Sugar Bowl 2015: Final Odds and Prediction for Alabama vs. Ohio State

Emotions and storylines run deep in Thurday's Sugar Bowl between the Alabama Crimson Tide and Ohio State Buckeyes.

The conference angle is there. Big Ten versus SEC writes itself. So does an epic coaching rivalry as Urban Meyer and Nick Saban meet once again with so much on the line.

Storylines abound, too. Saban's team got with the times this year thanks to a prolific offense led by an unexpected starter. Speaking of unexpected starters, Meyer's third-string quarterback is the third to look like a potential Heisman Trophy contender, although it is early in his tenure.

Those in charge of the College Football Playoff deserve applause, although fans of the Big 12 may disagree. Now that the day is here, one final look at the showdown and how Las Vegas feels about the matter is in order.

Sugar Bowl Odds and Schedule

Date	Game	Start Time (ET)	Network	Odds
January 1, 2015	Sugar Bowl (Semifinal No. 2)	8:30 p.m.	ESPN	Alabama (-8)

Preview and Prediction

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Alabama touts the nation's 16th-ranked scoring offense.

The traditional ground-based approach by Saban is present. T.J. Yeldon is still around and ran for 932 yards and 10 scores this season. His complement, sophomore Derrick Henry, proved just as effective with 895 yards and 10 scores of his own.

Senior quarterback Blake Sims is the wrinkle in the tried-and-true machine that puts the Crimson Tide over the top.

Many did not give Sims a chance to win the starting gig. He responded by doing so and then throwing for 3,250 yards and 26 touchdowns to seven interceptions. One of the most dangerous dual-threat players in the country, he also amassed 321 yards and six scores on the ground.

That versatile presence is something that has Ohio State's attention, as Doug Lesmerises of Cleveland.com illustrates:

Ohio State's defense has yet to encounter anything like Sims but ranks 20th nationally in terms of points allowed (21.2) and has an elite pass rush led by Joey Bosa, who has 14 sacks on his own this season.

Offense is what gets the attention in Columbus, though.

Ezekiel Elliott's efforts with 1,402 rushing yards and 12 scores take a backseat thanks to drama under center. Gone are Braxton Miller and J.T. Barrett, the latter who orchestrated a Heisman-worthy campaign and ranked second on the team behind Elliott in rushing.

In is sophomore Cardale Jones, who looked as if he had been the starter all season when he suited up for the Big Ten Championship Game against Wisconsin.

In the 59-0 rout, he threw for 257 yards and three scores. The result was enough for the CFP committee to throw its hands up in the air and shoo the Buckeyes into the proceedings.

Alabama's third-ranked defense knows a thing or two about dual-threat quarterbacks, though.

The Crimson Tide did not survive a scary-good SEC West—five of the seven teams are still ranked, with Texas A&M and Arkansas dangerous in their own right—not to mention the SEC as a whole, without a knack for great preparation and elite defense.

Look at a win over then-No. 1 Mississippi State in early November, when the Crimson Tide derailed the Heisman hopes of quarterback Dak Prescott, picking him off three times and limiting him to 82 yards on the ground.

Later that month in an Iron Bowl victory, the Alabama defense allowed 456 passing yards and three scores to Nick Marshall, but limited him to 49 yards on the ground.

Now factor in Jones, who has one game of legitimate experience under his belt. This is not to suggest Ohio State has no shot, but Saban's defense is pristine in the face of top-tier offenses and players worthy of individual hardware.

None of this even mentions Heisman finalist Amari Cooper. The junior Crimson Tide wideout posted a whopping 115 catches for 1,656 yards and 14 touchdowns this year, a resume that should strike fear into the hearts of Buckeyes faithful one year removed from a gashing at the hands of Sammy Watkins.

This contest is set to be closer than most would think.

Ohio State touts a strong defense and the ground game can chew clock with the best in the nation. The problem is the threat of the big play from Sims and Cooper, two players unlike anyone the Buckeyes have seen this season.

Expect things to be competitive into the fourth quarter, but experience and sheer explosiveness will allow the Crimson Tide to pull away and advance to the College Football Playoff National Championship.

Prediction: Alabama 27, Ohio State 23

Betting information courtesy of Odds Shark. Statistics and info courtesy of ESPN unless otherwise specified.