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Although they hired a PR firm to help them get into the College Football Playoff, the Baylor Bears were the first team out. After an 11-1 season and a Big 12 title, the Bears feel snubbed, and rightly so. They will have to face a strong Michigan State Spartans squad which saw their only two losses come against teams in the first ever final four playoff. This is sure to be a solid battle for the Cotton Bowl crown.
Baylor has one of the best offenses in the entire nation, ranking fifth in passing yards and first in points per game. If there is any team that can put up points against a formidable defense like the Spartans’, it’s this one. Senior quarterback Bryce Petty has put together a Heisman-caliber season, racking up 3,305 yards, 26 touchdowns and throwing just six picks while completing 62 percent of his passes. Corey Coleman has been Petty’s top target all year, catching 57 passes for 969 yards and 10 touchdowns while freshman stud KD Cannon is close behind with 50 receptions for 833 yards and six touchdowns. Shock Linwood leads the run game with 1,226 yards and an impressive 16 touchdown runs.
Connor Cook has led the best Michigan State offense in school history, in terms of points scored. The Spartans average 43 points per game, ranking seventh in the entire country. The junior quarterback has had a solid second year as the team’s starter, passing for 2,900 yards, 22 touchdowns and just six interceptions, but his 58 percent completion rate could use some work. Tony Lippett has developed an unbreakable connection with the quarterback, catching 60 passes for 1,124 yards and 11 touchdowns — oh yeah, and he’s been starting at quarterback for the last couple weeks. Jeremy Langford leads the 24th-best rushing offense in the country with 1,360 yards and 19 touchdowns thanks to nine straight 100-yard games and six straight games with at least two TDs.
Defensively, Baylor has been a little above average this season, but nothing to write home about. The Bears rank just 43rd in points allowed per game as well as 41st in total yards surrendered. Michigan State has been much better, ranking 12th in scoring defense and an even more impressive seventh nationally in total defense.
When: 12:30 p.m. EST on Thursday, Jan. 1
Where: AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas
TV: ESPN
PREDICTION: Michigan State 34, Baylor 31
Want to see Michigan State take on Baylor in the Cotton Bowl? Check out ScoreBig for tickets.
Connor Muldowney is a columnist for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @Connormuldowney, “Like” him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google. You can also reach him at [email protected].
