This article is about the Alamo Bowl that followed the 2009 season, played on January 2, 2010. For the game that followed the 2010 season, played on December 29, 2010, see 2010 Alamo Bowl (December).
The 2010 game was the last one to feature a team from the Big Ten Conference. In the fall of 2009, it was announced that the Pacific-10 Conference's second-place team would take part in the Alamo Bowl instead of the Holiday Bowl.[6][7]
This was the third Alamo Bowl appearance and first Alamo Bowl win for the Texas Tech Red Raiders. Their previous appearance was a 19–16 loss to Iowa in the 2001 game. Michigan State played in one previous Alamo Bowl, losing the 2003 game to Nebraska, 17–3. The game also marked the first-ever meeting between the two schools.
With approximately 5,553,630 households watching it, the game was the most viewed Alamo Bowl in history. It also drew the highest rating of any bowl ever shown by ESPN. Behind the BCS bowl games and the Capital One Bowl, it was the most viewed bowl shown up to that point in the 2009–10 bowl season.[8]
Game buildup
The game featured two programs which, prior to the event, were undergoing controversies.
On December 28, 2009, Texas Tech suspended, and fired two days later, head coach Mike Leach over the alleged mistreatment of an injured player.[9] Defensive Coordinator Ruffin McNeill was named interim head coach.[10]
Meanwhile, on November 22, 2009, Michigan State had suspended 14 players for the bowl resulting from a fight at one of the school's dormitories.
Game summary
First quarter
Texas Tech won the coin toss and deferred to the second half. The 67 yard kick off by the Red Raiders was returned by Keshawn Martin for 33 yards. The Spartans made it all the way to the Texas Tech 32-yard line before their opening driving ended in disappointment, when Jamar Wall intercepted a pass by quarterback Kirk Cousins. The Red Raiders opening drive ended with a 3 yard rushing touchdown by Barron Batch. Both teams went three-and-out in their next drive. Michigan State's first score came in their third drive of the game by way of an explosive run by Edwin Baker for a 46 yard rushing touchdown. The Spartan's scoring drive would be the last of the quarter, bringing the score at the end of the quarter to 7–7.
Second quarter
At the end of the second quarter the Red Raiders were leading with a score of 20–14.
Third quarter
At the end of the third quarter the Spartans were leading with a score of 28–27.
Fourth quarter
Michigan State took a four-point lead with 8:05 left in the game after a field goal, but it was all Red Raiders after that point. The game ended with Texas Tech winning the game with a final score of 41–31.
