SEC wins three from Big Ten
Trying the stamp itself as the nation’s No. 1 conference yet again, the SEC started the New Year by stomping the Big Ten.
Three Southeastern Conference-Big Ten matchups went the way of the Deep South’s pride and joy on Saturday, including a 49-7 victory by No. 15 Alabama against No. 7 Michigan State at Orlando in the Capital One Bowl.
No. 21 Mississippi State routed Michigan 52-14 in the Gator Bowl and Florida came from behind to beat Penn State 37-24 Outback Bowl.
Michigan State’s loss was historic. In the 74-year history of The Associated Press college football poll, the seventh-ranked team had never been beaten by such a lopsided score – in any game, not just a bowl game.
The last ranked team to lose a bowl game by a more decisive score was Northwestern on Dec. 30, 2000, when the 18th-ranked Wildcats were beaten 66-17 by No. 9 Nebraska in the Alamo Bowl.
The Big Ten also lost the first bowl game of 2011, as Texas Tech beat Northwestern 45-38 in the TicketCity Bowl.
Gator Bowl
No. 21 Mississippi State 52, Michigan 14
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Chris Relf threw three touchdown passes, Vick Ballard ran for three scores and the Bulldogs overwhelmed the Wolverines.
The 38-point drubbing was the worst bowl loss in Michigan’s storied history and may have sealed the fate of Wolverines coach Rich Rodriguez. His three-year tenure has been tainted by consecutive losing seasons, NCAA sanctions and late-season slides.
Michigan (7-6) was out of this game early, done in again by a defense that made a middle-of-the-pack Southeastern Conference offense look like a juggernaut. Relf and Ballard posed problems all day. Relf completed 18 of 23 passes for 281 yards, and added 49 yards on the ground. Ballard ran for 77 yards. The Bulldogs (9-4) finished with 485 yards and punted twice.
Capital One Bowl
No. 15 Alabama 49, No. 7 Michigan State 7
ORLANDO, Fla. – Mark Ingram ran for two scores to break the Alabama career touchdown record, and the Crimson Tide rolled to the most lopsided victory in Capital One Bowl history.
The 2009 Heisman winner had 59 yards rushing against the team he rooted for as a kid, Greg McElroy threw for 220 yards and one touchdown, and Alabama (10-3) pulled most of its starters in the third quarter. Ingram moved past Shaun Alexander’s mark (41) with 42 career touchdowns.
The Crimson Tide found the end zone on their first four possessions and held the Spartans (11-2) to 171 total yards.
TicketCity Bowl
Texas Tech 45, Northwestern 38
DALLAS – Taylor Potts threw four touchdown passes and scored another on a trick play, and Eric Stephens ran 86 yards for a score to carry Texas Tech.
The Red Raiders (8-5) led by 22 points early in the second half, then had to sweat it out.
The Wildcats (7-6) got within a touchdown twice in the fourth quarter, with freshmen quarterbacks Evan Watkins and Kain Colter combining to lead three straight touchdown drives.
Jordan Maybin returned an interception 39 yards for a score with 5:37 left.
The game wasn’t decided until the final play, a heave by Watkins that was intercepted.
Northwestern remains winless in a bowl since 1949. The Wildcats have lost eight in a row, including three straight close ones the last three seasons.