Stanford has experience and understands what needs to be done. This will be their 4th straight bcs bowl appearance. This is Michigan State's first rose bowl appearance since 1988. Each team's motto is basically run first, control clock, get first downs and score touchdowns. Both teams love to play smash mouth football and have two workhorses in the backfield in Stanford's Tyler Gaffney and Michigan State's Jeremy Langford. Two backs who are underrated in the speed department. Langord has rushed for over 100 yards in 8 straight games and 6 ft 1 226 pound Gaffney got the rock 45 times in one game setting a school record in a win against Oregon this year. Both team's starting QB's are efficient. For Stanford, junior QB Kevin Hogan is 16-2 in games started and 10-0 against ranked opponents is no laughing matter. Michigan State soph QB Connor Cook led his team to a big 10 conference title over Ohio State which should give him even more confidence heading into this bowl game. As long as his wide receivers can catch the football today, this total should go over. It's not unreasonable to assume we aren't going to get arguably the best defense in the country today in Michigan State because they've decided to suspend one of the most important pieces of their defense, MLB Max Bullough. His replacement 5th year senior Kyler Ellsworth has talent but it's still a tremendous drop when compared to Bullough. Weather is fine and wind is a non factor. With an over/under of 41, it's not to much to ask for both teams in this spot to score more than enough points to cover. I expect a well fought game in the 20's with a play or two being the deciding factor.
Last edited by WhatALoser; 01-01-14 at 02:51 PM.
Reason: updated record
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1/1/14 Michigan State vs Stanford
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