When ESPN finally revealed the bracket, Alabama fans everywhere cheered. Don’t misunderstand me, no one in SEC country had a doubt that Alabama deserved one of the top seeds in this year’s playoff.

Alabama fans wanted the easiest path to the title game, and many feel they got it. Now before Michigan State fans get too upset, this is less about disrespecting the Spartans and more about matchups.

The Spartans’ brand of football is similar to Alabama’s, and the Crimson Tide don’t let anyone beat it at its own game.

Here’s what Alabama needs to do to avoid being sent home early by a team from the Big Ten for the second year in a row.

Feed Derrick Henry

There shouldn’t be any secrecy surrounding Alabama’s offensive game plan. On New Year’s Eve, Alabama should just line up and give the ball to Derrick Henry and let him run. If Michigan State wants to stop him it can try — but good luck.

Henry, maybe you remember him from his Heisman ceremony, has faced numerous top rush defenses statistically speaking this season. Three of those defenses, No. 4 Wisconsin, No. 12 Florida and No. 15 Ole Miss led the nation in limiting opponents in yard gained per rushing attempt allowing 3.4 yards or less. Against those teams Henry averaged 11.3, 4.9 and 4.3 respectively. MSU is currently ranked No. 23 in this category.

The Spartans have some excellent defensive players, but Henry doesn’t seem to get tired. If Alabama needs to give Henry the ball a 45th time for a crucial first down, he won’t blink. If anything Henry might run harder.

Michigan State is in the playoff thanks to its 22-play game-winning drive against Iowa. The Spartans’ defense might be on the receiving end of a similar drive in this one if Alabama gives Henry the ball enough times.

Contain Connor Cook

There’s no question that a healthy Connor Cook is one of, and perhaps even the best, quarterback that Alabama has faced all season. Assuming Cook is healthy, I expect him to make some throws in tight windows that leave Alabama fans looking stunned. The key for the Crimson Tide defense will be limiting those throws.

Last year’s secondary might’ve struggled to prevent explosive passing plays, but this season has been a different story. Corner back Cyrus Jones and the rest of the defensive backs have played tight coverage on some of the SEC’s best receivers. Alabama has allowed completions on only 49.1 percent of its opponents’ passes, good for No. 6 in the country.

Better coverage, among other things, helped Alabama intercept more passes this year. Only 13 teams in the country intercepted more passes than the Crimson Tide. As a whole the team grabbed 16, and Eddie Jackson (five interceptions) trails only Northern Illinois’s Shawun Lurry in interception return yardage.

Alabama doesn’t have to keep Cook from finding the end zone, it just has to keep him from finding it too often because the Spartans are going to find punching it in on the ground to be a difficult task.

Continue to dominate up front on defense

At the beginning of the season, it appeared like this would be a special season for Alabama’s front seven, but those players have managed to exceed very high expectations. No team in the country has recorded more sacks than Alabama (46), but the front seven does more than just affect the opposing quarterback.

The Crimson Tide is the best rush defense, statistically speaking anyway, in the country. Alabama leads the nation in rushing yards allowed this season (962), rushing yard allowed per attempt (2.4) and rushing touchdowns allowed (6).

One reason the front has had so much success is the team’s depth. Alabama is not afraid to rotate guys in and out and when the second string is in don’t expect to see a noticeable drop off in production.

Alabama’s success hasn't come against anyone. The Crimson Tide has faced some of the most talented backs in the country. Georgia’s Nick Chubb had one of his worst outings excluding one long touchdown run that came on a blown assignment. Alabama then proceeded to shutdown Razorback Alex Collins the next week, but the jewel in the front seven’s crown should be its ability to completely neutralize the then-Heisman favorite LSU’s Leonard Fournette. The Spartans will have to succeed where other top rushing teams failed to have a chance.  

To read The State News' beat writer Matthew Argillander's dueling column, click here.