What Alabama’s Cotton Bowl Victory Means for College Football

The good news is that the College Football Playoff selection committee clearly got it right in selecting its top two teams, a pleasant change from past year.

Before the game there were a lot of chatter about the two quarterbacks and that the Spartans hold the edge because they had a player with a tremendous amount of experience and that he would be able to handle the adversity that would coming toward him from across the line of scrimmage.

Alabama not only beat Michigan State on New Years Eve, they stomped a mud hole in ’em 37-0.

Arizona will be looking for its fourth national title in nine seasons under coach Nick Saban.

Nick Saban, defensive coordinator Kirby Smart and other Alabama coaches pointed out Michigan State’s offensive tendencies throughout the buildup to last Thursday, telling Alabama players what the Spartans like to do on offense and showing them some of Michigan State’s go-to plays. “You know, I told them, ‘You ain’t favored to win the damn game, but we ain’t no underdog.’ Everybody out there, nobody believes in this team except these guys”.

It’s time for the Tide to take care of some unfinished business.

The Tide ran a Cover 2-type defense at times to stop that play.

Alabama quarterback Jake Coker was glad Howard was presented with the chance to make an impact because he’s spent the season doing yeoman’s work under the radar. Conventional wisdom on beating Alabama was to take away the run and make Coker, the promising Florida State transfer who sat the bench most of last season, win the game.

“If we had lost by five points, people might be saying nice things, but it wouldn’t feel any better”, Dantonio said late Thursday.

Alabama, the nation’s second-ranked team, routed No. 3 MI in the Cotton Bowl 38-0. Coker and Ridley would lay down a remix to their first hit single, “50-yard Touchdown Pass to Go Up 24-0”.

Henry, who finished with 75 yards on 20 carries, added another touchdown to cap the scoring in the fourth quarter.

Alabama cheerleaders celebrate win.

The ‘Bama fans were having fun, though, breaking out the “S-E-C!” chant and singing along to “Sweet Home Alabama” with that familiar “Roll Tide Roll!”

I am really exhausted of Alabama.

Now, the Tide will try to prevent Clemson from becoming the first team in FBS history to finish 15-0.

The Crimson Tide actually started quicker in last season’s semifinal against Ohio State in the Sugar Bowl, grabbing a 21-6 advantage.

“We’re excited”, Allen said.

“We are very confident”, wide receiver ArDarius Stewart said. “They practiced for it”. In by midnight the first two days in town and by 11 p.m. the last two.

Clemson and Alabama will be playing for the first time since 2008, when Alabama won 34-10 in a game that signaled the Tide’s return to national prominence under Saban.

Mullaney 3-53, Drake 3-5, Henry 1-(minus 6).

“We didn’t know if (Michigan State) would come with something different today”. We’re going to have to communicate better than we did (against Michigan State).

So now it’s Clemson and Alabama, something of Southern final, although it’s the ACC and SEC going at it, even if ESPN is trying to claim the Tigers as part of the conference they keep trying to shove down everyone’s throat.

McDowell said he grew a great deal from his freshman year to sophomore year, “figured out I had to listen more and talk less”.