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What The Crystal Ball Says About Texas Tech And Michigan State In The Alamo Bowl

The crystal ball took a hit on New Year's Eve with Missouri pooping on the field against Navy and Iowa State pulling it out against Minnesota. Of course we're happy to be wrong about the Cyclones because a bowl win for the Big 12 over the Big 10 is a win for everyone. Besides that Iowa State head coach Paul Rhoads was nice enough to visit with us last summer giving us another reason to root for the Cyclones this season. As far as the Missouri debacle goes, I think they've got it covered pretty good right here.

Now the crystal ball turns its attention to the Alamo Bowl and Texas Tech against Michigan State. They crystal ball isn't loving the Big 12 today. After predicting loss for Oklahoma State our fortune teller says that the pirates may be in trouble without their captain. Here are a few predictions heading into the game.

1st 2nd 3rd 4th Total
Michigan State Spartans 13 10 7 9 39
Texas Tech Red Raiders 7 10 3 0 20

  1. Distractions will take their toll on this game. Both schools have had their share of distractions leading into the game with the Spartans suspending players after a fight and the Red Raiders suspending their dignity and common sense in parting ways with Mike Leach.Tech and Michigan State will both ride emotion early and end the first half within a score of each   other.Coaching adjustments will have a huge advantage in the second half and the Red Raiders will find themselves at a disadvantage.  
  1. Adam James won't play but we'll be sick of hearing about him by game's end. The ESPN Spin Machine will be in full force in this game and we'll here about what a great kid James is and how much his father wanted everything to work out with Leach at Texas Tech. The way the world wide leader in sports network handles things the Alamo Bowl will most likely be a side story to the James/Leach saga. You might want to go ahead and plan on having a barf bag handy.
  1. Close but no cigar moments will lead to lots of place kicking. Our simulation showed eight field goals in this game. That's a lot of  almost getting to the end zone and even more hair pulling for the coaches.
  1. Michigan place kicker Brett Swenson will be the player of the game. He'll be the game's leading scorer and will literally kick the Spartans to victory.  

The crystal ball is 3-2 in picking the winners of the Big 12 bowl games. In addition we gave you a big second half by Georgia, Nebraska scoring over 30 on Arizona and Landry Jones having a big day against Stanford.

Michigan State Spartans         Individual Stats

Rushing
  Att Yds 20+ L TD
Edwin Baker 16 66 0 12 0
Larry Caper 18 59 0 16 0
Glenn Winston 11 35 0 15 1
Kirk Cousins 13 -8 0 8 1
Texas Tech Red Raiders           Individual Stats
Rushing
  Att Yds 20+ L TD
Taylor Potts 6 11 0 13 0
Baron Batch 12 11 0 4 0
Harrison Jeffers 3 10 0 11 0
Eric Stephens 1 6 0 6 0
Receiving
  Rec Yds 20+ 40+ L TD
Blair White 5 81 1 0 21 0
Charlie Gantt 4 56 0 0 17 0
B.J. Cunningham 4 52 0 0 19 0
Edwin Baker 2 31 1 0 20 0
'Mark Dell 4 25 0 0 11 0
Dion Sims 1 17 0 0 17 0
Brian Linthicum 2 17 0 0 9 1
Glenn Winston 1 4 0 0 4 0
Receiving
  Rec Yds 20+ 40+ L TD
Detron Lewis 4 109 1 1 72 1
Alexander Torres 4 51 1 0 20 0
Tramain Swindall 2 48 2 0 28 0
Baron Batch 3 45 1 0 20 1
Lyle Leong 2 25 0 0 17 0
Edward Britton 1 15 0 0 15 0
Harrison Jeffers 3 14 0 0 10 0
Eric Stephens 1 4 0 0 4 0
Passing
  Comp. Att. Yards TD INT
Kirk Cousins 23 31 283 1 0
Passing
  Comp. Att. Yards TD INT
Taylor Potts 20 41 311 2 0
Defensive
  Sacks INT
Ishmyl Johnson 1 0
Ashton Henderson 1 0
Trevor Anderson 1 0
Defensive
  Sacks INT
Chris Perry 1 0
Richard Jones 1 0
Rajon Henley 1 0
Colby Whitlock 1 0
Riley Harvey 1 0
Field Goals
  Made Missed
Brett Swenson 44,31,42,29,27,49 -
Field Goals
  Made Missed
Matt Williams 33,33 -