Cotton Bowl 2015: Michigan State vs. Alabama TV Schedule, Time and Odds

It's only right the Cotton Bowl semifinal of the College Football Playoff pits two teams with similar strengths together when the No. 3 Michigan State Spartans go head-to-head with the No. 2 Alabama Crimson Tide.

Mark Dantonio's Spartans play the disrespect angle well going into the heavyweight bout, having lost just one game and taken down a trio of Top 10 teams on the way to Texas, only to find themselves hefty dogs against an SEC opponent.

For Nick Saban and the Crimson Tide, the only team to make a return appearance to the CFP features a Heisman Trophy winner at running back and lessons learned from last year's upset.

Given the sheer dominance of both programs in the trenches, Thursday's encounter might be the top game of the year. Here's everything to know about the pairing of juggernauts with similar strengths.

Game Details

When: Thursday, December 31, at 8 p.m. ET

Where: AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas

Television: ESPN

Live Stream: WatchESPN

Tickets: ScoreBig.com

Over/Under: 47

Spread: Alabama (-10)

Team Injury Reports

NAME	POS	STATUS
Connor Cook	QB	Prob Thurs
Trevon Pendleton	FB	Ques Thurs
Jalen Watts-Jackson	DB	Out for season
RJ Williamson	S	Prob Thurs
Dennis Finley	OL	Out for season
Vayante Copeland	CB	Out for season
Ed Davis	LB	Out for season

NAME	POS	STATUS
Chris Black	WR	Out for season
Robert Foster	WR	Out for season

Injury reports courtesy of USA Today.

Disrespected 

Michigan State probably wouldn't mind a little more credit for what it has accomplished this year, but feeding on the perceived lack of proper due sure doesn't hurt, either.

Offensively speaking, Michigan State certainly doesn't get enough credit thanks to the attention the defense commands. Backs LJ Scott and Gerald Holmes have totaled 11 and eight rushing scores, respectively, behind one of college football's most dominant lines.

Connor Cook has NFL scouts abuzz after a stellar season highlighted by 2,921 yards and a 24-5 touchdowns-interceptions ratio. He's had plenty of time to rest an injured shoulder, too, a critical element of Thursday's game given the fact Alabama leads the nation in sacks and Cook will need to use his mobility if the line in front of him breaks down.

Cook and the offense don't get enough credit mostly due to the defense, though. It tends to happen when a unit features standouts along the line such as Shilique Calhoun and tackle Malik McDowell, among many others at all levels.

Co-defensive coordinator Harlon Barnett told FoxSports.com's Stewart Mandel his unit knows what it's up against when facing Heisman winner Derrick Henry.

"We've watched enough film, our guys understand what we're facing," Barnett said. "He's a fall-forward back. He's not getting knocked back too many times. What's a two-yard gain for some backs in the country is a four- to five-yard gain for him because he's so big and he's always falling forward."

Having already limited Oregon's Royce Freeman to 92 yards on 24 carries and Ohio State's Ezekiel Elliott to 33 on 12, Calhoun and the Spartans aren't foreign to what must happen Thursday.

Pulling off a similar feat against Henry and a monster Alabama line would certainly halt any supposed disrespect.

Grounded

Alabama doesn't make a secret about what it wants to do with the ball.

Henry boasts 1,986 yards and 23 scores on the year, making it easy on quarterback Jake Coker, who completed 65.7 percent of his passes with 2,489 yards and 17 touchdowns to eight interceptions.

This goes beyond the actual running game, though. If Michigan State's rallying point is disrespect, it's all about maturity for Saban's Crimson Tide, who suffered an upset this time last year while players seemed to look past the CFP.

Saban told the Associated Press' John Zenor "their attitude is a lot better" this year and explained last year's hiccup.

"I think they felt a little entitled when they won the SEC championship and just didn't really want to…look, this is a new season. So when you get into a new season, what you've done in the past doesn't have anything to do with what you'll do moving forward," Saban said.

The Crimson Tide aren't strangers to elite running attacks. They shut down Wisconsin in a 35-17 season-opening win and even stood tall against LSU's Leonard Fournette, limiting him to 19 carries for 31 yards in a 30-16 win. Maybe the biggest blemish came when Georgia's Nick Chubb ran for 146 yards on 20 carries, but it was a lopsided 38-10 win.

Michigan State's going to look to run early and often with its committee of backs in an effort to protect Cook from Alabama's rush. Alabama, though, isn't a stranger to the idea.

They biggest task, as Saban seems to attest, comes against themselves to avoid the same fate as last year against a Big Ten opponent. 

Prediction

Alabama won't make the same mistake twice. 

The Crimson Tide will come out prepared and favored and play like it for four full frames, which is something Michigan State hasn't been able to do this year, hence the close calls against Michigan and Ohio State.

Over those four full frames, the Alabama defense can force Cook into mistakes once the Spartans fall behind. Sooner or later, the Michigan defensive front will soften under the relentless assault from Henry, giving way to the Crimson Tide pulling away.

While Michigan State has pulled off some thrilling feats this year, a lack of a strong start like in past big games won't fare well against Alabama. Saban, Henry and the rest have last year to learn from, and it'll show as the game wears on and the Crimson Tide march to the final.

Prediction: Alabama 28, Michigan State 24

Statistics courtesy of ESPN unless otherwise specified. All betting information courtesy of Odds Shark.