Michigan State rolled by Alabama in biggest Capital One Bowl blowout in history
AP PhotoAlabama's Mark Ingram heads into the end zone for one of his two touchdowns against Michigan State.
ORLANDO, Fla. Michigan State football coach Mark Dantonio wanted to get his first bowl win in four years as head coach of the Spartans, and he hoped his Big Ten Conference cochampionship team would prove the program is among the elite.
The Spartans (112) came up empty as Alabama (103) looked every bit an elite defending national champion in rolling to an overwhelming 497 win in front of a crowd of 61,519 at the Capital One Bowl on Saturday.
It's the biggest margin of victory in the history of the Capital One Bowl and the worst defeat by the seventhranked team, in any game, in the 74year history of the Associated Press poll.
Alabama ran and passed almost at will in scoring on each of its first four possessions of the first half for a 280 lead, and it played out that way for much of the second half, too.
you look at us, we were outcoached, we were outplayed and we were (beaten physically), Dantonio said. just the way it is, and sometimes there an avalanche that comes upon you. held Michigan State to 171 yards of total offense, including a minus48 yards rushing. It was the worst rushing performance by a Michigan State game in 21 bowl appearances, and included 56 net yards lost by quarterback Kirk Cousins, who was sacked four times.
Cousins, a junior, was dodging a heavy rush by Alabama and threw an interception on Michigan State first possession. On the next, he fumbled on a sack that lost 30 yards from the 8yard line. He was 10of18 passing for 120 yards.
Alabama finished with an overwhelming 546171 advantage in total yards, including 26465 in the first half.
Crimson Tide running back and Flint native Mark Ingram, the 2009 Heisman Trophy winner, (59 yards, two touchdowns) and wide receiver Julio Jones (49 yards receiving and one touchdown) played long enough to put the game out of reach. Courtney Upshaw, a linebacker and the game MVP, had two key sacks among five for Alabama.
Michigan State aided Alabama in its early success. A pass interference call on MSU cornerback Chris L. Rucker on third down kept Alabama first touchdown drive alive.
The Spartans then reached the Alabama 29yard line on their first possession, but Cousins ducked away from the rush and his pass downfield was intercepted by Alabama Robert Lester near the goal line.
On its second possession, Michigan State benefited when a fumble by tight end Brian Linthicum was reviewed and ruled an incomplete pass. The Spartans then drove to the Alabama 2yard line. But that scoring chance blew up on a illegal substitution penalty followed by a Cousins fumble when he was sacked by Upshaw. That play www.shopColtsnfljersey.com resulted in a 30yard loss and punt by the Spartans.
don www.shopcoltsnfljersey.com/WOMENS-BJOERN-WERNER-JERSEY.html know if we were overwhelmed, but we weren patient and we made mistakes, MSU wide receiver Keith Nichol said. is very talented, and they came out and got after us. We didn handle it so well. second half started much Kids Bjoern Werner Jersey the same. Alabama took the kickoff and went 79 yards in four plays to take a 350 lead. Quarterback Greg McElroy, who was 13of17 passing for 220 yards, connected with Marquis Maze with a 37yard touchdown pass. Maze beat MSU cornerback Johnny Adams on a deep post route.
The Spartans were battered physically. Cousins, backup quarterback Andrew Maxwell, tight end Charlie Gant, Rucker, linebackers Chris Norman and Eric Gordon and wide receivers Mark Dell and Nichol were among the Michigan State players who left the field shaken up or injured for at least portions of the game.
Nichol, who returned to the game at wide receiver, played quarterback in the fourth quarter after Maxwell left following a sack. Nichol hooked up with wide receiver Bennie Fowler, who made an escape move and dashed up the sideline to complete a 49yard touchdown pass play with 5:45 remaining.
Dantonio said the Alabama defense switched looks and fronts before snaps, and the Spartans had trouble.
name of the game is to affect the quarterback, he said. would say our quarterbacks got hit between 15 and 20 times easily today . You know, they won up front. That the difference. coach Nick Saban said his team focused on taking advantage of its talents.
wanted to define this team as winners and I think this season defines this group as winners, he said. lots of lessons to learn about this season in terms of maybe four or five plays that could have put us in a different place, maybe the same place we were in last year. said the Crimson Tide wanted to dominate.