Michigan State got the help it needed. The second-ranked Spartans now control their own destiny in the Big Ten regular-season race.
All they must do is close the deal in their remaining two games to win the title outright.
The first of those games comes Tuesday in the home finale against Illinois.
The Spartans, who play at Wisconsin on Sunday, trailed Ohio State and Purdue in the standings 10 days ago. But the Buckeyes lost their last two games while the Boilermakers endured a three-game losing streak, including a stumble in East Lansing.
Michigan State (26-3 overall, 14-2 Big Ten) carries a 10-game winning streak into their matchup against the struggling Illini but needed a historic rally at Northwestern on Saturday.