Ad Disclosure
Herbstreit gives his take on Michigan State’s chances against ‘bully’ Alabama
Published:
Kirk Herbstreit got the luxury of seeing his alma mater beat Alabama in the College Football Playoff last year. He’ll be on hand to see if a fellow Big Ten team can do the same one year later.
The ESPN college football analyst, who will be calling the semifinal matchup on Thursday, offered up his take to the Detroit Free Press on Wednesday.
Like many, Herbstreit believes the key to the game will be stopping Alabama RB Derrick Henry, and he thinks the Spartans have the capability of giving the Heisman Trophy winner some trouble.
“Malik McDowell is an animal on the inside,” he said. “I can’t wait to see him in this game and what he can do. If they can get Alabama to a 3rd and 6 (or longer), that’s the key to the game. If you get Jake Coker (in that position) they are like the 111th team in the country (in converting third downs).”
Herbstreit clearly holds both defenses in high esteem. On the other side of the ball, he isn’t sure whether Michigan State stands a chance against Alabama’s front. Herbstreit made mention of the fact that the Crimson Tide front seven potentially has four first-rounders and questions if the Spartans “have the twitch, the quickness to be able to stay with Alabama?”
Herbstreit believes Sparty has to take note of Ohio State’s approach to last year’s CFP semifinal in which the Buckeyes answered the call physically and mentally against the Tide.
“When you play a team like Alabama that’s kind of a bully, they beat people mentally before they get in the game,” he said. “You’ve got to show them, ‘We’re here for 60 minutes.’ You have to punch them back. There has to be a little bit of an edge to you. That’s what Ohio State did.”
Here’s video of what Herbstreit told the Detroit Free Press:
Born and raised in Gainesville, Talal joined SDS in 2015 after spending 2 years in Bristol as an ESPN researcher. Previously, Talal worked at The Gainesville Sun.
