Peach Bowl 2015: Florida State vs. Houston TV Schedule and Live Stream

All season, the Houston Cougars have been proving themselves as the top team outside of college football's Power Five conferences. Now they'll have the opportunity to prove they can play with college football's elite when they go against the Florida State Seminoles in the Peach Bowl. 

With a noon kickoff on New Year's Eve, it's the first of the New Year's Six and an interesting matchup to kick off the biggest day in this college football season. 

Here's all the information you need to make sure you don't miss out on this game:

Where: Georgia Dome, Atlanta, Georgia

When: Thursday, December 31, at 12 p.m. ET

TV: ESPN

Live Stream: Watch ESPN

According to Odds Shark, the Seminoles come into the game as a seven-point favorite over the 12-1 Cougars. That shouldn't be a surprise. The 'Noles may have fallen short of the massive expectations created by a playoff appearance last season, but they are still a top 10 team. 

The Cougars shouldn't be counted out though. Houston has done a lot to prove its merit as a top team in college football and is predicted to win the game by FEI projections, according to BCF Toys. 

Here's a look at the key matchups that will determine whether the Cougars are able to pull off the upset. 

Dalvin Cook vs. the Houston Cougars' Front Seven

Jon Barash/Associated Press

There's a case to be made that Dalvin Cook is the best running back in the country. He's that good. 

Sure, he didn't get an invite to New York for the Heisman ceremony. But that has more to do with Florida State fading from the spotlight after losing to Georgia Tech than Cook's injuries. The star back only carried the ball twice against Wake Forest (albeit for 94 yards and a touchdown) and missed the Syracuse game completely. 

Still, no one has been more explosive on the field. Cook leads the nation in runs of 20 yards or more and averages the most yards after contact, as college football writer Matt Hinton notes:

The Dalvin Cook Problem is something that Houston head coach Tom Herman is well aware of. He went out of his way to mention both Cook and defensive back Jalen Ramsey during the team's preparation for this game, per Joseph Duarte of the Houston Chronicle:

The Cougars definitely have their work cut out for them but have passed every test they could on their way to this game. Houston's front seven has actually been one of the best run-stuffing units in the country this season. 

It's a front that is allowing just 3.3 yards per carry on the season and hasn't relented more than four yards per carry to a single opponent this year. That includes Navy who ended the season as the country's eighth-best team in yards per carry. 

Cook is a much different task than the triple-option attack that Navy brought to the table, so keying on Cook will make a huge difference in this game. 

Greg Ward vs. the Florida State Defense

Thomas B. Shea-USA TODAY Sports

If this were just Houston quarterback Greg Ward against the Seminoles' secondary, Florida State wouldn't have much to worry about. It ranks fourth in the nation in passing yards allowed per attempt and has given up just 12 passing touchdowns this season. 

But Greg Ward isn't just a passer, so it takes more than the four men in the secondary to stop him. It means all 11 defenders must know where he is on the field to slow down the dynamic playmaker. 

The aformentioned Ramsey spoke to the challenges of stopping a dual-threat quarterback like Ward, per Brendan Sonnone of the Orlando Sentinel:

"

The quarterback really makes the team run. We understand how good of an athlete he is; he used to be a receiver. But we don’t discredit his throwing ability as well because we’ve seen him make great throws on the run. And he can make throws in the pocket. He’s very dynamic, so we have to be very conscious of him.

"

Sonnone goes on to point out that the Seminoles have done a great job containing mobile quarterbacks throughout the season, with one exception—Clemson's Deshaun Watson. 

The Heisman finalist carved up the Noles' defense for 107 yards on the ground and 297 more yards through the air as he handed the Seminoles their second loss of the season. While Ward isn't quite the passer that Watson is, his running skills are right on par with the Clemson signal-caller. 

	Passing Yards	Passing TDs	Rushing Yards	Rushing TDs	Yards/Play
Watson	3512	30	887	11	7.64
Ward	2590	16	1041	19	7.53

After posting gaudy numbers against AAC competition all season, Ward will finally get the chance to prove himself against a top defense. 

Much like his teammates, college football fans are going to get the opportunity to see just how good Ward is with his team on the national stage. 

All statistics used courtesy of CFBStats.com unless otherwise noted.