40 Acres Sports

AT&T Cotton Bowl
	#13 Alabama (9-2) vs. #18 Texas Tech (9-2) Jan. 2, 10 a.m. (Fox) Favorite: Tech by 3.5

I’m surprised Texas Tech is favored in this game, since getting blown out by Texas in October they haven’t gotten much respect nationally. I guess the guys in Vegas think the Alabama offense is so bad they won’t even be able to put up points against an average Red Raider defense. I agree with them.

Running back Taurean Henderson has to have a big game if Texas Tech has any hope of winning this game. If he breaks a couple of delays and catches the ball out of the backfield for some yardage then it’s going to completely change the game. Force the Crimson Tide defense to have to think about more than Cody Hodges and the passing game and Tech should be able to score some points. If they do that, they’ll win this game as Alabama is just awful on offense. Tech isn’t great on defense but they’re better than they used to be and if they can prevent the big play they should be able to make just enough stops to win.

Though it should be close, Texas Tech wins this game if they score over 20 points and they should be able to do that if they play as they’re capable. If they do win, the supposedly awful Big 12 will be 5 – 2 in bowl games with several big wins over ranked teams and upsets.

Players to Watch: Bama LB DeMeco Ryans, Bama QB Brodie Croyle, Tech RB Taurean Henderson, Tech SS Dwayne Slay

Prediction: Alabama 17, Texas Tech 24

If Texas was in the Cotton Bowl…

Easily the second best defense Texas would face this season (behind Ohio State) but the Alabama offense has struggled mightily this season. The Crimson Tide could only put 6 points on the board against Tennessee and 13 against Ole Miss, two defenses not even in the same league as the Horns’. I think Texas’ defense would score more in this game than the Bama offense. While their defense is tough, the Texas offense is going to have great field position all game long and would make enough plays to make this a rout. Texas 34, Alabama 0.

Texas is playing with a lot more confidence, is healthier, and has a lot more guys involved than they did back in October. The Red Raiders were exposed by the Horns in the first matchup and didn’t exactly roll through the rest of the season. I think this rematch turns into an even bigger blowout than the first as Jamaal Charles runs all over the place. Texas 61, Texas Tech 20.

I think Jamaal has a big day catching the ball out of the backfield. (via)

I honestly don’t think he knows what he’s gonna do.

Impossible not to root for Vince after what he’s been through & who he’s become.

Sprained left foot could sideline him for up to 3 weeks.

It’s a shame he couldn’t keep his grades up, hope he succeeds and gets a degree.

I’m not sure how many of you caught the [tag]Alamo Bowl[/tag] between Nebraska and Michigan last night but it was a great game that ended in an unbelievable play.

Eight laterals by Michigan as they attempt to make it 65 yards on the final play of the game. The entire [tag]Nebraska[/tag] team comes onto the field about halfway through the play to celebrate what they think is a victory. One more lateral by the tight end to Steve Breaston at the end and we might have had a play they’d be talking about for years and years.

You really have to see it to believe it, one of the craziest things I’ve ever seen on a football field.

Click here to watch the play. (Note: Video playback requires Flash Player 8.)

NBC Sports think Texas wins and Selvin Young is the MVP.

Damn, I was hoping his status would be a distraction heading into the Rose Bowl.

It looks like 3 ugly trophies glued together.