Cotton Bowl 2015: Game Grades, Analysis for Michigan State vs. Baylor
The No. 8 Michigan State Spartans shocked the fifth-ranked Baylor Bears 42-41 in the 2015 Cotton Bowl at AT&T Stadium in Dallas on Thursday.
Michigan State (11-2) staged a 21-point fourth-quarter comeback, edging Baylor (11-2) for the program's fourth consecutive bowl victory.
| Pass Offense | B- | B |
| Run Offense | B | B+ |
| Pass Defense | D- | D- |
| Run Defense | B+ | A |
| Special Teams | B | A |
| Coaching | B- | B |
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Pass Offense: Connor Cook threw a couple darts but fell victim to footwork issues, as per the usual. His shovel pass-turned-interception nearly cost the Spartans the win, but Cook led the game-winning drive with just 17 seconds remaining. The junior finished with 314 yards, two touchdowns and two picks.
Run Offense: Jeremy Langford eclipsed the 100-yard mark for the 10th consecutive game, setting a school record in the process. The senior finished with 162 yards and three scores, while R.J. Shelton added an 11-yard score on a jet sweep.
Pass Defense: All-American safety Kurtis Drummond was fried on Baylor's first two touchdowns, and it didn't get much better for the Spartans secondary. The unit allowed 603 yards and four scores, though Riley Bullough sealed the game with a late interception.
Run Defense: Michigan State limited the Bears to negative-20 yards, though five sacks contributed to that mark. Defensive coordinator Pat Narduzzi elected to stack the box, and his players responded by completely shutting down the Baylor backs.
Special Teams: Marcus Rush blocked a field goal that would've ended MSU's hopes at a comeback, and RJ Williamson returned the kick 35 yards, setting up the winning score. Mike Sadler controlled a poor snap on the go-ahead extra point for Michael Geiger, who nailed six such kicks.
Coaching: Mark Dantonio called a perfectly timed onside kick during the fourth quarter. Narduzzi didn't have an exemplary finish to his MSU tenure, though Baylor's passing success was more well-designed exploitation than it was the result of a schematic problem.
| Pass Offense | A- | A- |
| Run Offense | D | F |
| Pass Defense | B- | C |
| Run Defense | C+ | C- |
| Special Teams | B+ | D+ |
| Coaching | A- | C |
Pass Offense: Bryce Petty completed 36 of 51 passes, tossing three touchdowns and a handful of gorgeous deep throws. Petty racked up a Cotton Bowl-record 550 yards, and Jay Lee connected with Corey Coleman on a 53-yard double pass.
Run Offense: Baylor abandoned the ground game, though the offense essentially substituted quick passes for handoffs. Nevertheless, the Bears couldn't run when it mattered and directly contributed to Michigan State's final, ultimately costly drive.
Pass Defense: The defense contained MSU pass-catchers to just 9.0 yards per reception through three quarters but surrendered 19.9 during the final period. Alfred Pullom and Taylor Young each recorded an interception, though the latter takeaway included a block-in-the-back penalty that negated Young's touchdown.
Run Defense: Baylor ceded a season-worst 238 yards and four touchdowns. Plus, Michigan State converted 13 of 21 third or fourth downs, which were typically short-yardage scenarios due to early-down success on the ground.
Special Teams: Chris Callahan nailed two field goals, and the Bears stoned an early fake by Geiger, but Callahan's missed 46-yarder and blocked attempt hampered Baylor. Spencer Roth booted a 48-yard punt, and the kick-coverage unit limited the Spartans to 19.8 yards per return.
Coaching: Kendal Briles was nothing short of stellar in his play-calling debut, leading the Bears to nine potential scoring drives. Defensive coordinator Phil Bennett failed to slow Michigan State's frantic recovery, giving up 224 yards and 21 points during the fourth quarter.
Follow Bleacher Report college football writer David Kenyon on Twitter @Kenyon19_BR.
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