Mark Dantonio was a man of few words before his No. 3 Michigan State Spartans faced the No. 2 Alabama Crimson Tide in Thursday's Cotton Bowl.

ESPN's Heather Cox tried to conduct an on-field interview with the Spartans head coach before the College Football Playoff semifinal game kicked off, but it lasted all of 10 seconds. Dantonio didn't even wait for the end of Cox's questions to give his short answers.

The Spartans were locked in early with a trip to the national championship game, but the Cotton Bowl has been going far from planned for the Big Ten champs.

Thumbnail photo via Kevin Jairaj/USA TODAY Sports Images