Great sports handicapper Matt Rivers has Michigan State today getting eight from Alabama.
Reasoning: Alabama truly may be the best team in the country. In a one game situation Nick Saban’s squad quite possibly would be favored over anybody on a neutral field. But just like a few seasons ago against Utah at the Superdome how in the world can the Crimson Tide players be all that excited about this game?
Emotions clearly play a major part in this time of the year and going down south in the Capital One Bowl just should not do it for the Tide. Just look at Georgia, Clemson and Miami yesterday alone as neither of the three showed much of anything in games they probably were not destined to play in earlier in the season. Guys like Mark Ingram, Trent Richardson and Julio Jones are awesome and future NFL players for sure. Greg McElroy is a quality signal caller who can more than hold his own against the Spartans but is also coming off of that injury against Auburn and who knows if that can affect the guy. I can see these Alabama players just going through the motions a bit and all in all for Michigan State to be the far more motivated squad and the team with a chip on its shoulder after being kept out of the BCS.
I do not believe that Mark D’Antoni’s boys are as good as either Wisconsin or Ohio State but the players do have a beef as they were 11-1 and BCS worthy. Plus they were the lone team to down the Badgers and should feel a little hosed. Being left out basically off the field should fuel State and especially so when playing against the defending National Champions.
Look for Kirk Cousins and Sparty to be the more emotional team and stay within this number. A win may be a bit much but it also may not be. After that dreadful implosion against rival Auburn how can the Tide really be all that ready to play today?
Top expert pick on this game: Michigan State from Matt Rivers
For more information: There is no more powerful play Matt Rivers’ arsenal than a 500,000* and the first and possibly only one in the bowl season is here. I released this game a few weeks ago for whoever wanted to get ahead of the game and now the day of reckoning is here!
500,000* Michigan-Mississippi State plus a bonus 200,000* involving TCU and Wisconsin. 2-0? I’m in need of a big, big day and today is that day. Matt Rivers 500K lock is up