Capital One Bowl 2011: What Does Michigan State Have to Prove Vs. Alabama?

I'm sure SEC fans have PUHHHH-lenty to say in regards to what Sparty has to prove.

For the sake of arguing, I am going to play "devil's advocate" in this one.

As of the current BCS rankings, the Wisconsin Badgers are the only reputable team Michigan State has beaten.

Why? Because the best record of a team from any of their other 10 wins finished only 7-5 and unranked (Notre Dame, Michigan, Penn State and Northwestern).

In the case of Nick Saban's Crimson Tide, W's over No. 8-ranked Arkansas (on the road) and No. 21-ranked Mississippi State are more impressive.

Not to mention the Tide lost two barn-burners versus No. 11-ranked LSU in Baton Rouge, 24-21, and arch-rival No. 1-ranked Auburn 28-27.

In the valley of death that is SEC football, Bama has a D that ranks fifth in the country in points allowed per game (14.1).

Offensively, Mark Ingram and the Crimson Tide average almost 35 points per game.

As for Sparty—definitely much improved from a season ago, but they have not faced the SEC since the Capital One Bowl during their 2008 season, which ended in a loss to No. 15-ranked Georgia 24-12.

Eleven wins and a new school record are definitely significant, BUT a loss in this year's Capital One Bowl would put a damper on such a great season.

So what does Sparty have to prove?

1. That next season they are national title contenders.

2. That next season Kirk Cousins and/or Edwin Baker are Heisman Trophy candidates.

3. That this season was not a fluke and they deserved a BCS bid.

4. That head coach Mark Dantonio deserves NCAA FBS Coach of the Year.

5. That the Big Ten should not go overlooked in comparison to the SEC.

Alabama has clearly played a more difficult schedule, and the SEC has dominated all of college football the last five seasons.

Michigan State, on the other hand, doesn't have as much history as Bama and is looking up the food chain in terms of résumé credentials.

If Alabama wins, then the SEC wins again (plus I'll have to hear my cousins that are Bama grads brag about SEC football even more). 

But if Michigan State wins, the Big Ten not only has more significance, but Sparty will be on the rise in the foreseeable future as well. 

One final note: Regardless of who wins, it should not be considered an upset, because either team is very capable of winning.

This is not a scenario in which one team is favored to completely annihilate the other.

Once again fans, the bowl season pits the Big Ten versus the SEC...get excited!