Michigan State's biggest advantage in the Capital One Bowl: Motivation.
Alabama has the better team, but for the Crimson Tide, this bowl is a huge letdown from the BCS title game of a year ago. Also, in the state of Alabama, there is so much attention on Bama's rivalry with Auburn. And Auburn is getting all the attention for its BCS title game against Oregon.
State, on the other hand, is looking for a signature victory over a national power.


Random Thoughts

- I still think Jim Harbaugh would not turn down what might be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to coach Michigan, but there are going to be at least 10 head coach openings in the NFL this off season. He will be a leading candidate for most of them. The biggest upset would be if he remains at Stanford.

- It'd be nice if Chris Osgood would get his 400th victory. Also, the Red Wings need to play him more to get him sharp. But I understand why he still isn't playing that much. Only eight points separate the top seed in the Western Conference, the Red Wings, from the ninth and 10th seeds, Nashville and Anaheim. The Red Wings' little rough stretch here lately has brought them back to the rest of the pack - and quickly.