Alabama running back Derrick Henry (2) runs the ball and scores a touchdown during the second half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Nov. 28, 2015, in Auburn, Ala. Alabama won 29-13. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)Gerald Herbert/Associated Press

College Football Playoff Odds: Alabama Cotton Bowl, Oklahoma Orange Bowl Chalk

OddsShark.comDec 28, 2015

The Alabama Crimson Tide are favorites for both the Cotton Bowl and the College Football Playoff overall at sportsbooks monitored by Odds Shark with the biggest matchups of bowl season set for New Year's Eve this week.

The Crimson Tide are set as 9.5-point favorites against the Michigan State Spartans for their Cotton Bowl national semifinal matchup on Thursday night at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Alabama went 12-1 straight up and 7-6 against the spread this season.

And Alabama's lone loss came months ago, when it fell 43-37 as nine-point favorites to Mississippi. Since that game the Crimson Tide have rolled to 10 straight victories, and they've managed to cover the spread in five of their last seven outings.

Michigan State was 12-1 SU and 5-7-1 ATS on the season, with the Spartans' lone loss coming on November 7 when they were defeated 39-38 at Nebraska as a four-point favorite. After starting the season 0-6 ATS, the Spartans are 5-1-1 ATS in their last seven outings.

Heading into the Cotton Bowl, the Crimson Tide sit as the even-money favorites on the odds to win the national championship at the sportsbooks, with the Spartans last on the list at +650.

Meanwhile, the Oklahoma Sooners are at +220 with the Clemson Tigers at +500 on the college football national championship odds, with those teams set to battle in the Orange Bowl national semifinal at Sun Life Stadium in Miami on New Year's Eve.

Clemson is a perfect 13-0 SU and 6-7 ATS on the season, but it's still listed as 3.5-point underdogs against Oklahoma in the Orange Bowl.

The Tigers have only covered the spread in one of their last five games, and that was their 45-37 win over North Carolina in the ACC Championship Game as a 6.5-point favorite last time out.

The Sooners were 11-1 SU and a profitable 9-3 ATS this past season, claiming the Big 12 title with back-to-back-to-back wins over Baylor, TCU and Oklahoma State in their last three games of the season. Oklahoma crushed Oklahoma State 58-23 as a 7.5-point favorite in their last outing.

The Orange Bowl kicks off at 4 p.m. ET on Thursday afternoon, with the Cotton Bowl getting underway at 8 p.m. ET on Thursday night.