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This Is It!
National Semifinal Tide-Spartans Tonight
Mark Dantonio (left) & Nick Saban (right)
Photo Credit: RollTide.com
The practice sessions are over. All that is left is the game and the fat lady.
The second-ranked Alabama Crimson Tide wrapped up practices for tonight's Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic with a walk-through on Wednesday. Final touches on the game plan for tonight were gone through, polished up and loaded for Michigan State later this evening.
Alabama and Michigan State will meet tonight at AT&T Stadium away from the elements, like wind and rain...or even storms. ESPN will broadcast the contest, with a 7 p.m. airtime, and a kickoff scheduled for 7:10 p.m. CT. Chris Fowler will be handling the play-by-play duties while Kirk Herbstreit handles the color/analysis for the broadcast. Heather Cox will once again be working the sidelines for tonight's game.
Reserve cornerback TONY BROWN will not be playing due to an unspecified rules violation (see accompanying story). Everyone else appears to be healthy enough to play.
Both coaches for tonight's contest, Alabama's NICK SABAN and Michigan State's Mark Dantonio, held their final press conferences at the Omni Hotel yesterday. Afterward the team had lunch then over to the stadium for a team photograph before the walk-through. Dinner and a movie were enjoyed last night.
This will be the second meeting between the two teams. Alabama soundly thrashed Michigan State in the 2011 Capital One Bowl in Orlando, Florida.
2015 University Of Alabama Football Team
Photo Credit: RollTide.com/Kent Gidley
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Alabama Football
Tide Cornerback Tony Brown Sent Home
According to University of Alabama head football coach NICK SABAN, disciplinary action has been taken against reserve cornerback TONY BROWN. Not only will Brown not play in tonight's Cotton Bowl Classic, he has been sent home for a "violation of team rules. The leadership council was involved in the decision to send Brown home.
Brown has participated in all 13 games played this season. He is a native of Beaumont, Texas, and had 16 tackles and two passes defended this season. His eight special teams' tackles is tied for the team high. He was a five-star recruit in 2014 and also ran track.
The second-ranked Crimson Tide does battle tonight with the third-ranked Michigan State Spartans in one of two College Football Playoff semifinal games scheduled for today. The game will be broadcast on ESPN tonight beginning at 7 p.m. CT.
The winner of tonight's game plays the winner of the Clemson-Oklahoma game in the College Football Playoff National Championship on January 11th in Glendale, Arizona.
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Avery Johnson Featured On CBS Sports This Afternoon
Alabama Head Basketball Coach Avery Johnson
Photo Credit: RollTide.com
CBS Sports will present "NCAA Men of March" this afternoon. One of those being featured is University of Alabama head basketball coach AVERY JOHNSON. The program is scheduled for broadcast at 1 p.m. CT. The program is a CBS original series.
Today's show will focus on the behind-the-scenes activities in the life of coach Johnson, pretty much an all-access situation. He will conduct an interview, as well as be live on mic for practice with the Crimson Tide. Several clips will be played from various points in the young 2015 season.
Today's show will focus on the behind-the-scenes activities in the life of coach Johnson, pretty much an all-access situation. He will conduct an interview, as well as be live on mic for practice with the Crimson Tide. Several clips will be played from various points in the young 2015 season.
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Most Of The Bets On Spartans
Despite being a 10-point underdog, most of the betting public is putting their money on the Michigan State Spartans to hand the ALABAMA CRIMSON TIDE a defeat in the 2015 Cotton Bowl Classic tonight in AT&T Stadium. According to sport book operator CG Technology, four times the money has been placed on the Spartans to win.
According to ESPN.com, and I quote, "...thanks to some 'very smart money,' twice as much money had been
wagered on the Crimson Tide than on Sparty, according to CG Technology
vice president Jason Simbal."
So the money is on Michigan State, and the so-called "smart money" is on Alabama. In fact, the "bigger money" bet has been for the Tide to win their game and the Clemson Tigers to defeat the Oklahoma Sooners, despite the fact that the Sooners are a 3 1/2 point favorite.
Again, according to ESPN, at the Westgate Superbook, "79 percent of the tickets were on Michigan State, but 54 percent of the money was on Alabama."
It is estimated that $10million to $15 million dollars will be bet on the two College Football Playoff Semifinal games to be played today.
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Alabama junior pass rusher TIM WILLIAMS has announced he will return to the Crimson Tide football team next season instead of entering this year's NFL Draft.
Williams said, "Yeah, I'm coming back because I see all the examples in front of me, like REGGIE RAGLAND...he came back for his senior year...C.J. MOSLEY, a couple of other guys.
Williams is one of the best players on the Alabama defensive unit this season, and Pro Football Focus named him one of the most productive pass rushers in the country. Williams has 9.5 sacks so far this season.
The young man says he loves playing college football, and wants to take advantage of the camaraderie he has with the other players.
Junior Tim Williams To Return Next Season
Williams said, "Yeah, I'm coming back because I see all the examples in front of me, like REGGIE RAGLAND...he came back for his senior year...C.J. MOSLEY, a couple of other guys.
Williams is one of the best players on the Alabama defensive unit this season, and Pro Football Focus named him one of the most productive pass rushers in the country. Williams has 9.5 sacks so far this season.
The young man says he loves playing college football, and wants to take advantage of the camaraderie he has with the other players.
