Bold Predictions For Alabama vs. Michigan State In Cotton Bowl

They can become the first team to win two Cotton Bowls in the same year.

Michigan State has won at least 11 games in five of the last six seasons.

What could be more fitting for a bowl with a history that includes legendary players like Jim Brown, Roger Staubach, Troy Aikman and Joe Montana? “Are you anxious that any of these teams lack the motivation to show up and play their best?”

Michigan State’s lone loss this season came November 7th at Nebraska, 39-38, in a game that saw Michigan State allow 499 yards of total offense to the Cornhuskers.

In fact, the team’s off-season conditioning regimen is known as the “fourth-quarter program”, said Ken Mannie, the Michigan State strength coach.

This game is about power vs. power, strength vs. strength.

Bama is in Dallas, TX preparing to take on Michigan State in the semifinal of the College Football Playoff on Thursday. Each did so with a heavy dose of defense and a heaping helping of running between the tackles. Spartans head coach Mark Dantonio praised the linebackers, which includes All-American Reggie Ragland. “He’s been playing since he was a sophomore and he’s 34-4”.

“Michigan State is a team that obviously is hard to beat, and I think they do the things that you need to do to be hard to beat”, Saban said. “It doesn’t speak to their development, and the development is half on them and half on us”.

“I was running too fast, and I couldn’t stop, and then I just hit him”, Lawson said. “People who follow Michigan State know about (Malik) McDowell, (Shilique) Calhoun, (Lawrence) Thomas, (Joel) Heath”. Michigan State doesn’t care who they play, they’re ready for the challenge.

Those things, however, are mostly cosmetic. Since 2010, only Saban (70) and Florida State’s Jimbo Fisher (68) have won more games than Dantonio (65). He couldn’t get the job done and we got a discount on a newer, and better, Mark Dantonio. Even though Clemson is seeded first and Alabama second, the Crimson Tide is generally everyone’s pick to win it all.

In the last five years, Michigan State has never had a recruiting class ranked better than 22nd in the nation, according to the composite rankings compiled by 247 Sports.

“We’re talking about 15 years in the past”, he said. Nobody’s played the underdog card better. “We’re giving to it to Derrick, 46, 44 times”.

Alabama Trying to Avoid Postseason Disappointment for Third Straight Season: The postseason has not been kind to Alabama the past two seasons, and the Tide are hoping to reverse that trend against the Spartans. They average 45.8 points and 6.95 yards a play. “And if it requires me throwing the ball, throw it. If I need to hand it off, I’ll hand it off”.

If Michigan State can slow Henry, it will be in good position to pull off the upset and reach the national championship game. He completes 69.5 percent of his passes for 3,512 yards, 30 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. Connor Cook replied to that by saying, “We like having a chip on our shoulder”.

Cook operates behind an offensive line that has given up just 17 sacks in 13 games.

“We love that role; we embrace it”, Cook said. “That’s awesome. That’s part of their system. It’s a lot of former Spartans that helped pave the way for us”.

Defensively, MSU is athletic up front.

How the Spartans prepared for their bowl game against Baylor last season-also here in AT&T Stadium-was a peek into their odd practice habits. Michigan State is an elite program right now. “You can’t ask for anything more”.

What to expect This game should be a collision. “It’s been those Spartans that’s been in the past”, he said. “I didn’t like that feeling at all”. Both coaches left the podium in silent agreement – it’s time to play the game.

“They have the same characteristics that we have in terms of blue-collar. It’s not guaranteed that every guy is going to start as a freshman or come in and have an impact as a freshman”, Cam Robinson said.

Just like in the good ol’ days.