Nick Saban’s Best Bowl Games — #2 2011 Capital One Bowl

Fresh off of their first national championship in 17 years, Alabama was was back in the national spotlight. With what most people believed to be a more talented team than the year before, the Crimson Tide were the favorites to win a consecutive national title. However, complacency set in and they were not able to live up to expectations.

Alabama lost to South Carolina, LSU, and Auburn, landing them at number two on our list in the 2011 Capital One Bowl facing off against 9th ranked Michigan State.

While the previous three games on our Nick Saban's Best Bowl Games list were chosen mainly for reasons that were unrelated to the teams performance in that particular bowl, this one made the list for the exact opposite reason. After a let down season, simply due to expectations from the previous year and the extraordinary amount of talent on the field, Alabama came into the Capital One Bowl and showed the nation why they were the preseason favorites and what they were capable of when they flipped the switch.

From the opening kick Alabama dominated every aspect of the game. Michigan State was unable to stop the Crimson Tide's potent ground game or Greg McElroy through the air.

As well as being incredibly efficient on offense, Alabama's defense was relentless, holding Michigan state to -48 yards rushing.

The 49-7 victory over the Spartans helped to ease the sting of a season that didn't turn out as planned, and gave Saban a win over his former team. Much like this year, although with a few more losses to their record, the 2010 team came out fired up and with something to prove. That win also spring boarded the following two seasons, which ended in consecutive national championships.