Alabama Blanks Michigan State to Head to National Championship

The two best teams in the country throughout the entire 2015 college football season will meet at University of Phoenix Stadium on January 11th when the Clemson Tigers and Alabama Crimson Tide face off in the second annual College Football Playoff National Championship game. The Alabama senior finished the night with 286 yards through the air, on 25 for 30 passing with two touchdowns. “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”.

Alabama, the nation’s second-ranked team, routed No. 3 MI in the Cotton Bowl 38-0.

“So we knew that we would have to throw the bubbles and the smokes and the outside perimeter stuff and try to get them blocked on the perimeter to be able to move the ball effectively”. Cyrus Jones popped up again in the midst of a 21-point third quarter for Alabama with this electrifying punt return touchdown that broke the dam for Michigan State. On defense, the big play came back to bite the Spartans as the Tide loosened them up early with bubble screens before going deep. On the ground, Derrick Henry rushed for 75 yards and two touchdowns in four attempts while Kenyan Drake added 60 yards in four catches.

As easy as Alabama made it look in drumming Michigan State in the College Football Playoff semifinal game in Arlington, Texas, Anderson expects the Tigers (14-0) to present a more formidable challenge.

For Alabama, Heisman victor Derrick Henry was a footnote in the sparkling performance by quarterback Jake Coker.

Coker, who connected with Ridley eight times for 138 yards and 2 TD, had one party foul in a night where Michigan State owned majority. Running behind the blocks of defensive linemen A’Shawn Robinson and Jarran Reed, Henry punched it in for his SEC-record breaking 24th touchdown, and with 5:36 left in the first half it was 7-0 Tide. Alabama kept Michigan State from running (allowing just 29 yards) or passing (two intercepted passes, four sacks).

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

Let’s see what Clemson and Dabo can do with Bama and Saban.

The inaugural College Football Playoff was a smashing success a year ago because the unpredictable outcome – No. 4 Ohio State scoring upsets of No. 1 Alabama and No. 2 OR to take the title – proved the need for a playoff to settle things on the field. Few teams, if any, can tout the level of talented depth on Alabama’s roster, and no team can match the Tide’s depth along the defensive line.

The players said they were more focused and promised to be more prepared, more precise in their execution and more relentless in their effort.

As good as Michigan State was up front this season, it was outclassed on both sides. A six-game losing streak undermined a 5-0 start as they dropped out of contention last week.

“But, once we settled down, we hit some big plays on them, which was really important”. Greg Ward Jr. ran for two touchdowns and threw for another score. This was a play that was worked on for weeks.

Howard never blinked about his blocking role during the last month of the regular season, which all goes back to Saban lauding this team’s disposition. As long as we’re always improving, I’ll be happy.

“As a unit”, Watson said, “it’s tough to beat us when we’re all on the same page and have each other’s back”.