▁by ▁ 3 5 ▁points ▁late ▁in ▁the ▁third , ▁the ▁T ide ▁pulled ▁many ▁of ▁their ▁star ters ▁that ▁resulted ▁in ▁many ▁players ▁seeing ▁action ▁from ▁deep ▁in ▁the ▁depth ▁chart . ▁Third - string ▁back ▁Edd ie ▁L acy ▁extended ▁the ▁lead ▁to ▁ 4 9 – 0 ▁with ▁touch down ▁runs ▁of ▁twelve ▁yards ▁in ▁the ▁third ▁and ▁ 6 2   y ards ▁in ▁the ▁fourth ▁quarter . ▁The ▁Spart ans ▁scored ▁their ▁only ▁points ▁late ▁in ▁the ▁fourth ▁on ▁a ▁ 4 9 - yard ▁B enn ie ▁F ow ler ▁touch down ▁reception ▁from ▁Keith ▁Nich ol ▁to ▁bring ▁the ▁final ▁score ▁to ▁ 4 9 – 7 . ▁ ▁For ▁his ▁performance ▁which ▁included ▁two ▁s acks , ▁a ▁tack le ▁for ▁loss ▁and ▁a ▁forced ▁f umble , ▁Alabama ▁line back er ▁Court ney ▁U ps h aw ▁was ▁named ▁the ▁game ' s ▁Most ▁Val u able ▁Player . ▁ ▁Game ▁notes ▁This ▁was ▁the ▁first ▁ever ▁meeting ▁between ▁the ▁two ▁schools . ▁Michigan ▁State ▁head ▁coach ▁Mark ▁D anton io ▁was ▁an ▁assistant ▁coach ▁for ▁Alabama ▁head ▁coach ▁Nick ▁S aban ▁when ▁S aban ▁co ached ▁at ▁State ▁from ▁ 1 9 9 5 ▁to ▁ 1 9 9 9 . ▁ ▁Some what ▁ign omini ously , ▁Michigan ▁State ▁was ▁forced ▁into ▁the ▁unusual ▁circumst ance ▁of ▁pun ting ▁on ▁ 4 th ▁and ▁goal ▁in ▁the ▁second ▁quarter , ▁due ▁to ▁a ▁f umble ▁that ▁left ▁the ▁Spart ans ▁at ▁the