Location of cotton Bowl

The Crimson Tide will face the Spartans into the Cotton Bowl, pitting Nick Saban against their old program.

The Cotton Bowl Vintage features a long history dating back to to New Year's time in 1937, however for initially ever before it will act as the stage for a semifinals game within the university Football Playoff.

In the first 12 months regarding the College Football Playoff age, the Cotton Bowl served among the new-year's Six games, but did not host a semifinal. With a chance for a vacation toward nationwide Championship Game now on the line, all eyes would be tuned to AT&T Stadium.

Once the online game was established in 1937, it had been held when you look at the Cotton Bowl. In 2006, a bid to be an element of the BCS Championship Series led the game to-be moved to the recently built AT&T Stadium this season.

Here's everything you need to know to organize for this year's Goodyear Cotton Bowl Vintage:

Time and date: Thursday, Dec. 31, 4 or 8 p.m. ET

television station: ESPN

Area: Arlington, Texas

Stadium: AT&T Stadium, 85, 000

This past year's score: Michigan State 42, Baylor 41

Just last year's attendance: 71, 465

Just last year's television rating: 5.2

Last year's payout for every single school: $3.625 million

Groups with all-time appearances: Tx, 22

Groups most abundant in all-time wins: Texas, 11

Alabama Crimson Tide (12-1, 7-1 in SEC)

After a sluggish come from the SEC Championship Game, Alabama came back to dominate Florida just like everyone expected, as well as the Crimson Tide tend to be headed back to the school Football Playoff for the second 12 months in a row. Despite an early on period loss to Ole skip, Nick Saban's group bounced back again to dominate the SEC West.

The offense is a huge an element of the domination. The Crimson Tide bounced around between various quarterbacks earlier on in the period, but they finally selected Jacob Coker and haven't appeared right back. Coker has starred both through the air with their legs this season, and then he's benefited from inclusion of celebrity wide receiver Calvin Ridley. Also remember most likely Heisman Trophy winner Derrick Henry, which passed Herschel Walker while the SEC's single period rushing frontrunner.

The defense has hit its stride, also. The leading seven is arguably the very best in the country, together with secondary, which struggled against Ole skip, has been lockdown ever since. The Crimson Tide has not quit above 16 points since mid-October. Alabama would be a hardcore out with both units playing as well as they are.

Final dish game: 2014 period's Sugar Bowl (42-35 loss to Ohio State)

All-time bowl record: 34-24-3

Head coach's dish record: Nick Saban is 8-8 in dish games. He is 5-3 with Alabama, 3-2 with LSU and 0-3 with Michigan State.

Michigan condition Spartans (12-1, 8-1 in Big Ten)

Against countless probability, Michigan State is set for its College Football Playoff debut this winter months. The Spartans were a play far from losing to Michigan, Ohio State and Iowa - all Playoff contenders - but won within the last few moment against them all. That they had near calls against a couple of bad groups in Purdue and Rutgers, although Spartans have actually slogged through 13 games with just one dubiously officiated reduction to Nebraska.

The Spartans have actually loads going for them. They're certainly battle tested, nevertheless they're also talented. Senior quarterback Connor Cook struggled a little bit inside Big Ten Championship, but he is had a great period. So have actually receivers Aaron Burbridge and Macgarrett Kings and tight end Josiah Price. Operating backs Scott, Gerald Holmes and Madre London have actually given the backfield some youthful punch, and it also all works considering a reliable unpleasant line anchored by remaining tackle Jack Conklin. The protection is great, also, though it doesn't have the kind of dominating cornerback the Spartans experienced generally in most modern times. Inside linebacker Riley Bullough and pass-rushing end Shilique Calhoun would be the band leaders for a unit that stands No. 26 nationally overall protection and No. 19 in points permitted.

Michigan State does not usually win huge. With the exception of blowouts against Penn State and Indiana, the Spartans have played reasonably tight games completely their season. That is most likely the way the Playoff forms up, and Spartans will not be overmatched in a national semifinal against Clemson.