Cotton Bowl: Five keys, predictions for Alabama-Michigan State

Goodyear Cotton Bowl
Michigan State (12-1) vs. Alabama (12-1)
Arlington, Texas
Dec. 31, 2015

It's the Nick Saban starter kit vs. his deluxe edition.

OK, the matchup between Michigan State and Alabama on Thursday in the Cotton Bowl is much more than that. But you're likely to hear a few times that Saban was Michigan State's head coach before he moved to LSU (and Alabama two stops later) in 1999.

And even though Michigan State's players were in preschool or younger when Saban's move to the SEC happened, it's not a stretch to think that Michigan State coach Mark Dantonio has used the move as a motivational ploy for his players. No team in college football may be better than playing the disrespect card than Michigan State.

Are the Spartans really being disrespected? Yeah, the betting line on the game favors Alabama by nearly 10 points. But the Tide are one of the most popular teams in college football. That's a fact, not disrespect, though it sure can be taken as such.

But Michigan State is the champion of the Big Ten, the conference that won the College Football Playoff a year ago. Oh, and the Spartans beat that team, Ohio State, earlier in the season. Yes, Alabama is good, but there's no reason to immediately dismiss Michigan State's chances of making the Big Ten 2-for-2 in the CFP.

 

Here are five things to watch Thursday evening:

 

1. Alabama's rush defense: The Tide have given up 100+ yards on the ground just twice in 2015. Georgia ran for 193 against Alabama while Tennessee ran for 132. Michigan State has run for over 100 yards in all but two of its games in 2015. The Spartans ran for 77 yards against Air Force and 58 yards against Michigan.

Which team is going to add a third game to its story? The winner of the game likely won't. If Michigan State can successfully use its trio of LJ Scott, Madre London and Gerald Holmes to slice the Alabama rush defense, it opens up the pass game for ...

 

2. Connor Cook: It's not too often that you see a team with the best quarterback on the field be an underdog by more than a touchdown. Part of that, surely, is lingering questions about Cook's health. He suffered a right shoulder injury against Maryland and missed the team's win over Ohio State.

But Cook says he's feeling great. If he is, he should be able to complete passes down the field and open up the Alabama defense. Teams have had success going over the top of the Alabama defense, but for Michigan State to capitalize, the rushing offense has to force Alabama's linebackers and safeties to think more about the run. If the Alabama defensive line plugs the rush lanes by itself, Cook won't find much space for his receivers.

 

3. Quantity over quality for Derrick Henry?

As you likely know, Henry has had 90 carries over the past two games. It's no coincidence that Alabama's success has corresponded with his increased workload.

It's going to be nearly impossible for Michigan State to render Henry completely ineffective. Perhaps its why the number of Henry's carries may be more significant than the number of yards he gains on Thursday night.

During the 2015 Sugar Bowl, Ohio State held Henry to 13 carries. T.J. Yeldon got 10. The Tide lost that game by seven after once leading 21-6. Can Michigan State limit Henry to that total number of carries? Only once, vs. Mississippi State in November, did he have less than 23 carries against an SEC opponent in 2015.

 

4. Jacob Coker: If Michigan State can successfully limit the times Henry touches the football, the Alabama offensive pressure shifts to Coker. The QB has thrived as defenses focus on the battering ram that is Henry.

Coker has not thrown an interception in the past three games and has completed 65 percent or more of his passes in those three games. If Henry is (relatively) bottled up, the chances of Coker sustaining that success dwindle. The passing windows will be much smaller.

 

5. Kickers: After a rocky start to the season, Adam Griffith has been very reliable for the Tide. He's 21-29 on field goal attempts for the season and is 15-17 over his last eight games.

Michigan State's Michael Geiger, most known for his game-winning kick vs. Ohio State, hasn't been as reliable. Geiger is 12-19 on field goals in 2015 and is 8-12 over the same span. Yeah, Griffith may never be able to shake the kick-six against Auburn and his early-season struggles will always linger in the back of Alabama fans' minds. But if the game comes down to a late field goal attempt, he's the better bet.

 

PICKS

 

Graham: I have to think Alabama learned a lot from Tom Herman in the offseason and that’s going to help the Tide against Michigan State. This is going to be a tough game, but it’s hard to bet against Derrick Henry these days. Alabama 17, Michigan State 13.

 

Nick: Graham and Sam are all about the low-scoring game. I think the winner of this one breaks 20. And yes, I think Alabama wins this game. The Spartans keep it close, and Adam Griffith wins it late. Alabama 23, Michigan State 20.

 

Sam: There’s just something about this Michigan State team. It’s not spectacular in any facets, but it won’t beat itself. For Alabama, I just don’t trust Jake Coker whatsoever if he needs to make a throw late in a game. Michigan State 17, Alabama 14.

Cal QB Jared Goff announces he's entering the NFL draft

Cal quarterback Jared Goff is entering the NFL draft.

Goff, a junior, held a press conference Thursday to announce his decision, which came just two days after he led the Bears to a 55-36 win in the Armed Forces Bowl. In that game, Goff completed 25 of 37 passes for 467 yards with six touchdowns and no interceptions. The six touchdowns tied for the second-most touchdown passes thrown in a bowl game.

Goff finished his junior season completing 64.5 percent of his passes for 4,719 yards, 43 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. The 43 touchdowns broke the Pac-12's single-season touchdown pass record, which was set by Oregon’s Marcus Mariota in 2014.

Goff made history in 2013 when he became the first true freshman quarterback to start at Cal. The Bears went 1-11 that season, but steadily got better before enjoying this year's bowl game, their first bowl berth since 2011.

Goff is projected to be one of the first two quarterbacks taken in the 2016 NFL draft.

Dodgers reach agreement with Japanese pitcher Kenta Maeda

The Los Angeles Dodgers weren't suddenly going to become a small-market team, they were just biding their time. A day after the team inked Scott Kazmir, Los Angeles has gone out and added another pitcher to their rotation. The team has reportedly reached an agreement with Japanese pitcher Kenta Maeda, according to Jon Heyman of CBS Sports.

After the team missed out on the elite options on the market, it was assumed the Dodgers would be major players for Maeda. The 27-year-old pitcher rated as the 21st best free-agent available according to our own Jeff Passan. He ranked just behind Kazmir, and just ahead of Brett Anderson on that list. All three players now pitch for Los Angeles.

Maeda is considered the best pitcher to come over from Japan since Yu Darvish and Masahiro Tanaka, but few believe he has the same upside as those pitchers. At the very least, Maeda is expected to slot in as a mid-rotation starter in the majors. In eight seasons with the Hiroshima Carp, Maeda compiled a 2.39 ERA over 1509 2/3 innings.

Terms of the contract are not known at this time. Teams had to pay a $20 million posting fee in order to negotiate with Maeda, but his eventual contract is expected to be much higher.

With Maeda in tow, the Dodgers suddenly have some tough decisions to make in the rotation. Clayton Kershaw, Maeda and Kazmir should be locks, but the club will also have Brett Anderson, Alex Wood and Hyun-Jin Ryu competing for the final two spots. On top of that, Brandon McCarthy is expected to return from Tommy John surgery at some point, which could complicate things later in the year.

That's quite the change from 48 hours ago, when the team was set to go with Kershaw/Anderson as their 1-2 punch. In a short span, the Dodgers have suddenly turned a questionable spot on the club into a strength.

Questions still remain, of course. Both Ryu and McCarthy are coming off injuries, and Anderson and Kazmir don't have the greatest track record in that area. Even Maeda is far from a sure thing, as there are questions about whether his numbers will translate in the majors.

Still, the move greatly improves Los Angeles. The Arizona Diamondbacks and San Francisco Giants may have dominated the National League West news cycle earlier in the offseason, but the Dodgers are making their presence felt now.

Houston upsets Florida State 38-24 in Peach Bowl

Few in college football have had a better 2015 than Houston coach Tom Herman.

Less than a year after hoisting the national championship trophy, Herman led Houston to a 38-24 upset of Florida State in the Peach Bowl.

The win was unexpected not only because Houston came into the contest an underdog, but because the Cougars dominated from the opening kick. Florida State didn’t come out flat or uninspired to be playing a Group of Five team, it was just beaten by a better team.

The Seminoles woes started early when Houston shut down running back Dalvin Cook, who has been integral to the Seminoles offensive success this season. Cook was limited to a season-low 33 yards on 18 carries. He also added two catches for 26 yards.

Quarterback Sean Maguire struggled with his accuracy early and then suffered an ankle/foot injury that forced him out of the game for a little more than a series.

Houston took advantage and rolled to a 21-3 halftime lead.

But Florida State didn’t away quietly. In the second half, it loosened up that tight Houston defense and started to find success both passing and running the ball. However, it was clear Maguire was suffering from the ill effects of the injury as several of his passes came up short and made for easy interceptions for Houston defenders.

Maguire finished the game completing 22 of 44 passes for 392 yards, two touchdowns and four interceptions. Maguire had thrown just two interceptions all season.

On the other side, Houston quarterback Greg Ward did was he does best – improvise. He was proficient both passing and running the ball thanks to his offensive line, which kept a normally aggressive Florida State defense at bay. Ward completed 25 of 41 passes for 238 yards, a touchdown and an interception, and rushed 20 times for 67 yards and two scores before he had to leave the game late in the fourth quarter with injury.

In his absence, backup Kyle Postma helped seal the victory with a 29-yard draw on third-and-7 with 2:25 remaining that set up the 2-yard game-sealing touchdown run by Ryan Jackson.

Houston notched its first 13-win season since 2011 and Herman became just the second coach to win 13 games in his first year (Chris Petersen, Boise State). Florida State finished 10-3, it’s first three-loss season since losing four games in 2011.

Villanova sends message it's still the Big East's team to beat

It's tempting to suggest two-time reigning Big East champ Villanova made a statement that it's still the team to beat in the league.

It's also tempting to devalue the outcome entirely considering Xavier's most indispensable player was taken off the court on a stretcher two minutes into the game.

So what's the truth about 16th-ranked Villanova's 95-64 New Year's Eve rout over No. 6 Xavier? It's probably somewhere in between.

A game expected to provide clarity regarding the pecking order at the top of the Big East changed dramatically two minutes after tip-off when Xavier point guard Edmond Sumner endured heavy contact going up for a driving layup and crumpled to the floor. The freshman was alert and had full movement in his extremities, but he was transported directly to a nearby hospital for precautionary reasons.

Overcoming the absence of Sumner would have been challenging under any circumstances for Xavier considering he's a gifted playmaker and capable defender who averages 11.7 points and 3.3 assists per game. But having him go down in such scary fashion early in the game seemed to suck the energy right out of the previously unbeaten Musketeers.

Villanova trailed 5-4 after forward Jalen Reynolds sank a pair of free throws in place of Sumner. The Wildcats scored the next 13 points of the game, built an 18-point halftime lead and were never seriously challenged again.

"I guess the first thing that I would say is Edmond Sumner’s a huge part of our team," Xavier coach Chris Mack told reporters after the game. "It was very, very difficult to overcome his loss for the game, to have him weighing on our minds if he was going to be OK. He still weighs on our minds."

Since 49.5 percent of Villanova's shots this season have come from behind the arc, the Wildcats are more reliant on their 3-point shooting than any other elite team in the nation. That boom-or-bust strategy hasn't always paid off this season, but Villanova caught fire on Thursday against Xavier's 1-3-1 zone, sinking 13 of 25 threes and shooting 68.3 percent from the field.

Senior point guard Ryan Arcidiacono was the catalyst against the Musketeers, scoring 27 points, dishing out eight assists and knocking down seven 3-pointers. Josh Hart scored all 15 of his points in the second half on only six shots and Villanova's other three starters each tallied double figures as well.

The absence of Sumner was glaring for Xavier both in its inability to contain Arcidiacono and its struggles to take care of the basketball. The Musketeers had 11 turnovers in the game's first 12 minutes against Villanova's three-quarters-court pressure and finished with 19 for the game.

Trevon Bluiett was the only Xavier starter in double figures, and even he shot only 2-for-9 from the field. Forward James Farr and guard J.P. Macura were effective off the bench, but it was far too little too late.

The one-sided loss was a setback for a Xavier team that had performed brilliantly during non-conference play. The Musketeers (12-1) have a sterling collection of wins over the likes of Cincinnati, Wake Forest, Dayton, USC, Alabama and Michigan.

As Xavier piled up quality wins and Butler and Providence performed like top 20 teams, the consensus was that Villanova may have a tougher time than expected maintaining its white-knuckle grip on first place in the conference. The Wildcats (11-2) haven't been bad the first two months of the season, but they had lost to the two best teams they had faced, Oklahoma and Virginia.

Thursday's result is neither proof that Villanova is still the Big East's top team nor that Xavier isn't as good as advertised. All the outcome really does is serve as a reminder that at their best, the Wildcats can be really, really good.

Clemson DE Shaq Lawson leaves Orange Bowl (knee)

If Clemson is going to beat Oklahoma and move on to the national title game, it will have to do so without one of its best players.

In the first quarter of the Orange Bowl, Clemson junior defensive end Shaq Lawson left the game with an apparent knee injury. Lawson, an All-American, was shown on the sideline with an icepack on his knee and a towel over his head. He did not have his helmet with him – a telltale sign of a player who likely will not return to a game.

Watson has been ruled out for the second half.

Lawson led the nation with 21.5 tackles for loss and had 9.5 sacks on the season. He left the game after sacking Oklahoma quarterback Baker Mayfield. Lawson briefly left the field on the defense’s first drive, but returned for the second drive. He hasn’t seen the field since.

Oklahoma also lost one of its top defensive players to injury in the first half. Linebacker Jordan Evans has been ruled out for the second half due to a right shoulder injury.

Evans is second on the Sooners this season with 93 tackles. He also has 6.5 tackles for loss, two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery.

Oklahoma leads 17-16 at halftime. The winner will play either Alabama or Michigan State in the College Football Playoff National Championship.

TCU's Boykin charged with assaulting officer, suspended

Trevone Boykin's brilliant college career has come to an abrupt and inglorious end even though TCU has one game left to play this season.

Boykin was arrested early Thursday and charged with felony assault of a police officer after the one-time Heisman Trophy contender slipped out of his team hotel past curfew, was allegedly heckled at a bar and ended up being subdued by authorities who said they had to threaten the quarterback with a Taser.

The 22-year-old Boykin was swiftly suspended for Saturday's Alamo Bowl against No. 15 Oregon.

The game would have been the last for Boykin, a senior who shattered school passing records once held by Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton. But he was no doubt hoping to give NFL scouts one final look at his skills as the 11th-ranked Horned Frogs wrapped up their season.

Boykin was arrested shortly before 2 a.m. outside a bar near San Antonio's famous downtown River Walk. Police say an altercation inside spilled into the street and ended when Boykin took a swing and made contact with a police officer on bike patrol. Police Chief William McManus said it was not clear whether Boykin was swinging at the officer or someone else.

The skirmish was set off by Boykin being heckled in the bar about the upcoming game, McManus said.

"His teammates had tried to take him back to the hotel, and he broke away from them and came back and he got into it with officer," McManus said. "Mr. Boykin was finally subdued after being threatened with a Taser."

Boykin was released on $5,000 bond. He left a Bexar County jail with a coat over his head and did not answer questions from reporters. TCU wide receiver Preston Miller was also suspended for bowl game for what coach Gary Patterson said was an unspecified violation of team rules.

"We are disappointed in their actions and apologize to the TCU Horned Frogs Nation, Valero Alamo Bowl and city of San Antonio," Patterson said in a statement.

According to a police report, Boykin had been fighting with employees at the bar, but people with the star quarterback told officers they would take him back to his hotel. Boykin then charged at responding officers and swung at one before he was taken to the ground, authorities said.

McManus said the officer allegedly struck by Boykin was treated for a swollen face and bruised but was otherwise OK.

Patterson did not speak to reporters Thursday, but co-offensive coordinator Doug Meacham said Boykin was in his hotel room when the team did checks Wednesday night.

"I'm hurting for him. He's a good person," TCU running back Aaron Green said.

Oregon defensive end DeForest Buckner said his teammates try avoiding potentially heated situations when out in public.

"Coach always preaches, when something hostile comes amongst one of the players, we got to get our guy out," Buckner said. "We're not here to be tough guys off the field, to try to start up fights and everything. We just try to get our guy out and kind of turn the other cheek in a way, just walk away."

Boykin finished fourth in the Heisman Trophy voting as a junior in 2014 and went into this season considered one of the front-runners for the award. The dual-threat quarterback from Dallas is second nationally with 381 total yards per game, but missed a game in November after awkwardly twisting his right ankle in a win over Kansas.

He sat out against Oklahoma game but returned for the TCU's regular-season finale, an overtime victory over Baylor that was played in heavy rain. He was expected to be fully healthy for the Alamo Bowl.

Boykin threw for 3,575 yards with 31 touchdowns and ran for 612 yards and 10 more scores this season. He has accounted for 56 percent of TCU's offense since 2012, and leaves with career school records for total yards (12,777), passing yards (10,728), passing touchdowns (86) and touchdowns responsible for (114).

Senior Bram Kohlhausen or redshirt freshman Foster Sawyer will start in Boykin's place.

Bills planning to cut Mario Williams in offseason

It's going to be game over for Super Mario in Buffalo after the Bills play their season finale on Sunday.

High-priced defensive end Mario Williams will be cut by the Bills this offseason, a person with direct knowledge of discussions told The Associated Press on Thursday. The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because the team does not publicly discuss its player personnel plans.

No timetable was provided as to when Williams will be cut, but the person said the team's top pass-rushing threat's final game will be Buffalo's home game against the New York Jets (10-5). The Bills (7-8) have already been eliminated from the playoffs.

Walking off the field following practice, Williams told The AP he hasn't been informed by the Bills about his future.

''I can't say anything but if it is (my last game), I'll talk to you on Tuesday,'' Williams said.

Bills players are usually available on Tuesday during the season. Next week, however, the Bills are scheduled to hold their final media availability on Monday, when players clean out their lockers.

Coach Rex Ryan said he's not aware of where the story is coming from, and said he's solely focused on playing the Jets.

''I'm not going to get into speculating on this player's going to be here, not here, how they fit in or whatever,'' Ryan said. ''All those type of discussions will be better served after this game.''

Williams has become expendable because his contract is deemed to be too expensive, and also because he has struggled to make the transition to the defensive system introduced this year by Ryan. Williams has two years left on the six-year, $100 million contract he signed in free agency in 2012.

He is set make an $11.5 million base salary next year. By cutting Williams, the Bills will save more than $12 million under the NFL's salary cap.

The savings are important for a team that needs to free up room to re-sign and add players in free agency this offseason.

At the same time, the person said veteran defensive tackle Kyle Williams' job is safe, so long as he recovers from a season-ending left knee injury he sustained in a 34-21 loss to Cincinnati on Oct. 18.

Kyle Williams is a 10-year veteran and a four-time Pro Bowl selection. The Bills value him because of his play and because of the leadership role he provides.

His future in Buffalo had been in question only because of his salary. He is scheduled to make $12.3 million in base salary over the final two years of his contract.

The Bills intend to revamp their defensive personnel after the unit underperformed this season.

Buffalo ranks 20th in yards allowed and 31st in sacks. That's a major disappointment for a defense that returned mostly intact a year after finishing fourth in yards allowed and had an NFL-leading 54 sacks.

Mario Williams' drop-off has been significant. He has just four sacks in 14 games this season.

The NFL's top pick in the 2006 emerged as one of the league's top pass-rushing threats during his first six seasons in Houston. Williams has 96 career sacks, and combined for 38 in his first three seasons in Buffalo, including a career-best 14 1/2 last year.

Williams has also publicly voiced his frustrations over how he's being used in Ryan's system. He has questioned why he's been asked to drop back into coverage on occasion, something Williams said he's never done in his previous 10 seasons.

Last week, Williams included himself when saying he wasn't sure whether the Bills personnel match what Ryan wants to do.

Williams stressed he wasn't criticizing Ryan, but just simply stating a fact.

Last week, Ryan defended Williams' performance and said the player's complaints were made out of frustration.

On Wednesday, speaking on a conference call, Ryan declined to reveal who he was referring to in saying players haven't bought in to his scheme.

Ryan added he's been bothered by criticism coming from his players.

''Yeah it bothers me, no doubt about it,'' Ryan said. ''Now, I haven't said anything public until now about it. But sure, that would bother me. Doesn't mean I'm going to change who I am or how I go about my business, I can promise you that.''

On Thursday, Ryan declined to specify once again who he was referring to.

Williams signed with the Bills in March 2012 after spending three days in town negotiating what at that time became the most expensive contract signed by a defensive player.

Williams is no longer the Bills' most high-priced player after the team signed defensive tackle Marcell Dareus to a six-year, $108 million contract in September.

Bruins say Winter Classic rink was ‘dangerous’

It wasn’t an ideal New Year’s Eve for the Winter Classic rink. The clear sky over Gillette Stadium in Foxboro allowed the sun to beam down on the ice, which was covered with thermal blankets prior to the Boston Bruins’ late morning practice.

But the above-freezing temps and the glaring sun produced an ice surface that both the Bruins and Montreal Canadiens labeled as “soft.”

Boston defenseman Dennis Seidenberg said one corner of the rink that was exposed to the sun was, frankly, “dangerous.”

“The one end was very slushy. The one corner was very dangerous, [when you were] kind of turning,” he said. “But what are you going to do? You have to deal with it.”

Bruins defenseman Zdeno Chara saw the same conditions. "For the most part, during practice, we stayed away from that corner of the ice, for safety reasons,” he said.

The ice conditions in that corner worsened as practice continued. “At the end, it was tough to turn. Very soft. Very slushy. It’ll be an adventure every time you go in there,” said Seidenberg.

The Canadiens also experienced some questionable ice conditions. “Not as good as an indoor rink, obviously. Very soft, very soft. And slushy at the end,” said forward Lars Eller. “Two of the corners were particularly soft.”

That said, defenseman P.K. Subban didn’t mind the conditions, saying the ice was good.

But the Habs and Bruins were optimistic that Dan Craig, the NHL’s ice guru, could have the surface at its best for the Winter Classic on Jan. 1. And he should: The game goes off at 1 p.m. ET, which will be after the sun will be hidden behind the stadium’s walls.

“Maybe it’ll be a little harder tomorrow. But it’ll be the same for both teams,” said Eller.

If it isn’t, Chara said it shouldn’t matter. “It shouldn’t change the way we play,” he said. “I’m sure it’s going to be fixed by tomorrow.”

Goalies pay tribute to Patriots as Winter Classic takes over Gillette

The New England Patriots are playing their final two regular-season games on the road thanks to Gillette Stadium hosting the Winter Classic, the NHL's now-annual New Year's Day outdoor game. The Boston Bruins and Montreal Canadiens renew their rivalry on Friday afternoon.

On Thursday, Patriots players and coaches got some Bruins swag, which they happily wore; even Bill Belichick appeared to his morning press conference in a B’s hat.

And the goodwill goes both ways: the Bruins posted photos on their Twitter feed of goalie Tuukka Rask’s custom-made helmet for the Winter Classic, which pays homage to some of the Patriots’ best players, namely Tom Brady, Rob Gronkowski, Julian Edelman and Stephen Gostkowski.

	Boston Bruins @NHLBruins
#NHLBruins #WinterClassic pic.twitter.com/2lUYZqfO1J 8:05 AM - 31 Dec 2015

Not to be outdone, Canadiens’ goalie and Massachusetts native Mike Condon also had a mask custom-made for the occasion. His features Belichick, Brady, the four Lombardi Trophies the Patriots have won, and the team’s motto, “Do your job.”

	NESN @NESN
Mike Condon will have a nod to the New England Patriots on his Winter Classic helmet. nesn.com/?p=554887 pic.twitter.com/Ig9IruWCmO 2:24 PM - 30 Dec 2015 Twitter

Bill Belichick welcomed Bruins coach Claude Julien to Patriots’ practice on Wednesday, and Thursday morning, the two men spent some time together on the ice. Belichick said he did play some hockey growing up, but he was rusty on the skates and fell at one point.

	DJ Bean @DJ_Bean
Julien and Belichick Pt. II pic.twitter.com/6et7Y1ORtl 7:11 AM - 31 Dec 2015

Because of Friday’s game, the Patriots are flying to South Florida on Thursday evening and will practice at Florida Atlantic University on Friday before Sunday’s regular-season finale against the Miami Dolphins.

TODAY IN SPORTS HISTORY - DECEMBER 31ST

HAPPY NEW YEARS EVE!!

1870 - Thomas Connolly, baseball's major league umpire for 50 years is born.

1918 - Kid Gleason replaces Pants Rowland as White Sox manager.

1928 - Amarillo Slim [Thomas Preston], Amarillo Texas, hall of fame

professional poker player (1971 World Series main event), (d. 2012) is born.

1958 - Willie Shoemaker 1st jockey to win national riding championship 4X.
1961 - Green Bay Packers shutout NY Giants 37-0 in NFL championship game.
1962 - American Basketball League announces suspension of operation.

1967 - 1st NBA game at Great Western Forum, LA Lakers beat Houston 147-118.
1967 - Oakland Raiders beat Houston Oilers 40-7 in AFL championship game.
1967 - "The Ice Bowl", Packers beat Cowboys

21-17 in NFL championship game (-13°F).
1968 - NY Jets win AFL championship.

1972 - Roberto Clemente, slugger (Pittsburgh Pirate), dies in a plane crash at 38.

1972 - AFC Championship Game: Miami Dolphins beat Pittsburgh Steelers 21-7.
1972 - NFC Championship Game: Washington Redskins beat Dallas Cowboys 26-3.
1972 - 39th Sugar Bowl: #2 Oklahoma beats #5 Penn State, 14-0.

1973 - 40th Sugar Bowl: #3 Notre Dame beats #1 Alabama, 24-23.
1974 - NY Yankees sign Jim "Catfish" Hunter for 5 yrs for a record $3.75 million.
1974 - 41st Sugar Bowl: #8 Nebraska beats #18 Florida, 13-10.
1975 - 42nd Sugar Bowl: #3 Alabama beats #7 Penn State, 13-6.

1989 - Jockey Kent Desormeaux sets record with 598 wins in a year.

1990 - George Allen, US football coach (LA Rams, Wash Redskins), dies.
1991 - Daniel R McCarthy elected NY Yankee managing general partner.
1991 - J Donald Crump resigned as CFL Commissioner.
1995 - 62nd Sugar Bowl: #13 Virginia Tech beats #9 Texas, 28-10.
1996 - 63rd Orange Bowl: #6 Nebraska beats #10 Virginia Tech, 41-21.
1997 - Marv Levy, retires as coach of Buffalo Bills.
1997 - 27th Fiesta Bowl: #10 Kansas State beats #14 Syracuse, 35-18.
2014 - 44th Fiesta Bowl: #20 Boise State beats #10 Arizona, 38-30.
2014 - 81st Orange Bowl: #10 Georgia Tech beats #8 Mississippi State, 49-34.



Paul George: ‘I wanted to return as one of the best players in the world’

Paul George would love to leave behind the worst day of his basketball life with the swiftness of a windmill dunk, to make the image of his right leg snapping disappear in the time it takes to snap a finger. But he knows that can't happen, that fully moving on from that gruesome injury nearly 17 months ago will always be difficult because the bulging mound of flesh that remains from where his leg was surgically fused back together greets George every time he gets dressed.

"Putting on socks. Just putting on socks is a reminder of what happened," George told Yahoo Sports, "because it's there. I've got to put the sock over the bump where the bone breakage happened. It's a reminder every day."

The thick scar no longer taunts George as it did when he began taking those first grueling steps toward reclaiming the promising career some thought was over when he crashed into that basket stanchion during a Team USA scrimmage in August 2014. And since he pulls his socks up just above that deformed knot, the daily reminder isn't visible to anyone who has watched George dazzle the NBA with easily the best feel-good comeback story of the early season.

"I want people to use that as something inspirational. Because here I was, playing at the highest level, and a big accident happened. And it took me back," George told Yahoo. "I had to work to get back to it."

George hasn't returned seeking to be graded on a curve or to merely receive applause for wearing a Pacers uniform again. He is authoring one of the best seasons of anyone not named Stephen Curry, having already claimed Eastern Conference Player of the Month honors for November, posting nearly career-best numbers across the board in scoring, rebounds and assists, and racking up votes as one of the early leaders in All-Star balloting.

"I really came into this season wanting to be here, wanting to be on top of the league now," George told Yahoo. "I didn’t see it no other way."

Though he has been encouraged by the flashes of that familiar explosiveness, George is quick to remind people that he experiences soreness in his repaired limb and continues to adjust to some limitations to his athleticism and quickness. That fight wasn't unexpected, because doctors told George that it would likely take about two years before he was fully recovered.

Emerging from a lengthy, half-hour dip in the ice tub after a recent game, covered in several thick brown towels, George took some time to reheat in front of his locker room stall before explaining how doubt, from outside and within, helped fuel his drive to get back to the court.

"That was definitely bulletin board material, people saying I wouldn’t be back. Or I’m going to be limited – which I am to an extent. I’m still not fully there," George told Yahoo. "I knew at the end of the road, where I wanted to be. I knew I wanted to be at the highest level. I wanted to return as one of the best players in the world again. That's how I wanted my story to end."

 

Refusing to surrender
Of all the indelible images of that fateful August night in Las Vegas – Kyrie Irving crying in his father's arms, players gathered around George in stunned silence, George offering a thumbs up before heading out on a stretcher – the one that often gets overlooked also provided a good indication that George wasn't going to easily surrender to the intimidating odds of a healthy return. James Harden was at least two steps out front with a seemingly easy path for a layup in an otherwise meaningless, defense-optional exhibition, and George was still charging, unwilling to give up on the play.

Pacers president Larry Bird still shakes his head in appreciation of that relentless spirit, knowing that same drive carried George from an unheralded high school prospect to an unexpected lottery pick to an unlikely seat at the table of the game's elite. "He’s determined," Bird told Yahoo. "He always said he was going to be an All-Star, but I think after the injury, he put more in it after that."

But when he watched George go down, hustling as always, Bird told Yahoo: "I felt sorry for him. I know how hard he works. I know what he wants to become. And that was a big blow, just for the kid – not the franchise, you worry about that later."

Uncertainty engulfed George after he went down, forcing him to build up his character in addition to his body. George wanted to avoid becoming the latest addition to the list of could’ve-been-greats whose ascension was clipped prematurely.

"The immediate concern was, 'Will I be back? Will I heal fine? Will I be losing anything physically? Will my athleticism, quickness come back? Will my whole game come back?' Those were the biggest questions," the 25-year-old George told Yahoo. "But it was just a broken bone. I knew from talking to the doctors and doing research on the history of that injury, I was going to be fine. I just had to really attack the rehab as hard as possible. I was going to gain everything back."

 

The road back
George surprised many late last season when he joined the Pacers in the midst of what turned out to be a lottery campaign for a team that lost to LeBron James and Miami in consecutive Eastern Conference finals in 2013 and 2014. Bird was always adamant that George would play whenever he received clearance from the team's medical staff, so he was never worried about his franchise cornerstone playing only eight months after injury.

Appearing in six forgettable, work-out-the-rust games, George sustained a calf strain, mostly due to his lack of conditioning, in the season finale. But those games were all part of George's plan to avoid turning the first few months of this season into a trial run to regain confidence.

"I think it was huge, from getting over the mental hurdle," Pacers coach Frank Vogel told Yahoo. "Feeling the bright lights, getting hit a couple times, diving on the floor a couple of times, feeling the trust in the leg as opposed to waiting the entire summer to feel that, I think it just sped up the entire process."

The Pacers' struggles in George's absence last season convinced Bird that it was time to rebuild the team around his best player and swap the club’s boring, plodding attack for the small-ball revolution. Bird wanted to open up the floor so that George would have more space to score and create for others. That plan initially involved the 6-foot-9 George shifting to power forward – a position Bird enjoyed playing during his Hall of Fame career because it allowed him to abuse bigger defenders. But George was publicly resistant to the move, fearful of the damage guarding larger players would have on his body over the course of a season. C.J. Miles assumed the role instead, allowing George to remain at his preferred small forward spot.

While utilizing a new, pace-and-space offensive scheme, Vogel said he expected to have George at 75 to 80 percent, with the hope that he'd regain full strength. "There was a reasonable expectation that he would return to form," Vogel told Yahoo. “You don’t really know until you see it.”

George didn't take long to let Vogel know that he was much further along, with some early MVP buzz, four double-doubles in his first six games and nine games with at least 30 points in his first 17 contests, including a career-high 48 in a Dec. 5 win over Utah.

"If I didn’t know him, I would be surprised," said former Pacer and current NBATV analyst Danny Granger. "From the outside looking in, you'd say, 'No way he could get back to that level that fast, coming back from an injury like that.' But from having a personal relationship with him, that’s who he is. He was gung ho about it the whole time. He constantly works on his game. There was never a time that basketball wasn’t on his mind."

 

'I didn’t quit on believing'
George credited "that underdog fight in me" for pushing himself back to an All-Star level. But he gained an appreciation for the measured, deliberate approach to his rehabilitation and has no desire to make up for lost time.

"I felt if I would’ve approached it that way, that’s when the injuries occur, when I’m trying to do too much and overwork myself," George told Yahoo. "I’m just smarter. [A year] away from the game, you get much more experienced. Being off and watching, observing the game, you see the game in a different light, and when I came back I was much more patient."

Granger, a former All-Star, worked out with George prior to Bird taking him 10th overall in the 2010 NBA draft and has remained a mentor and admirer. Having observed George improve each offseason to garner consideration as one of the 10 best players in the game, Granger believes George is progressing toward eventually becoming “a top one or two player in the league” and has already made most people forget about the catastrophic injury. "That thing is an afterthought," Granger said. "The only reason people will know it happened is because of the scar from the surgery. But other than that, he’ll be fine."

George is far from content with the start to his season, understanding that this is only part of his process, not the completion. The 82-game grind has already begun to affect him, with George sliding into a miserable shooting slump the past three weeks. Opposing defenses have been loading up to slow him down, and the shots he hit to start the season are coming up short. He still wants to finish the campaign healthy and lead the Pacers to a top-four finish in the East. But when he looks down at his leg and recognizes the strength that it took just to play, let alone thrive, George is appreciative of what he’s already overcome.

“It’s always an inspiration to sit back, see where I came from and see where I’m at now, but it’s always a reminder as well that when I’m on the court, anything can happen," George said. "One thing, I didn’t quit on believing. As much as I wanted to, and as rough as it was, I didn’t quit on the process and I hope people can use that as motivation."

Dodgers sign lefty Scott Kazmir to strengthen starting rotation

After whiffing twice in their offseason efforts to strengthen their starting rotation, the Los Angeles Dodgers on Wednesday announced that they've agreed to terms with lefty starter Scott Kazmir on a three-year contract that will, at the very least, give pause to the talk that the Dodgers aren't doing enough to compete in the pitching-crazed NL West.

The Dodgers weren't able to bring back free agent Zack Greinke and their deal with Hisashi Iwakuma fell apart after a failed physical, but Kazmir, 31, has re-established himself as a reliable big-league pitcher again who ought to help them in 2016.

According to various reports, the contract is worth $48 million. What might be most interesting is that, according to Jon Heyman of CBS Sports, Kazmir's contract comes with an opt-out clause after the first year. Opt-outs seem to be all the rage these days, but having one after just a year is unusual. The benefit for Kazmir is the ability to be a free agent again next winter in what's viewed as a weak class of starters.

Last season, Kazmir split his season with the Houston Astros and Oakland Athletics, with a 3.10 ERA in 31 starts. The season before, he had a 3.55 ERA while going 15-9 with the A's, firmly re-establshing his career after being out of the big leagues in 2012 and not pitching well in 2010 and 2011.

With Kazmir on board, the Dodgers could potentially have an all-lefty starting rotation, starting with Clayton Kershaw and including Alex Wood, Brett Anderson and Hyun-Jin Ryu. We have to figure the Dodgers aren't done shopping yet, though, since both the Arizona Diamondbacks (Greink and Shelby Miller) and San Francisco Giants (Johnny Cueto and Jeff Samardzija) have been aggressive in adding starting pitching.

Hall of Famer Doug Atkins dies at age 85

As you watch all of the big, athletic defensive ends rushing the quarterback off the edge in the NFL this week, just know that Doug Atkins was the original.

Atkins, one of the best defensive ends in the history of the game, died on Wednesday according to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He was 85. Atkins redefined the defensive end position through his 17 NFL seasons.

Knicks' Cleanthony Early expected to make full recovery after shooting

After sustaining a gun-shot wound to his right knee early Wednesday in a targeted robbery, New York Knicks forward Cleanthony Early underwent MRI and X-ray exams that revealed no structural damage or surgery required, league sources told Yahoo Sports.

Early remains in New York-Presbyterian Hospital, where doctors and the New York Knicks' training staff have worked to keep the 24-year-old's knee from becoming infected, sources told Yahoo. Early is expected to have a cleanup of his knee and expects a full recovery, league sources said. The bullet exited Early's leg and is not lodged in it, sources said.

Early is expected to need two to three months to recover, league sources said, with his week-to-week timetable potentially changing, depending on his rehabilitation.

The Knicks and Early's family have been briefed on his condition, sources said. Early was robbed after leaving CityScapes Gentlemen's Club in the Queens borough of New York around 4:30 a.m. Wednesday, the New York Police Department said. When reached for comment Wednesday afternoon, a New York police official told Yahoo Sports that no arrests have been made in connection to the shooting and the investigation is ongoing.

Despite the shooting, Early has been in high spirits in the hospital and is positive about his recovery from the injury suffered, sources said. Early had arthroscopic surgery on the same knee during his rookie season in 2014-15.

Early was drafted by the Knicks with the No. 34 overall pick in the 2014 NBA draft. He led Wichita State to a 34-0 regular season in his senior year.

After averaging 5.4 points in 39 games (seven starts) as a rookie, Early has played a minimal role for this season's Knicks. He has scored seven points in 10 appearances. Early will become a free agent at the end of the season.

Auburn overwhelms Memphis to win the Birmingham Bowl

Auburn ended a lackluster season on a high note.

Using a steady rushing attack and a stout defensive effort, Auburn overwhelmed Paxton Lynch and Memphis in a 31-10 Birmingham Bowl win.

Auburn was plagued by turnovers in the first half, but Lynch, a top NFL prospect, and the Memphis offense could not match up with Auburn’s defensive speed. The teams limped to a tie at the half, but Auburn turned up the intensity in the second half and cruised to a blowout victory.

Auburn rushed for 254 yards on the afternoon, led by 121 yards and a touchdown from Jovon Robinson, but the defense was the story. Lynch averaged more than 305 passing yards per game this season, but Auburn limited him to just 104 yards on 17-of-38 throwing.

Memphis was plagued by drops and looked overwhelmed offensively from the start. Auburn defenders got in Lynch’s face and in throwing lanes all afternoon and Lynch had the worst game of his season. It may be his last game in a Memphis uniform, too, as the junior could opt to leave school early for the NFL.

And with the passing attack it has relied on all year struggling, Memphis couldn’t get much going on the ground either, totaling just 102 yards on 30 attempts.

As lopsided as the final score looks, this game was close early on – mainly due to Auburn miscues.

Auburn jumped out to a 10-0 lead, but two interceptions allowed Memphis to tie it. First, after forcing Memphis to turn it over on downs near midfield early in the second quarter, Gus Malzahn dialed up a trick play. Wide receiver Jason Smith came around on a reverse and looked to throw downfield. He tossed a lame duck into traffic and the pass was intercepted by Reggis Ball, leading to a Memphis field goal.

Ball made another big play later in the second quarter when he intercepted Auburn’s Sean White on a fourth-and-two play and returned it 56 yards for a touchdown, tying the score at 10 going into halftime.

But that was the last time Memphis would sniff the end zone.

Memphis moved the ball deep into Auburn territory on the first drive of the second half, but Lynch forced one into traffic near the goal line and was intercepted by Tray Matthews.

From then on out, it was all Auburn.

The much-maligned Jeremy Johnson, in at quarterback for White, threw a touchdown to Smith on a wide receiver screen late in the third quarter to give Auburn a 17-10 lead.

Auburn’s defense forced three-and-outs on Memphis’ next two drives and the offense capitalized, extending the lead on touchdown runs from Johnson and Robinson to put the game out of reach.

And while the quarterback position is still a major question mark for Auburn (7-6) moving forward, the win is a nice way to move into the offseason. It also gives the program a winning record for the third straight year under Malzahn.

For Memphis (9-4), which played the game without head coach Justin Fuente (who’s now at Virginia Tech), it was a disappointing way to finish one of the best seasons in program history. The program was looking for back-to-back 10-win seasons and back-to-back bowl wins for the first time in its history, but came up short.

Now, Memphis will move forward with former Arizona State offensive coordinator Mike Norvell as head coach. And maybe without Lynch at quarterback.

With 3 coaches already axed, plenty more on hot seats in NFL

Tennessee interim coach Mike Mularkey wishes he had more time with the Titans.Dan Campbell feel the same way in Miami.

The Philadelphia Eagles decided they couldn't give Chip Kelly one more game.

The NFL has had seven coaches fired after each of the past two seasons, not counting a handful of general managers. After the Eagles on Tuesday made Kelly the third coach fired during the season, the league easily could match - or top - that next Monday. Owners are desperate for a quick fix and needing to create excitement around their struggling teams.

Some couldn't wait beyond the halfway mark of the season to make changes. Campbell took over as the Dolphins' interim coach when Joe Philbin was the first coach fired Oct. 5. Mularkey was promoted Nov. 3 when the Titans fired his friend, Ken Whisenhunt. No time to change personnel or schemes other than a few tweaks around the edges, and now both men could coach their final games Sunday.

''Time would be nice,'' Mularkey said this week. ''If you had an opportunity to have a year, an offseason, from start to finish, it certainly helps. I'm not sure that one year is enough.''

Here are some coaches and team executives whose time may be up very soon:

COLTS: Indianapolis' Super Bowl hopes look likely to be dashed short of the playoffs for the first time with quarterback Andrew Luck, costing both coach Chuck Pagano and general manager Ryan Grigson. Pagano's contract is about to expire after turning down a one-year extension during the offseason, while Grigson has a year remaining. Owner Jim Irsay may not be able to stop himself from chasing a new coach to get him back to the Super Bowl.

GIANTS: Two Super Bowls are great. Missing the playoffs for a fourth straight season puts both 69-year-old Tom Coughlin, the NFL's oldest coach, and general manager Jerry Reese on the firing line. The Giants have lost five of six and are assured of their third consecutive losing season.

DOLPHINS: The youngest coach in the NFL at 39, Campbell brought only a momentary jolt of energy before the Dolphins reverted to their old ways. Eliminated from the playoffs with three weeks left, the Dolphins will be looking for their ninth coach since 2004 for a franchise that hasn't won a playoff game since 2000. General manager Dennis Hickey also is on the ropes after two years.

TITANS: General manager Ruston Webster has worked with three different coaches and for three bosses in as many seasons, with Amy Adams Strunk, daughter of the late Bud Adams, taking over as controlling owner in March. This franchise hasn't been this bad since 1983-84 in Houston. Mularkey has the Titans playing better in some areas, including protecting rookie quarterback Marcus Mariota. In his favor? A new coach would be Mariota's third in less than a year, though a reunion with Kelly could ease that transition.

LIONS: Detroit also couldn't wait to make changes. Coach Jim Caldwell is 5-2 since Lions owner Martha Firestone Ford fired both team president Tom Lewand and general manager Martin Mayhew. Ford might keep Caldwell or finish cleaning house. Remember, this was a playoff team last season.

BROWNS: Coach Mike Pettine is 3-17 over his last 20 games, testing owner Jimmy Haslam's vow not to ''blow it up.'' General manager Ray Farmer's future is shaky as well considering his first-round picks and free-agent signings the past two years. The Browns have lost at least 12 games in eight seasons since 1999 and have had eight coaches since re-entering the league in 1999.

EAGLES: Owner Jeffrey Lurie gave Kelly all the personnel power last offseason and had him under contract for two more seasons. But the Eagles (6-9) missed on a shot at the NFC East title when routed on their own field last weekend by Washington, and have made the $40 million contract Kelly gave to running back DeMarco Murray look like wasted money.

FALCONS: First-year coach Dan Quinn appears safe after ending Carolina's quest for perfection. General manager Thomas Dimitroff's eight-year tenure is expected to end with the Falcons (8-7) trying to avoid a third straight non-winning season, done in by too many poor drafts and free agent signings.

CHARGERS: If they relocated to Los Angeles, the Spanos family might just want to make a splash by changing coaches. Mike McCoy has a year left on his contract, but the Chargers (4-11) have missed the playoffs two straight seasons and five of the past six.

49ERS: A puzzling choice to replace Jim Harbaugh, Jim Tomsula has done little to impress aside from putting the 49ers in position for a high draft pick.

SAINTS: Coach Sean Payton and Drew Brees have a plan to rebuild the Saints again but need a win Sunday to avoid their first 10-loss season since arriving in New Orleans. A desperate owner could offer draft picks and lots of cash to tempt away Payton.

Ohio State QB Cardale Jones confirms he is headed to NFL

After Ohio State’s Nov. 21 game against Michigan State, quarterback Cardale Jones tweeted that the game was his last at Ohio Stadium, hinting that he would leave school early for the NFL.

	Cardale Jones @CJ12_
Last time walking down them steps and into The Shoe, wish the results were different tho pic.twitter.com/BalXhHTOS7 4:19 PM - 21 Nov 2015

On Wednesday, Jones confirmed it to reporters. He will forgo his senior season and move on to the NFL after the Buckeyes play Notre Dame in the Fiesta Bowl on Friday.

	Dave Briggs @DBriggsBlade
Cardale Jones reaffirms he is headed to NFL, not transferring. "My loyalty and my heart is to Ohio State." 9:38 AM - 30 Dec 2015

Jones, who was benched in the middle of the season in favor of J.T. Barrett, would have one more season of eligibility in 2016 and would have the option to pursue a graduate transfer. Out of loyalty to Ohio State, Jones said he is not interested in that option.

	Austin Ward @AWardESPN
Cardale Jones still heading to the NFL. Said he would rather sit at Ohio State next year than transfer as "24 year old college student." 9:44 AM - 30 Dec 2015

The 6-foot-5, 250-pound Jones was Ohio State’s third string quarterback heading into the 2014 season, but was forced into the starting lineup after injuries to Braxton Miller and Barrett. After Barrett was injured in the regular season finale, Jones led the Buckeyes to a win over Wisconsin in the Big Ten title game and then knocked off Alabama and Oregon in the College Football Playoff to win the national title.

He opened this season as the starter, but was replaced by Barrett due to inconsistent play. In 10 games this season, Jones has thrown for 1,460 yards, eight interceptions and five touchdowns.

Bills to bring back coach Rex Ryan and GM Doug Whaley

The Buffalo Bills hoped this would be the season they snapped a playoff drought that dates back to 1999. Didn't happen.

New coach Rex Ryan was supposed to turn things around. The roster general manager Doug Whaley built had some very good players. But by the end of the season, the Bills were out of the playoff race and there were plenty of stories of Whaley and the coaching staff clashing.

If there was unrest between the staff and the front office, they better figure it out because Ryan and Whaley are both coming back, team owner Terry Pegula said on Wednesday.

"Our management team and coaching staff are very capable and work well together," Pegula said in the statement announcing both Ryan and Whaley will be back. "This stable foundation is necessary to achieve long term success in the NFL."

It is generally true that knee-jerk reactions that lead to firings aren't best for an organization. One year wasn't enough to decide if the Ryan-Whaley pairing will work. There were reported disagreements about why the team kept EJ Manuel at backup quarterback over veteran Matt Cassel, especially when Manuel struggled as Tyrod Taylor was hurt, and also about receiver Sammy Watkins' usage. The Bills will have to iron out issues like that, and also navigate some salary-cap problems.

The Bills already have $154 million committed to next year's salary cap, the third-most in the NFL according to Spotrac. Buffalo can clear some space with some cuts, most notably to defensive end Mario Williams and his $19.9 million cap hit, but that doesn't necessarily make them a better team. The Bills invested in making a playoff run this season, most notably trading for running back LeSean McCoy and his big salary, and it didn't work out.

The Bills hope that their leadership can work together well and figure out the right formula in 2016. The fans would like nothing more than to finally experience a postseason game again.

Much at stake for 'underdog' Michigan St., 'king' Alabama

Identities are at stake in the Cotton Bowl on Thursday night.

Michigan State is one victory away from losing its cherished underdog identity. Alabama is one victory away – OK, two – from regaining its cherished master-of-the-universe identity.

Beyond the very tangible stakes – winner advances to the College Football Playoff championship game – there is a vital intangible at stake: how these programs and their fans view themselves, and how they are viewed from the outside.

For years, the Spartans have been steadily breaking down the walls keeping them from college football’s inner sanctum. They have won two Big Ten championships in the past three seasons. They have defeated a Pac-12 champion in the Rose Bowl. They have defeated a Big 12 champion in the Cotton Bowl. They have beaten Oregon. They have owned the rivalry with historic overlord Michigan. They have upset Ohio State twice in the past three meetings, with much at stake.

Despite all that, Michigan State hasn’t yet joined The Club. When five-star recruits mention their dream schools, the one in East Lansing isn’t often heard. When you list the bluebloods of the sport, the Spartans still don’t see their name on the list.

Which is the way they want it, really. It’s been their role for so long that it feels natural.

Motivation comes more readily to those who believe they have something to prove. Less pressure comes with being the hunter than the hunted. In modern sports, everyone wants to bathe in the icy waters of disrespect – real or perceived – and try to prove the alleged doubters and haters wrong.

Michigan State can hear disrespect the way Tiger Woods hears camera shutters from 50 yards away in his backswing. The Spartans have uncanny ears when it comes to that sort of thing. If a bartender in Budapest says Sparty will be routed by the Crimson Tide, Michigan State will find out about it and rally around it.

In the tireless search for snubs, the Spartans have been given three gifts heading into this game: the point spread, Derrick Henry’s “Michigan” comment and the cover of Sports Illustrated.

Michigan State is accustomed to being a bowl underdog – this is the ninth straight time it’s happened, and it’s won the last four. (In recent bowl history, the Las Vegas disrespect was real.) But in none of those previous eight bowl games were the Spartans double-digit underdogs, as they are here. A 10-point spread seems too much, but to the Spartans it feels just right.

“It’s when we thrive,” center Jack Allen said.

Henry, Alabama’s Heisman Trophy-winning running back, was interviewed on ESPN after the playoff pairings were announced. The world heard him refer to “Michigan” as Alabama’s opponent. Henry insisted this week that he said Michigan State – “I might have said it low, but I said Michigan State.” It must have been very low.

And there was the SI cover that now lives in infamy, referring to a story on Spartans coach “Mike” Dantonio. Mark Dantonio, the actual Spartans coach, kept a copy for his brother, whose name is Mike.

So Michigan State has had a steady December diet of disrespect to chew on. But if the Spartans win Thursday, they will be leaving being the outsider status they’ve known and loved for nearly half a century.

You can’t beat Michigan, Ohio State and Alabama in the same season and still be an underdog. You can’t beat Jim Harbaugh, Urban Meyer and Nick Saban in the same season and pretend you haven’t arrived. Do those things, and you are The Establishment.

By next season, there will be almost nobody on the Michigan State roster who remembers what a bad season feels like. The last one was a 7-6 dud in 2012 amid great expectations. Since, the Spartans have gone 13-1, 11-2 and the current 12-1.

The struggle is no longer real in East Lansing. The program has changed radically. Beating Alabama would cut the last ties with the gritty outsider program identity.

The Crimson Tide, on the other hand, can reintroduce itself to its preferred identity as the ruler of all college football. After winning three national titles in four seasons from 2009-12, it’s been an intolerable two years without playing for one.

The 2013 and ’14 seasons began the way they usually do for Alabama in the Nick Saban era: ranked Nos. 1 (2013) or 2 (2014) and expected to play for the biggest prize come year’s end. In 2013, the year ended with ’Bama on the wrong end of a jaw-dropping, 109-yard touchdown play with no time left, then a dismal Sugar Bowl defeat at the hands of Okalahoma as a huge favorite. In 2014, the year ended in the Sugar Bowl again – this time losing to Ohio State in the CFP semifinal as an eight-point favorite.

The Ohio State loss put a screeching halt on the SEC’s superiority over the Big Ten, and it dealt a blow to the Tide’s perceived invincibility under Saban. The Auburn and Oklahoma losses had been rationalized by some as a fluke and a letdown, respectively, but there was no spinning the defeat at the hands of Meyer and the Buckeyes.

Coming off that loss, Alabama began this season ranked outside the top two for the first time since 2009. The Tide was all the way down at No. 3. Not exactly Spartan-level disrespect, but the Ohio State defeat left a mark.

“We were very disappointed in our playoff game a year ago,” Saban said. “... Even though it was a very competitive, tough, seven-point game, I felt like our team did not play the way you would like for them to play. And I think they felt the same way, very disappointed. And I think that probably was one of the catalysts for this year’s team sort of having something to prove.”

The Tide has proved plenty in going 12-1 and winning the SEC title again. But another loss at this stage – to another Big Ten opponent, as a heavy favorite – would be a bitter disappointment. And it would leave Alabama outside of the title game for the third straight season.

That’s not much of a drought for the rest of the nation, but they think differently in Alabama – and in the Saban household. In his last 10 years as a college coach – the eight previous at Alabama and his last two at LSU – he’s never gone three straight years without winning a national championship.

Winning Thursday does not guarantee a national title – that would have to come Jan. 11th in Glendale, Ariz. But you can’t get there, and get back to undisputed King of Football status, without winning here first.

Two teams, two identities at stake. One program trying to regain its sense of self; one program could be forced to relinquish it.