Nick Saban's unblemished record against former assistants is intact and Alabama will be back in the national championship game for the first time since 2012 after blanking Michigan State 38-0 in the Cotton Bowl.
The win is redemption for last season's loss to Ohio State in the College Football Playoff. Nick Saban improved to 94-6 when leading at halftime, but one of those six losses came to the Buckeyes in the last year's Sugar Bowl defeat. That loss opened the eyes of the 2015 team as to the importance of finishing off an opponent. The Tide never lost after leading at halftime during the regular season, and a 21-0 third quarter ensured that it would not happen in this year's College Football Playoff.