Rose Bowl: Stanford vs. Michigan State

Matchup: Stanford vs. Michigan State
Location: Pasadena, CA ~ Rose Bowl
Line: Stanford -6.5. Total 42.5

Keys to Victory for Stanford
-Kevin Hogan has already won one Rose Bowl and is favored to do so again. He hasn't progressed as much as David Shaw has hoped he would, but he's still the better QB in the game.
-LB Trent Murphy. The second-team All-American wraps up his college career with his 40th consecutive start, and leads the Cardinal’s big-play defense with 14 sacks and 21 1/2 tackles for loss.
-Tyler Gaffney, who sat out last year to play pro baseball, is the RB for Stanford's run-first offense. The senior has rushed for 1,618 yards and 20 touchdowns. 
-Expect a key play from wideout Ty Montgomery. The nation's top kickoff returner (31.16 yards per return) has two touchdown returns, and he set up Stanford with short fields on numerous occasions this season.


Keys to Victory for Michigan State
-Jeremy Langford is a powerful runner, but will need his Offensive Line to come up big for him. Jack Allen centers an OL that has protected the QB very well, while enabling Langford to average nearly 5 yards per carry.
-Michigan State will sorely miss captain Max Bullough who has been suspended from the game. The line on the game moved a full point after his suspension was announced. Special teamer Kyler Ellsworth will be thrown into the fire and start in Bullough's place.
-Connor Cook might not be the most exciting of Quarterbacks, but the Sophomore QB has made very few mistakes this year. After passing for 2,423 yards with 20 TDs and just five interceptions, Cook and his offense face an opponent that didn’t allow more than 28 points all year.
-The "No Fly Zone" of Drummond, Lewis, and Dennard might not be tested a whole lot tomorrow, but they'll be tested.

Prediction: It won't be flashy, but Stanford should roll here in a game that will feel as though it was more out of reach than the score would indicate.