Michigan, MSU were among unluckiest football teams in 2012

Michigan State was the unluckiest team in all of college football in 2012, according to an ESPN Insider study.

The Spartans lost five conference games by a combined 13 points this season including losses in the final seconds to Michigan and Nebraska and an overtime loss to Iowa.

Wins and losses by a single possession was a factor in determining the unluckiest teams this season.

Michigan State was expected to compete for the Big Ten title this season after back-to-back 11-win seasons but needed a win over Minnesota in its final game of the regular season to become bowl eligible.

Michigan was named the third unluckiest team in the same study as they played one of the toughest schedules in the country and lost to No. 1 Notre Dame, No. 2 Alabama, No. 3 Ohio State (AP poll) and No. 23 Nebraska. All four of those teams combined to go 46-4 this season and Michigan played all of them on the road.

Oklahoma State was named the second unluckiest team in the study while BYU and Cincinnati rounded out the top five.