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Alabama Finishing Preparations
After the fun associated with an hour-long media day session, the No. 2 Alabama Crimson Tide quickly got back to the business at hand and squarely put its focus on the No. 3 Michigan State Spartans.
The Crimson Tide (12-1, 8-1 SEC) put the final touches on its College Football Playoff Semifinal at the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic preparation with a two-hour workout in shells and shorts in the team’s third practice, in what would normally be a “Thursday” practice, at AT&T Stadium.
“It was good,” said TE O.J. Howard. “It was a normal Thursday. Everyone had high intensity and had fun. We’re prepared to get ready for the game.”
And ready will Alabama need to be in just its second ever meeting with Michigan State (12-1, 7- 1 Big Ten). The lone previous matchup came in the Capital One Bowl in Orlando, Fla. to close out the 2010 season when the Tide rolled to a 49-7 victory over the Spartans. In that game, Alabama amassed 546 total yards of offense to post the second-best offensive output in a bowl game in program history.
After practice, Alabama is set to enjoy the remainder of the day relaxing at its headquarters hotel. Tomorrow, the Tide will conduct a brief walk-through at AT&T Stadium following the entire team attending the Goodyear Big Play Luncheon.
The Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic celebrates its 80th anniversary on New Year’s Eve while hosting its first College Football Playoff Semifinal. Airtime on ESPN is set for 7 p.m. CST, with kickoff slated for 7:10 p.m.
This marks the second year for the Goodyear Cotton Bowl to be a part of ESPN’s bowl lineup. Chris Fowler and Kirk Herbstreit will provide the call from the booth with Heather Cox and Tom Rinaldi reporting from the sideline.
ESPN Radio returns as the Classic's national radio partner for the fourth consecutive year. Brad Sham, the "Voice of the Dallas Cowboys," teams with Danny Kanell in the booth and Ian Fitzsimmons on the sideline to describe all the action from AT&T Stadium. This is Sham's 19th consecutive year as the Classic's play-by-play voice and his 23rd overall.
