Three teams made it to the final round of Fisher College’s Biz Quiz this weekend in a Big Ten conference showdown, but Ohio State’s team took the edge at the current-events competition to beat perennial powerhouse Michigan State.

It was the first time OSU had won the competition, which was launched at OSU and hosted this year at Nationwide Arena. Going into the final round Sunday, OSU’s three-person team was tied for second with Michigan, behind Michigan State.

But after the final 45 questions, OSU surged ahead of the competition.

“To be able to beat MSU was a big thing for us because they were the big competitors this weekend,” said Brenna Brown, a fourth-year in marketing.

Dan Kane, Adam Windnagel and Brown competed in Biz Quiz, all for the first time, and although they said they felt prepared, they were shocked by the win.

“I didn’t think we’d win. Not because we didn’t prepare well but because we had never done this before,” said Kane, a fourth-year in finance. “We heard such good things about other universities and of other competitors, that they were the best of the best from their schools.”

The OSU students’ goal was simply to make it to the semifinals, Brown said.

“I had no idea what to expect, and it ended with us winning,” Kane said.

OSU competitors said they took a different approach to the competition than other contenders.

“We went in with open minds and hoped for the best,” Kane said. “Cramming isn’t going to help us any. If we know it, we know it, and if we don’t, we don’t.”

Brown said one of the most interesting aspects of the competition was meeting other contenders when they weren’t vying for the top spot.

“It was so much fun to see what everyone else was like when they weren’t being drilled current events questions,” said Brown, who attended a social event for competitors Saturday night.

The victory celebration for OSU was short-lived, as competitors said they were exhausted by the grueling competition.

“I’m ecstatic about winning, but it’s hard to be that excited right now because I am so mentally and physically drained from this competition,” Kane said. “All I wanted to do when the competition was over was go to sleep.”

Nancy Lahmers, director of Biz Quiz, said the competition went better than she expected.

“The teams were well-prepared and eager to participate,” Lahmers said. “I think they came away with friendships that they wouldn’t have had from all these 18 different universities.”

Brown, Kane and Windnagel received an engraved trophy that is now on display in Fisher Hall.

“We can come back in 10 or 20 years and see this trophy,” Kane said. “I’m ecstatic about that.”