Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Nick Saban said his team learned last year that the College Football Playoff has similarities to a bowl game, but the approach has to be different because of what’s at stake.
The 80th Cotton Bowl is the setting for this year’s semi-final game between the Tide and the Michigan State Spartans. The team had to endure the obligatory meetings with the press and enjoyed their visit to Children’s Medical Center of Dallas.
“When you get to visit with these children and their families, it does the body good to know that you’re going to help someone out, change sombody’s life just by being there,” said senior captain Reggie Ragland. “Hopefully by saying hello and talking to them we can make their day better, and it means a lot to me to know that I can have that kind of impact.”
In between it all, the team practiced and refined its game plan heading into the game. Here are some of the images from this week.
Michigan State head coach Mark Dantonio and Alabama head coach Nick Saban shake hands with the Cotton Bowl trophy. (Kent Gidley/UA Athletics)
Crimson Tide players and coaches met with the media in between practices for the Cotton Bowl. (Kent Gidley/UA Athletics)
The Crimson Tide practiced at AT&T Stadium, the site of the Cotton Bowl. (Kent Gidley/UA Athletics)
Crimson Tide players and coaches met with the media in between practices for the Cotton Bowl. (Kent Gidley/UA Athletics)
The Crimson Tide practiced at AT&T Stadium, the site of the Cotton Bowl. (Kent Gidley/UA Athletics)
Crimson Tide head coach Nick Saban said the visit to the Children’s Medical Center of Dallas was one of the week’s highlights for the team. (Kent Gidley/UA Athletics)
The Crimson Tide practiced at AT&T Stadium, the site of the Cotton Bowl. (Kent Gidley/UA Athletics)
The Crimson Tide practiced at AT&T Stadium, the site of the Cotton Bowl. (Kent Gidley/UA Athletics)
Crimson Tide head coach Nick Saban said the visit to the Children’s Medical Center of Dallas was one of the week’s highlights for the team. (Kent Gidley/UA Athletics)
Crimson Tide players and coaches met with the media in between practices for the Cotton Bowl. (Kent Gidley/UA Athletics)
Crimson Tide players and coaches met with the media in between practices for the Cotton Bowl. (Kent Gidley/UA Athletics)
Crimson Tide players and coaches met with the media in between practices for the Cotton Bowl. (Kent Gidley/UA Athletics)
The Crimson Tide practiced at AT&T Stadium, the site of the Cotton Bowl. (Kent Gidley/UA Athletics)
Crimson Tide head coach Nick Saban said the visit to the Children’s Medical Center of Dallas was one of the week’s highlights for the team. (Kent Gidley/UA Athletics)
Crimson Tide players and coaches met with the media in between practices for the Cotton Bowl. (Kent Gidley/UA Athletics)
The Crimson Tide practiced at AT&T Stadium, the site of the Cotton Bowl. (Kent Gidley/UA Athletics)
Crimson Tide players and coaches met with the media in between practices for the Cotton Bowl. (Kent Gidley/UA Athletics)
The Crimson Tide practiced at AT&T Stadium, the site of the Cotton Bowl. (Kent Gidley/UA Athletics)
Crimson Tide players and coaches met with the media in between practices for the Cotton Bowl. (Kent Gidley/UA Athletics)
Crimson Tide players and coaches met with the media in between practices for the Cotton Bowl. (Kent Gidley/UA Athletics)
The Crimson Tide practiced at AT&T Stadium, the site of the Cotton Bowl. (Kent Gidley/UA Athletics)
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Crimson Tide players and coaches met with the media in between practices for the Cotton Bowl. (Kent Gidley/UA Athletics)
The Crimson Tide practiced at AT&T Stadium, the site of the Cotton Bowl. (Kent Gidley/UA Athletics)
Crimson Tide players and coaches met with the media in between practices for the Cotton Bowl. (Kent Gidley/UA Athletics)
Crimson Tide players and coaches met with the media in between practices for the Cotton Bowl. (Kent Gidley/UA Athletics)
The University of Alabama also announced that it is setting a program and national record with the 29 Crimson Tide players who have already earned their degree before playing in the bowl game.
The Tide’s 29 graduates breaks the previous national mark of 28 that played for Alabama in the 2014 Sugar Bowl against Oklahoma. More than 20 percent of those suited up for Alabama in the Cotton Bowl have at least one college degree already in hand, with three of them having their master’s degree.
