The 9-3 Alabama Crimson Tide of the SEC will play the 11-1 Michigan State Spartans of the Big Ten on January 1, 2011 at Florida Citrus Bowl for the 66th annual Capital One Bowl (well, it has been renamed a few times since 1946). Look for cheap Capital One Bowl tickets to see a great game between two very good teams from two of college football's best conferences.
The #16 Alabama Crimson Tide is coached by Nick Saban. Alabama's numbers are incredible. They averaged 260.3 passing yards, 175.3 rushing yards, and 34.6 points a game while giving up 14.1 points a game. The team fell apart in conference play though, finishing 5-3 and fourth in the West Division of the SEC. Losses to South Carolina (#19 at the time), LSU (#10 at the time), and Auburn (#2 at the time) spoiled what should have been an amazing season ending in a BCS bowl bid. Instead, QB Greg McElroy (2,767 yards, 19 TD/ 5 INT, 166.9 QB Rating), RB Mark Ingram (816 yards, 11 TD), and WR Julio Jones (75 receptions, 1,084 yards, 7 TD) will have to showcase their talents for the pro scouts at the Capital One Bowl.
The #9 Michigan State Spartans finished first in the Big Ten, but fell short of a BCS bowl. Coach Mark Dantonio put together a squad that averaged 237.8 passing yards, 168.8 rushing yards, and 31.3 points a game. They also allowed a decently stingy 20.1 points a game.
The lone loss came on October 30, 2010 to the Iowa Hawkeyes. That loss cost the team its BCS dreams. Instead they head to the Florida Citrus Bowl to play in perhaps the most prominent bowl game outside of those select five games. The Spartans do not have the NFL talent of the Crimson Tide, but QB Kirk Cousins (2,705 yards, 20 TD/9 INT), RB Edwin Baker (1,187 yards, 13 TD), WR Mark Dell (49 receptions, 761 yards, 6 TD), and WR B.J. Cunningham (50 receptions, 611 yards, 9 TD).
This could be the best bowl game of the bowl season, so get your Capital One Bowl tickets to see which of the underrated, nationally ranked college football teams will prove victorious.
