The defending champion Buckeyes (11-1) lost their only game to Michigan State and needed help to get into college football’s final four.
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“He’s certainly done a better job than I ever did there, I can tell you that”, said Saban, who went 34-24-1 at Michigan State and noted Sunday that the program was on probation when he arrived. In the nightcap, No. 2 Alabama will play No. 3 Michigan State at the Cotton Bowl.
There is a mutual respect between the two coaches that has been known for a while but resurfaced during media availability following the College Football Playoff announcement.
“I would not be in this position as a head coach had I not been afforded the opportunity to come to Michigan State by Nick”, Dantonio said.
The rest of the New Year’s Six bowls: Rose Bowl – Stanford (11-2) vs. Iowa (12-1), January 1; Sugar Bowl – Oklahoma State (10-2) vs. MS (9-3), January 1; Fiesta Bowl – Notre Dame (10-2) vs. Ohio State (11-1), January 1; Peach Bowl – Houston (12-1) vs. Florida State (10-2), December 31. The Crimson Tide shut down Florida to win the Southeastern Conference title. “It doesn’t matter. Any of the four teams are capable of winning on any given day”. Oklahoma drew what oddsmakers determined was the more favorable matchup as the Sooners were made a 2½-point favorite against the only unbeaten team in the country.
Clemson beat Oklahoma 40-6 in last season’s Russell Athletic Bowl, “but it really doesn’t mean anything”, Clemson coach Dabo Swinney said.
Long said bumping Michigan State past Oklahoma had nothing to do with avoiding the possibility of having the Sooners play close to home in the Dallas area.
Saban is 5-3 in bowl games at Alabama, earning wins over Notre Dame (2013 BCS National Championship Game), LSU (2012 BCS National Championship Game), Michigan State (2011 Capital One Bowl), Texas (2010 BCS National Championship) and Colorado (2007 Independence Bowl).
Running Back LJ Scott rushed for 73 yards and a touchdown as the Michigan State Spartans narrowly defeated the Iowa Hawkeyes 16-13 in a week 14 Big Ten matchup at Lucas Oil Stadium. “I wouldn’t know how the committee would view that”. “I just love my teammates so much for working so hard through the off-season, and pushing and grinding through each and every game because football is not easy at all”.
Smart was expected to remain at Alabama through the playoffs, though Saban would surely carve out time for him to handle some of his new duties at Georgia. The Spartans won the Cotton Bowl, the only one for a Big Ten other than Ohio State’s over Texas A&M in 1987.
The Tigers are well-versed in how to get around Sun Life Stadium, and embarrassed Miami 58-0 earlier this season on the same field they’ll see for the bowl game.
SORE SHOULDER: Spartans quarterback Connor Cook became the first two-time MVP of the Big Ten title game, even playing with a sore shoulder that now has time to recover.
The Spartans definitely benefited from an appearance in the Big Ten championship game while Oklahoma was sidelined. Instead of arguing whether Ohio State was better than TCU or Baylor, the committee could have decided which 10-2 team was better: Michigan State or Mississippi State?
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The college football playoffs show begins at noon on ESPN. Long also touted a season-opening victory over Wisconsin, which didn’t finish in the top 25 but was 9-3.
