Neither Alabama nor Michigan State had crossed the other's 40-yard-line by the point midway through the second quarter when Jacob Coker uncorked a deep ball. But the intended recipient was Alabama wunderkind Calvin Ridley, and so a big play happened.
Ridley, a freshman, has stepped in beautifully for Amari Cooper in Lane Kiffin's offense, and has really stepped up his game after a relatively quiet September. Ridley's scored four of his five touchdowns since October began, and hauled in five or more passes in all but one of Alabama's nine games since then — all wins.
This Ridley catch didn't get him into the end zone, but Heisman winner Derrick Henry punched in the ball on the next play, and so Alabama took the lead in the 2015 Cotton Bowl.