The reactions of the two men pretty much told the story Thursday after their teams advanced to the College Football Playoff title game. Howard contributed three receptions for 59 yards in Alabama’s 38-0 victory over Michigan State, including a 41-yard reception in the second quarter that set up a field goal. Instead of pounding away at a Michigan State defense that was stacked to stop Heisman Trophy victor Derrick Henry from running wild, Alabama aired it out. Michigan State finished with 29 yards running the ball and intercepted QB Connor Cook 4 times. The senior completed 25 of 30 passes for a career-best 286 yards.
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Clemson’s in the CFP title game, so you know Dabo’s dancing
The SEC won in 2006 (Florida), 2007 (LSU), 2008 (Florida), 2009 (Alabama), 2010 (Auburn), 2011 and 2012 (Alabama). In the next week, you will hear much about DeShaun Watson, Dabo Swinney and the emergence of Wayne Gallman.
“We knew that in order to win this game, it would come down to Jake making plays and pass protection and our wide receivers outside”, Kiffin said on the field after the win.
Natalie Cole dies at 65
American singer, songwriter, and performer, and daughter of legendary singer Nat “King” Cole, Natalie Maria Cole has died. Natalie Cole had battled drug problems and hepatitis that forced her to undergo a kidney transplant in May 2009.
“And I see great things this team”. And they played a hard physical game. It’s those performances that likely will stick with folks in the National Football League more than one night against an outstanding defense with a shoulder that might or might not have been at its best.
Natalie Cole has died
Longtime Grammy producer Ken Ehrlich remembered Cole as having “one of those magical voices that grabbed you from the first note”. She criticized the Recording Academy for giving five Grammys to drug user Amy Winehouse in 2008. “She fought for so long”.
Don’t expect Coker to let those gaudy statistics go to his head. And that was the most important thing, and there wasn’t anything else that – it wasn’t a bowl game to go have a good time.
What do the Crimson Tide need to do to end their national championship drought at two years – yes, that’s a drought by ‘Bama standards. Henry’s touchdown run was his 24th, breaking the Southeastern Conference record for rushing TDs in a season (previously held by Auburn’s Tre Mason in 2013 and Florida’s Tim Tebow in 2006). He scattered a handful of other missed opportunities throughout the blowout and never found a rhythm under the constant assault of Alabama’s pass rush.
Regardless, I see Alabama winning.
The Orange Bowl between Clemson and Oklahoma, which kicked off about 4:10 p.m. EST on ESPN, drew a 9.1 rating, a 38.5 percent drop compared to last year’s Rose Bowl, which got a 14.8 rating. Unlike some of his teammates, Coker didn’t win his ring in 2012. He ran it back 21. But inside the Alabama locker room, confidence in Coker’s arm never wavered. “There’s this Twitter account”, Kelly said.
“But because of the result and the bad taste of losing a game when you had a chance to – in the playoff and maybe in the first playoff we weren’t quite ready to handle bowl game versus playoff game, whatever”. Kelly is correct. Here’s a sample …
This became the theme of the evening for Alabama’s offense.
McCaffrey then took a return through the heart of Iowa’s coverage unit, juking Iowa linebacker Josey Jewell on the way to his first TD on a punt return this season. Cyrus Jones was on the receiving end and he did not take his time returning it 57-yards for the touchdown. Backups Tyler O’Connor and Damion Terry played in the win over Ohio State, but they combined for only 31 pass attempts this season. And it seemed as if the Tide might try to bubble screen the Spartans into a punt-for-punt death match when, finally, Alabama’s coaches unleashed Coker’s cannon midway through the second quarter. And the last thing I want to do is look at the down side and say our last game as Spartans, we lost. “We were a little too complacent, and I take responsibility for that”.
On the play Saban referenced, Ridley lined up on the right hash. His 1,031 yards gives him the single-season receivers mark for freshman at Alabama.
But MSU junior cornerback Darian Hicks said it’s only a matter of time before the Spartans get their swagger back again despite their loss Thursday in the College Football Playoff semifinal at the Cotton Bowl.
In the third quarter, with Alabama leading by 24, Ridley lined up in the slot again. Both teams had plenty of familiarity with AT&T Stadium.
Coker’s 48-yard strike to Ridley on play-action set up the Crimson Tide at the Michigan State 1-yard-line and Henry punched it in a play later with 5:14 left in the half.
The Tide defense has dominated all year and made a statement by holding the Spartans scoreless through the game.
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This may have been the biggest mismatch of them all.
