Trailing by four points late in Saturday’s game against No. 8 Michigan State, No. 6 Michigan had one more chance to score the go-ahead touchdown, earn the win and remain undefeated and at the top of the Big Ten.
Enter Spartans freshman cornerback Charles Brantley.
On first-and-10 with a little more than a minute left in the fourth quarter, Michigan had the ball at its own 48-yard line after Michigan State was dealt a roughing the passer penalty on the previous play. Wolverines quarterback Cade McNamara took the snap and threw the ball down field toward senior tight end Luke Schoonmaker, who had three Spartans around him near the right sideline.
One of them was Brantley, who leaped up with his right hand in the air, grabbed the ball and pulled it in for a game-winning interception.
PICKED OFF! @MSU_Football's defense comes up HUGE late! pic.twitter.com/xgfIFHesiC
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) October 30, 2021
What an incredible one-handed grab by Brantley, and Michigan State went on to win its second straight rivalry game against Michigan, 37-33, while dealing the Wolverines their first loss of the season. And, per FOX Sports, Michigan State’s Mel Tucker is the first Spartans coach to beat Michigan twice in his first two matchups.
This game in East Lansing saw several standout defensive plays, but this game-winning one has to be at the top.
