College Football Playoff Championship 2015: Dates, TV Schedule, Live Stream Info

After a wacky regular season and the slate of conference title games behind us, the second College Football Playoff is set.

Below, we take a closer look at the matchups and reflect on how we got to this point.

Matchups

Game	Date	Time (ET)	Teams	Location	Watch
Playoff Semifinal at the Cotton Bowl	Dec. 31	8 p.m.	No. 2 Alabama vs. No. 3 Michigan State	AT&T Stadium, Arlington, TX	ESPN
Playoff Semifinal at the Orange Bowl	Dec. 31	4 p.m.	No. 1 Clemson vs. No. 4 Oklahoma	Sun Life Stadium, Miami	ESPN
National Championship Game	Jan. 11	8:30 p.m.	Semifinal winners	University of Phoenix Stadium, Glendale, AZ	ESPN

All contests will be live streamed on WatchESPN and the WatchESPN app.

Analysis

Michael Conroy/Associated Press

Coming into the final weekend of the college football season, we knew a few things. Oklahoma was all but guaranteed a spot in the playoff. The winner of the Big Ten Championship Game was getting in, too. And as long as Clemson and Alabama won the ACC and SEC title games, respectively, they would round out the four selections.

Michigan State booked its place in the playoff by beating Iowa. The Spartans had a wild season, to say the least. They knocked off Oregon early to remain in the conversation as one of the nation's top contenders, beat Michigan on a blocked punt returned for a touchdown as time expired, lost to Nebraska on a last-minute touchdown pass, beat Ohio State with a game-winning field goal with no time remaining and got past the undefeated Hawkeyes with a late touchdown in the Big Ten title game.

It wasn't easy for Michigan State in the Big Ten Championship Game, of course. Little has been this year. The Spartans needed LJ Scott's lunging stretch through much of Iowa's defense and across the goal line with less than 30 seconds remaining to get past a resolute Iowa side, 16-13. 

"Our football team knows how to win. We can play it out," Michigan State head coach Mark Dantonio said, per ESPN.com. "We don't count ourselves out. When some things aren't going so well, we keep playing as evidence by the game."

Take a breath, Spartans fans—the long, crazy season will continue in the playoff. 

The Big Ten title game wasn't the only championship contest with major implications, however. 

The Crimson Tide returned to the playoff by defeating Florida 29-15 for the SEC title. Despite an early loss to Ole Miss, Alabama recovered and looked like arguably the nation's best team in the second half of the season.

And according to Barrett Sallee of Bleacher Report, the Crimson Tide are the top threat to win the College Football Playoff:

"

This is Alabama football. The second-ranked Tide run the ball, stop the run and should be considered the favorite going into the College Football Playoff.

Sure, Alabama has question marks. Every team in the country does. But the only way to beat the Crimson Tide is to get them out of their smashmouth comfort zone, and that takes a team that can block the best defense in the country and stop [running back Derrick] Henry.

"

That's certainly no easy task.

Clemson, meanwhile, passed its final test of the season, knocking off dangerous North Carolina 45-37 to clinch the top overall seed in this year's playoff. That win didn't come without some controversy, however—the ACC has been no stranger to controversy this season—as the Tar Heels recovered an onside kick with just over a minute remaining before the play was overturned due to an offside penalty on the play.

Replays failed to show any North Carolina player lined up offside, however. For once, Duke could sympathize with the Tar Heels.

That play shouldn't overshadow the Tigers' excellent season or the performance of quarterback Deshaun Watson. The sophomore accumulated 420 yards of offense and accounted for five touchdowns in the win, likely vaulting himself into serious consideration for the Heisman Trophy alongside Alabama's Henry, Stanford running back Christian McCaffrey and Oklahoma quarterback Baker Mayfield.

It's hard to pick a clear winner out of this bunch. Clemson has been college football's most consistent team. Alabama might be its most talented. Michigan State seems like it can't be beaten. And nobody is hotter than Oklahoma. 

Alabama-Michigan State should be a physical, ground-and-pound, defensive affair. Clemson-Oklahoma should be an exciting, wide-open shootout.

In other words, this year's College Football Playoff is going to be a whole lot of fun.