Michigan State players found out from Saquon Barkley that Ohio State had lost

Michigan State’s players found out about Ohio State’s loss Saturday in an unlikely way.

Two Spartans linebackers said after the team’s 27-24 win over Penn State that they found out from Nittany Lions running back Saquon Barkley that the Buckeyes lost to Iowa.

“I think we were midway through the fourth quarter and I was covering Saquon Barkley down the field and he actually, after the play, was like, ‘You know Ohio State’s losing. They’re down big. We’re playing for a championship right now,’” linebacker Chris Frey said. “I kind of just laughed. I didn’t know they had lost at that point but I knew they were down big.”

Entering the game, Ohio State was the only undefeated team left in the Big Ten East. Whoever won the Penn State-Michigan State game would have been tied with the Buckeyes for the division lead with one loss. That ended up being Michigan State, whose next game is at Ohio State to determine the division leader. Amazingly, the Buckeyes still have a good shot to win the division, though the Spartans and Wolverines will have a lot to say about it.