a 26-yard field goal.  Late in the 2^nd quarter, Ohio State took advantage of a short punt by Michigan State’s P Ralf Mojsiejenko giving the Buckeyes the ball at the Spartans’ 49-yard line.  It took Ohio State 8 plays before QB Mike Tomczak found WR Gary Williams open on a 9-yard touchdown pass giving the Buckeyes a 10-7 halftime lead.  Neither team threatened in the 3^rd quarter until Ohio State's S Garcia Lane fumbled a punt & Michigan State's RB Marcus Toney recovered at the Ohio State 21-yard line.  The Buckeyes defense stiffened & held the Spartans to a 32-yard field goal by Mojsiejenko which tied the game at 10-10 with 4:54 left in the 3^rd quarter.  Early in the 4^th quarter, Michigan State's CB Darryl Dixon returned the turnover as he fumbled a punt & Ohio State's RB Jimmy Gayle recovered at the Spartans’ 23-yard line.  Buckeyes' RB Vaughn Broadnax scored on a 3-yard touchdown run giving Ohio State a 17-10 lead with 10:00 left in the game.  After Michigan State was unable to convert a 4^th down try, Ohio State had the ball at their own 39-yard line.  Facing 3^rd & 3 from the Ohio State 46-yard line, Tomaczak hit Williams for a 42-yard gain to the Michigan State 12-yard line.  Buckeyes' All-Big Ten RB Tim Spencer scored on a 10-yard run as Ohio State pushed the lead to 24-10 with 6:49 left.  Michigan State’s final hope ended when Ohio State’s All-American LB Marcus Marek intercepted Michigan State's QB John Leister giving the Buckeyes the ball at the Spartans’ 38-yard line.  Ohio State's RB Kelvin Lindsey scored on a 6-yard touchdown run with just 0:16 left.  Tomczak finished with 116 yards passing with a touchdown while Leister threw for 99 yards with 2 interceptions as well as being sacked 3 times, twice by Ohio State’s All-Big Ten DT Jerome Foster.  Ohio State finished the season 9-3; ranked 12^th nationally while the Spartans finished 2-9 in Waters final season.  Michigan State would play for The Belt again in 1988.