[washingtonismoney]

The reality is the game turned on three plays for the defense:

1. Dropped INT by Anderson
2. Lancaster slip in the EZ
3. B.S. PI call on Lyons

The offense could have certainly done more, and the defense could have allowed a couple fewer pass completions, but I don't think the substitutions had anything to do with any defensive shortcomings in the 2014 Rose Bowl.

I think that's a highly simplistic analysis of the Rose Bowl. Those were high-leverage plays, but the fact of the matter is that MSU went for 5.59 yards/play -- over MSU's season-long average (5.4) and well over Stanford's season-long average (4.86). MSU's performance was roughly equivalent to Washington's, and superior to Oregon's and SC's. Does MSU, in terms of coaching or personnel, strike you as anything close to that?

"A couple fewer pass completions" is similarly understating matters. Stanford allowed 6.4 YPA before sacks; MSU passed for 9.2. (Cook went for 7.3.)

MSU converted half of its 3rd and long opportunities.

So something went very wrong, defensively, in the game. One of the unusual strategic moves was a high reliance on substitutions. It's not crazy to wonder whether there's a connection.

[washingtonismoney]

The reality is the game turned on three plays for the defense:

1. Dropped INT by Anderson
2. Lancaster slip in the EZ
3. B.S. PI call on Lyons

The offense could have certainly done more, and the defense could have allowed a couple fewer pass completions, but I don't think the substitutions had anything to do with any defensive shortcomings in the 2014 Rose Bowl.

I think that's a highly simplistic analysis of the Rose Bowl. Those were high-leverage plays, but the fact of the matter is that MSU went for 5.59 yards/play -- over MSU's season-long average (5.4) and well over Stanford's season-long average (4.86). MSU's performance was roughly equivalent to Washington's, and superior to Oregon's and SC's. Does MSU, in terms of coaching or personnel, strike you as anything close to that?

"A couple fewer pass completions" is similarly understating matters. Stanford allowed 6.4 YPA before sacks; MSU passed for 9.2. (Cook went for 7.3.)

MSU converted half of its 3rd and long opportunities.

So something went very wrong, defensively, in the game. One of the unusual strategic moves was a high reliance on substitutions. It's not crazy to wonder whether there's a connection.