Michigan State vs. Alabama: Individual Matchups to Watch in Cotton Bowl 2015
The Cotton Bowl not only features two teams fighting for a spot in the national championship game, but it will also include some exciting individual matchups of some of the most talented players in college football.
Alabama and Michigan State both got to this point thanks to the ability of their key players performing at a high level throughout the year. However, none of these men will be as dominant as usual with tough opposition at seemingly each position.
Many factors will help decide the winner of this national semifinal game, but the winners of key one-on-one battles will go a long way. Here is a look at some of the top individual matchups to watch throughout this New Year's Eve game in Arlington, Texas.
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WR Aaron Burbridge vs. CB Cyrus Jones
Michigan State is known more for its defense, but it has at least one big-time offensive playmaker in wide receiver Aaron Burbridge. The senior had done little in his three-year career coming into the season, but he broke out this year with 80 catches for 1,219 receiving yards and seven touchdowns as a go-to option for quarterback Connor Cook.
While Burbridge isn't the biggest (6'1", 208 lbs) or fastest receiver, he makes tough catches wherever the ball is thrown and can always produce after the catch. This play against Penn State still stands as one of the best touchdowns of the 2015 college football season:
Considering the receiver also has more than twice as many receiving yards as anyone else on the Spartans roster, it's clear how important he is to the team's success.
This puts the pressure on Alabama cornerback Cyrus Jones to slow down this key player in the Cotton Bowl. The athletic senior, who also has three punts returned for touchdowns this season, has the quickness to stick with Burbridge in this matchup, but it will take discipline to stay focused every play. One mistake could lead to a huge gain and possibly a score for the Spartans.
Alabama's defense doesn't have many weaknesses, but its secondary is at least a question mark heading into the College Football Playoff. Burbridge can either exploit it or disappear in the biggest game of the season.
RB Derrick Henry vs. LB Riley Bullough
It will take a team effort for Michigan State to slow down Derrick Henry, but no matter what happens, you can be certain Alabama will not shy away from using the Heisman Trophy winner as much as possible.
Henry set an SEC record with 1,986 rushing yards and led the nation with 23 touchdowns, showcasing consistency as the top runner in the country. Of course, it helped that his coaching staff was willing to run him into the ground with 339 carries on the year. In the last two wins over Auburn and Florida, the running back had a combined 90 rushing attempts.
This workload is tough for any young player, but at 6'3", 242 pounds, it is just as difficult for the defense. Trying to tackle a monster like this certainly wears a team down after 40 attempts in a single game.
Despite this, Michigan State is up to the challenge, especially top linebacker Riley Bullough. The junior actually tweeted at the opposing running back after the Heisman ceremony:
Bullough led the Spartans with 95 tackles this season and has been all over the field making plays, adding four sacks as well as two interceptions. While the defensive line's Shilique Calhoun and Malik McDowell have to do their jobs up front, Bullough and the linebackers have to make sure they can actually bring Henry down.
Alabama's offense is reliant on Henry moving the chains and occasionally breaking a long run for a touchdown. Bullough has to make sure this doesn't happen.
C Jack Allen vs. DT A'Shawn Robinson
While Henry took home the most accolades, Alabama's strength is its defensive line. The unit is incredibly deep, dominating against both the run and the pass, with even the bench containing future NFL stars.
The top performer is arguably defensive tackle A'Shawn Robinson, who did a good job describing the defense, per Stewart Mandel of Fox Sports:
Robinson might not have the best numbers, but he is certainly one of the more disruptive players on the defensive line with his ability to penetrate into the backfield and cause problems. If Michigan State wants to move the football, its first priority will be to stop the junior from having any sort of role in this game.
This responsibility will go to Brian and Jack Allen in the interior offensive line. The elder brother, Jack, was named first-team All-American by the Associated Press, and the center will need to prove it against a fellow first-team member in Robinson.
No matter where the defensive tackle lines up, Allen will need to be alert and keep him away from the ball-carrier. If the Spartans offensive line can win the battle in the trenches, it will be able to pull off this upset.
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