Michigan State coach Mark Dantonio takes Big Ten Coach of the Year honors

Former OSU assistant beat out current Buckeyes Head Coach, Urban Meyer

Michigan State head coach Mark Dantonio.

COLUMBUS — Ohio State has been waiting for one of its head coaches to be named the Big Ten Coach of the Year since Earle Bruce won the award in 1979.

It will have to wait at least another year.

Michigan State coach Mark Dantonio swept the Big Ten Coach of the Year honors, winning the Hayes-Schembechler award (voted by the coaches) and the Dave McLain award (voted by the media) after leading the No. 10 Spartans to an 11-1 record and the Big Ten Legends Division crown.

The Spartans will face No. 3 Ohio State in the Big Ten Championship Game on Saturday against a Buckeyes team that has won its last 24 games, all of which have happened since Urban Meyer took over the program before last season.

Meyer, too, was a candidate to win the award due to Ohio State's vast success since he became head coach. Meyer took over at Ohio State at a time during which the program was struggling with off-the-field issues with the NCAA, but now Meyer has the Buckeyes on the verge of a national title berth.

Ohio State hasn't had a coach win the award since 1979 even though it has either won or shared the Big Ten title 14 times since. Neither Jim Tressel, who led Ohio State to the national championship in 2002, nor John Cooper won the award.