Given the dominance of the SEC West, and particularly when Alabama is top-ranked in the Sugar Bowl, most assumed Michigan State would have little impact on this year's tournament, with Mississippi and Bama as early opponents. But Spartan coach coach Mark Dantonio's team showed themselves to be ready for a challenge, even against the mighty Crimson Tide.
But Bama was Bama early. Derrick Henry's 25 yard TD run and Amari Cooper's 15 yard TD pass reception from Blake Sims sandwiched a Michael Geiger MSU field goal, and Alabama led 14-3 at the end of the first frame. In the second quarter, T.J. Yeldon's 2 yard run provided another Bama score to extend the lead. But another Geiger field goal and a Jeremy Langford TD run cut the lead to 21-13 at halftime.
MSU kept coming in the third, a Connor Cook TD pass and a pick six on an interception by Sims shocked the Superdome crowd, and the Spartans were up 27-21.
However, Sims answered with 5-yard TD run and Bama regained the lead going into the fourth quarter, 28-27.
The score remained the same until just over three minutes to go, when a 65-yard Langford run for TD gave MSU the lead, and the shockwave returned to the Superdome. However, Alabama drove, capped by an Amari Cooper 6 TD pass pass from Blake Sims with under two minutes to go, and Alabama survived a Sugar Bowl scare.
Alabama will move on to their fifth appearance in six years at Football's Final Four, right down the road in Atlanta.
UPDATED TOURNAMENT RESULTS!:
FIRST ROUND:
In Salt Lake City:
7 Mississippi State 34
10 Boise State 35
In Detroit:
8 Michigan State 20
9 Mississippi 3
BCS BOWLS (Quarterfinals):
Sugar:
1 Alabama 35
8 Michigan State 34
Rose:
4 Ohio State 28
5 Texas Christian 42
Orange:
2 Florida State 20
10 Boise State 30
Fiesta:
3 Oregon 60
6 Baylor 41
SEMI-FINALS in Atlanta
1 Alabama
5 Texas Christian
3 Oregon
10 Boise State
BCS CHAMPIONSHIP in Arlington, Texas
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