Its namesake has only made one play in his young college football career at Michigan State. But without it, No. 3 Michigan State likely isn't playing No. 2 Alabama in the College Football Playoff Cotton Bowl semifinal on Thursday night. Go back to the
The Spartans punted five straight times to start the game, and they only broke that streak when Jones, the Alabama defensive back, picked off Connor Cook at the 1-yard line, stomping on Michigan State's most promising drive yet. Michigan State punted
It had the right résumé, and had four rock-solid wins against Oregon, Michigan, Ohio State, and Iowa. Three of those wins were not in Only seven college programs can claim being a part of the College Football Playoff. MSU is one of them. All of
DALLAS — As one Nick Saban assistant (Alabama defensive coordinator Kirby Smart) prepares to leave the nest and take over his own program, another former Saban assistant will try to become the first branch off the Alabama coach's tree to beat the trunk.
Late in the second quarter of Thursday's Cotton Bowl, Alabama running back Kenyan Drake caught a pass near the Alabama sideline. He stepped out of bounds, was lightly tapped by a Michigan State defender, took another step, and dropped like an anvil