Michigan State University
Alabama (Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic)
Spartans' Title Run Ends with 38-0 Loss to Alabama
12/31/2015 12:00:00 AM | Football
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ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) Jake Coker played the game of his career, hooking up with Calvin Ridley for two touchdowns, as second-ranked Alabama aired it out to beat No. 3 Michigan State 38-0 Thursday night and advance to the national championship game.
''This is a special team that I couldn't be prouder of,'' Coker said.
Alabama (13-1) will face No. 1 Clemson (14-0) on Jan. 11 in Arizona looking for its fourth national title in nine seasons under coach Nick Saban.
The Tide looked like a team with no weaknesses against talented Michigan State (12-2). Coker, the promising Florida State transfer who sat the bench most of last season, was nearly perfect. The senior completed 25 for 30 for 286 yards. The freshman Ridley was brilliant, streaking by defenders on deep throws and outfighting them on jump balls. He caught eight passes for 138 yards.
Jonathan Allen and the ferocious Tide defensive front sacked Connor Cook four times and allowed the Spartans only one trip into the red zone - which ended with Cyrus Jones intercepting a pass at the goal line.
Jones added a high-stepping 57-yard punt return touchdown for the Tide, which hardly even had to use Heisman Trophy winner Derrick Henry. The big tailback who has carried the Crimson Tide offense most of the season was mostly just a role player against a Spartans defense stacked to stop him. He ran for 75 yards and scored two touchdowns.
The Tide came out trying to loosen up a Michigan State defense that typically sells out to stop the run. Henry didn't touch the ball on Alabama's first drive and got it twice for seven yards on its second. Both ended with a punt.
The first quarter was nothing but punts.
Alabama finally broke through by going not to its Heisman winner but to its star freshman receiver. Coker threw a perfect deep ball to Ridley for 50 yards to the 1. Running behind defensive linemen A'Shawn Robinson and Jarran Reed, Henry punched it in for his SEC-record breaking 24th touchdown, and with 5:36 left in the first half it was 7-0 Tide.
Michigan State put its only threat of the first half together on its last drive. Finally getting some time, Cook made a couple of beautiful throws to get the Spartans down to the Alabama 12. Michigan State's chance to go into the half with something positive was snatched by Jones. The Alabama cornerback picked off Cook at the goal line, grabbing a throw that was too low to reach Aaron Burbridge, who had a step in the end zone.
