Cotton Bowl 2015: TV Schedule, Matchup Predictions and More

Alec NathanDec 2, 2015

The College Football Playoff committee revealed its final rankings before the New Year's Eve semifinal matchups are officially set Sunday (12 p.m. ET), and it's starting to become clear which squads have the best shot to square off in the Cotton Bowl.

But before breaking down the programs in prime position to clash with a chance to advance to the CFP National Championship Game, here's a rundown of when and where fans can catch the action, courtesy of the playoff's official website.

Date: Thursday, Dec. 31

Matchup Prediction: No. 2 Alabama vs. No. 3 Michigan State

Tuesday's unveiling was anticlimactic, with No. 1 Clemson, No. 2 Alabama, No. 3 Oklahoma and No. 4 Iowa all holding steady in the spots they occupied last week.

However, it's not hard to envision a world where the final picture assumes a slightly different form when the committee gathers for one final round-table discussion.

Assuming Clemson hangs on to defeat No. 10 North Carolina in the ACC Championship Game and Alabama doesn't suffer a meltdown against No. 18 Florida, the top half of the CFP picture should remain intact.

Then things get interesting.

Oklahoma is seemingly locked in after crushing Oklahoma State last weekend, but an idle week that coincides with Michigan State's showdown against Iowa in the Big Ten Championship Game will open the door for the winner of that clash to potentially leapfrog the Sooners and square off against the Crimson Tide.

And while the undefeated Hawkeyes may well stand up and slay the Spartans, Michigan State's 44th-ranked scoring offense (33.4 points per game) could prove challenging for Iowa's 41st-ranked unit (33.7 PPG) to best.

"Our players want more," Spartans head coach Mark Dantonio said, according to the Detroit Free Press' Joe Rexrode. "They want it all."

Iowa's 15th-ranked scoring defense (18.7 PPG) will be a stiff test for a Michigan State offense that mustered a meager 17 points against Ohio State's second-ranked squad, but Connor Cook's stability under center could be the difference-maker against a less potent Hawkeyes attack.

"Look for Cook to continue his success, possibly earning an invite to New York City as a Heisman Trophy finalist with a big performance against a shaky Iowa secondary," Bleacher Report's Ben Axelrod wrote.

If the Spartans are fortunate enough to be crowned Big Ten champions, they could be staring at showdown with Alabama.

Although that's hardly an appetizing reward given the way the Crimson Tide have bowled over opponents since losing to Ole Miss, Michigan State is the sort of disciplined side capable of giving Nick Saban's squad a run for its money.

Stats courtesy of ESPN.com unless noted otherwise.