 After holding Michigan State to a three @-@ and @-@ out to open the third quarter , Alabama scored its fifth touchdown in six offensive possessions when Marquis Maze scored on a 37 @-@ yard Greg McElroy pass . Up by 35 points late in the third , the Crimson Tide pulled many of their starters that resulted in many players seeing action from deep in the depth chart . Eddie Lacy extended the lead to 49 – 0 with touchdown runs of twelve @-@ yards in the third and 62 @-@ yards in the fourth quarter . Michigan State scored their only points late in the fourth on a 49 @-@ yard <unk> Fowler touchdown reception from Keith <unk> to make the final score 49 – 7 . The 42 @-@ point margin of victory was Alabama 's largest in a bowl game since defeating Syracuse 61 – 6 in the 1953 Orange Bowl . 
