Michigan State to face Texas Tech in Alamo Bowl

by Pete Rossman on Dec 6, 2009 7:07 PM CST in Football Comment 30 comments

In what had been projected for weeks on end, Michigan State will play Texas Tech in the Alamo Bowl Saturday January 2nd 2010, 9 PM EST on ESPN. This marks the second time MSU's played in the Alamo Bowl, with the first being a 17-3 loss to Nebraska in 2003. While there was some speculation that the Alamo Bowl execs might be a bit loathe to pick the Spartans due to their *ahem* off the field transgressions, money once again trumps everything, which leads us back to San Antonio for the first time in six years. More on the Red Raiders after the jump.

Here's the breakdown on Texas Tech this season:

Total Offense: 461.8 ypg (7th in D1)
Passing Yardage: 405.8 ypg (2nd in D1)
Rushing Yardage: 81.1 ypg (115th in D1)
Total Defense: 348.8 ypg (48th in D1)
Passing Defense: 223.8 ypg (71st in D1)
Rushing Defense: 125.00 ypg (36th in D1)

Now, don't freak out about the passing yardage. Even though the Red Raiders have the 2nd most profilic passing offense in division 1 (behind Houston), they average only 7.3 yards per attempt, which ranks them 48th in the nation. The team at number 49? Iowa. Tech averages a little over 51 passing attempts a game, and I wouldn't expect them to change their run-pass defense in the bowl game.

With Tech's shaky pass defense, The odds of this game being a shootout on both sides significantly decreased with the suspensions of Mark Dell and B.J. Cunningham. Blair White, Keshawn Martin, we're going to need you in this game.

As for now, MSU's going to a bowl game that's not in Detroit against a team tailor-made to take advantage of their biggest weakness. This one's going to be good?

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Ugh.

Their pass offense vs. our pass defense, in Texas.

This will not end well.

"Do not cheat your team or your teammates. Know your plays. Block. Protect. Add to what we are trying to do."
The Only Colors

by LVS on Dec 6, 2009 7:22 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Thats Right.....

……FOR TECH!!!!!

by BennieBladesFan on Dec 6, 2009 7:48 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Im happy. NFL Network dec 31<ESPN Jan 2

Give me the better bowl everytime and let it play out on the field

"There are no next times when you're competing for big things." - Tom Izzo
Go Spartans

by msufan23 on Dec 6, 2009 7:22 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

You dont like nfl network?

Id watch them on any channel

by BennieBladesFan on Dec 6, 2009 7:49 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

ESPN better for national exposure

Although if we get creamed, maybe we won’t want the exposure.

Fight for The Only Colors: Green and White!

by KJ@theonlycolors on Dec 6, 2009 7:55 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Thats what I thought you....

…..were saying after I posted.

by BennieBladesFan on Dec 6, 2009 7:56 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

LOVE THE NFL NETWORK!!!!

by BennieBladesFan on Dec 6, 2009 7:47 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

I don't like to be a pessimist

But, our ability to match the 70 they will put up on our pass defense will be hampered by the absence of Dell and Cunningham.

by Con-T on Dec 6, 2009 8:44 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

We will be ok against Tex Tech.....

……Run the ball control the clock…..keep them off the field…..the texh defense isnt that good

by BennieBladesFan on Dec 6, 2009 9:16 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

In most any other season you would be right on

But this year’s team is atypical to say the least. The offense has been erratic all year with 3 QBs starting games and 3/5 of last year’s O-line replaced with youngsters. It has it’s good days, putting up 31 and 41 points against 2 of the best defenses in the country (Neb and OU). Then it has to struggle to score 20 against Baylor. Go figure. It’s certainly not the same offense we’ve grown accustomed to here.

But the defense is what has kept us in games this year. It is the best we’ve had around here since the Zach Thomas days. It held Texas to their lowest output of the year (maybe not after what Neb did to them). The D had one horrible game against A&M, but otherwise it’s been pretty steady. Other than that A&M game, we lost to three ranked teams on the road and I only recall one shoot-out where the offense had to save us.

by TechFirst on Dec 7, 2009 9:30 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

LOL

our Defense is the reason why we are in games, our offense has been up and down all year. Good luck, yalls offense is garbage. Jus look at the teams yall have beaten, purdue, michigan, northwestern , illinois…….yea thats real impressive….I say tech runs away with this one in the second half

by jgome21 on Dec 8, 2009 2:29 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Can’t wait for this to be a one possession game after we harassed Taylor Potts all day and then watch MSU drop 8 guys 30 yards and get dinked-and-dunked for a game winning loss.

MSU makes me a cynic.

Tigers by the Numbers

And now at Beyond the Boxscore and Project Prospect!

by Mike Rogers on Dec 6, 2009 10:47 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Also, if I may get on my soapbox for just one sentence:

TCU vs. Boise State is an absolute sham, and the BCS is a disgrace.

"Do not cheat your team or your teammates. Know your plays. Block. Protect. Add to what we are trying to do."
The Only Colors

by LVS on Dec 6, 2009 11:00 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Totally agree...

This reminds me of the 2003 Orange Bowl: Miami v. Florida State. Two teams that you wanted to see play somebody really good… just not each other… again.

Aside from a Hawaii team that everybody pretty much knew was a joke, both of the previous BCS mid-major entrants (Utah twice and Boise once) looked like interesting BCS contestants and delivered by pulling out the wins. Both TCU and Boise are good enough to do that now, but neither will get the chance.

Send TCU against Florida and Boise v. Cincy – or vice versa – split up the Fiesta and Orange bowls, IOW. Let’s try and settle this “are they worthy” conversation once and for all.

by Ken Braun on Dec 6, 2009 11:31 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Exactly

Somebody over at Black Shoe Diaries described it best as the “Separate but Equal Bowl”. Not that it won’t be entertaining, but they both deserved a shot at proving they belong instead of having the haters say “who cares, they would have gotten smoked if they’d played a Real Team™”.

by SpartanDan on Dec 7, 2009 1:07 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

"Separate but Equal Bowl"

That’s perfect.

"Do not cheat your team or your teammates. Know your plays. Block. Protect. Add to what we are trying to do."
The Only Colors

by LVS on Dec 7, 2009 10:20 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Indeed

Fight for The Only Colors: Green and White!

by KJ@theonlycolors on Dec 7, 2009 10:41 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Unfortunately though, had Texas lost and TCU made the title game against Alabama, the BCS folks would’ve been screaming “See! It works! Mid-Majors aren’t getting the shaft every year!” and then it wouldn’t ever change. Catch-22.

Tigers by the Numbers

And now at Beyond the Boxscore and Project Prospect!

by Mike Rogers on Dec 7, 2009 2:08 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

The BCS...

…..Just doesnt want anymore upsets……Stupid

by BennieBladesFan on Dec 7, 2009 8:22 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Absolutely

The BCS is neither fish nor fowl. I’d prefer the old system, Big 10 plays Pac 10 in the Rose Bowl and the other conference do whatever it is that they do. Voters just pick whomever they pick after the bowl games. It’s just as good a method of determining who’s the best team as the BCS.

What a sham.

by witless chum on Dec 7, 2009 8:49 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Who knows

Maybe Narduzzi pulls a Christmas miracle and we get decent defensive support for the offense.

Light a man a fire, he'll stay warm for a day.
Light a man afire, he'll be warm for the rest of his life.

by Seer on Dec 7, 2009 12:17 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

Well, we'll see....

…if Dantonio can do anything over the next month to end the baying for his defensive staff’s head.

The good side of the matchup is pirate-themed trash talk, yar.

I wonder why Cap’n Leach’s name hasn’t come up at all about the ND job?

by witless chum on Dec 7, 2009 8:52 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

Finding your inner pirate

Fight for The Only Colors: Green and White!

by KJ@theonlycolors on Dec 7, 2009 9:42 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Please!! Horrible Bowl Game! MSU We'll Get Blown Out of the Building!

I was hoping to god we didn’t get one of the scrubbiest of scrub teams in a weak division such as MSU. Mich St. having suspended players doesn’t mean a lick of a difference whatsoever. You would be destroyed either way. Mich St. could put an all-star team together from every school in Michigan (CMU, UofM, EMU, and MSU) and you would still get wrecked! Thanks to the BCS and politics I get to watch my alma mater play the lamest game in all of college bowl season, just about as bad as USC vs. BC or Pitt vs. UNC. What a joke of a game. And to whomever said something about Taylor Potts being harassed he is our backup. Sticks(Sheffield) is the starter and he is a baller. Blew up Nebraska 41-10. That game was in Nebraska on their defense. Just imagine what we will do to Mich States’ Defense.

by MSUgetsBlownOutofTheBuilding on Dec 7, 2009 8:59 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Our D isn't that good? Really?

Our Defense isn’t that good… Our D Line leads the nation in sacks! We held Oklahoma to 13 pts. the touchdown they got in the end in garbage time. Our D is about 10 x’s better than Mich. States just wait and see!

by MSUgetsBlownOutofTheBuilding on Dec 7, 2009 9:22 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

First of all, get your facts straight. Tech is 3rd in sacks, Leach named Potts the starter, and three other teams held OU to 13 points or less (so it’s not that huge of an accomplishment).

Second, this is not the lamest game. Look at the Insight or Little Caesars or Humanitarian or about a dozen others. I’ll take playing MSU over any of those any day.

Third, way to go representing Tech in such a classy way. Hopefully they won’t think we’re all huge douchebags after reading your comments. I don’t know what you hope to accomplish by creating a profile, coming on here, and talking this trash, but it just makes the rest of us look bad.

by pcrawttu on Dec 8, 2009 1:24 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs