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They never mentioned it before the game, but Alabama players said they heard and spoke quietly among themselves about the "talk" Michigan State did before the game.
What that talk was isn't exactly known - you never know how or what players will use to motivate themselves - but UA players were quick to point it out after the game and didn't shy away from saying that "talk" stopped during the game.
"Of course other teams talk, but that's not how we do things at Alabama. We let our play do the talking," sophomore left tackle Cam Robinson.
There's no question that the Crimson Tide entered the Cotton Bowl match-up against Michigan State with a focus level that even impressed a head coach not easily impressed.
From the decision of what time curfews would be to how they practiced, UA players weren't in Dallas to have a good time. They wanted to win, and, to them, the fun comes in the winning.
"The focus that we had for this game was completely different than we ever had before, and I think it paid off," UA coach Nick Saban said.
Now the trick is duplicating that mental preparedness for a national championship game against No. 1 Clemson.
Players, especially those along the defensive front seven, say that isn't hard. They police themselves.
That was evident when the team's leadership council voted to send home sophomore defensive back Tony Brown. Alabama didn't disclose the reason that Brown was sent home, but clearly to the team he had come a distraction.
Distractions aren't welcome with this group.
That discipline, added to a hunger to finish, is among the reasons why players say staying locked in and focused is easy.
"We've lost two years, right? That's how," junior defensive lineman A'Shawn Robinson said. "You want to win, right? Our mindset, we want to win, we lost two years a in a row, bowl games, people have written us off and stuff. We're here to show people what we do."
No one, even those in the national media who wrote dynasty and season obituaries after the loss to Ole Miss, is writing Alabama off after a 38-point shutout over a quality Big Ten champion.
It started in practice.
"The practices here were so much better than they were last year," defensive coordinator Kirby Smart said. "It meant a lot for them to get a shutout. They practiced for it."
Alabama opened as a seven-point favorite over Clemson, but that won't matter. That type of clutter doesn't permeate the locker room this season as it may have in the past.
Regardless, it's a self-assured group in Tuscaloosa. They won't allow anything to deter their focus. The leaders of the team won't let them.
"We are very confident," wide receiver ArDarius Stewart said. "I can see it in my teammates' eyes."
- See more at: TideSports.com - Players say maintaining focus won't be hard
What that talk was isn't exactly known - you never know how or what players will use to motivate themselves - but UA players were quick to point it out after the game and didn't shy away from saying that "talk" stopped during the game.
"Of course other teams talk, but that's not how we do things at Alabama. We let our play do the talking," sophomore left tackle Cam Robinson.
There's no question that the Crimson Tide entered the Cotton Bowl match-up against Michigan State with a focus level that even impressed a head coach not easily impressed.
From the decision of what time curfews would be to how they practiced, UA players weren't in Dallas to have a good time. They wanted to win, and, to them, the fun comes in the winning.
"The focus that we had for this game was completely different than we ever had before, and I think it paid off," UA coach Nick Saban said.
Now the trick is duplicating that mental preparedness for a national championship game against No. 1 Clemson.
Players, especially those along the defensive front seven, say that isn't hard. They police themselves.
That was evident when the team's leadership council voted to send home sophomore defensive back Tony Brown. Alabama didn't disclose the reason that Brown was sent home, but clearly to the team he had come a distraction.
Distractions aren't welcome with this group.
That discipline, added to a hunger to finish, is among the reasons why players say staying locked in and focused is easy.
"We've lost two years, right? That's how," junior defensive lineman A'Shawn Robinson said. "You want to win, right? Our mindset, we want to win, we lost two years a in a row, bowl games, people have written us off and stuff. We're here to show people what we do."
No one, even those in the national media who wrote dynasty and season obituaries after the loss to Ole Miss, is writing Alabama off after a 38-point shutout over a quality Big Ten champion.
It started in practice.
"The practices here were so much better than they were last year," defensive coordinator Kirby Smart said. "It meant a lot for them to get a shutout. They practiced for it."
Alabama opened as a seven-point favorite over Clemson, but that won't matter. That type of clutter doesn't permeate the locker room this season as it may have in the past.
Regardless, it's a self-assured group in Tuscaloosa. They won't allow anything to deter their focus. The leaders of the team won't let them.
"We are very confident," wide receiver ArDarius Stewart said. "I can see it in my teammates' eyes."
- See more at: TideSports.com - Players say maintaining focus won't be hard
