Cotton Bowl 2015: Michigan State vs. Alabama Pregame Comments, Predictions

Either Michigan State or Alabama is going to ring in the New Year with a berth in the College Football Playoff National Championship Game under its belt. Both teams finished the season remarkably strong, which only adds to the intrigue heading into the Cotton Bowl semifinal.

The Spartans triumphed over Ohio State and Iowa as part of a four-game winning streak to close out the campaign after a loss to Nebraska. On the flip side, the Crimson Tide won 10 straight after an early loss to Texas A&M, with five of those victories coming over ranked opponents.

It sets the stage for a memorable battle to close out 2015. Let's check out all of the important viewing information for the College Football Playoff clash. That's followed by some comments from both sides and a prediction for which side will advance to the title game.

Game Details

Where: AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas

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

Watch: ESPN

Live Stream: WatchESPN

Tickets: ScoreBig.com

Pregame Comments and Preview

Alabama head coach Nick Saban had flashbacks to last year's semifinal loss to Ohio State while preparing for the physical Michigan State defense. He felt the Spartans could provide many of the same matchup problems that doomed the Tide in the inaugural playoff, per Matt Zenitz of AL.com:

"

What we ran into last year, because we thought we were going to have some matchup advantages, was that when we threw the perimeter bubble passes and things like that, that we could not block the guy, couldn't block the linebacker because he was a bigger guy than what we were used to seeing. We need to be able to make those kinds of blocks this year because when a guy cheats in the box, you need to throw the ball out there so that he has to get out there and he can't cheat in the box because you can't block them all if you allow them to do that.

"

The Tide ran the ball just fine against the Buckeyes one year ago, racking up 170 yards and three touchdowns on the ground. But quarterback Blake Sims, who did throw a pair of touchdowns, finished with just 237 yards and three interceptions.

Alabama needs to get more bang for the buck when it goes to the air against Michigan State. The onus is on quarterback Jake Coker to take advantage of one-on-one opportunities on the outside when the Spartans crowd the box to stop running back Derrick Henry, but he must also protect the ball much better than Sims last year.

Coker started the season with six interceptions over his first six games but has just two over his past seven contests, including none in the last three. He stated his improved play can be attributed to the confidence the staff has given him, as relayed by Bill Bender of Sporting News.

"I appreciate the way they've kind of let me progress as the season has gone on," Coker said. "They've put their trust in me. I think that's helped me play a lot better. They've trusted me to make those plays."

While Michigan State must remain cognizant of the play-action shots downfield, the team's main defensive goal is still slowing down Henry, the season's Heisman Trophy winner. He's racked up over 2,000 yards of offense and 23 touchdowns.

John Henry of the Star-Telegram noted Spartans linebacker Darien Harris had nothing but praise for the powerful 6'3", 242-pound playmaker.

"You definitely can’t hit him up high because of his size and physicality," Harris said. "He won the Heisman for a reason. He can do everything: break out into the open field, stiff-arm, pass protects and catches the ball out of the backfield. He's a complete back."

Trying to contain the Heisman winner speaks to the larger challenge for Michigan State, which enters as a 10-point underdog, according to Odds Shark. The team's margin for error is razor-thin.

Spartans head coach Mark Dantonio didn't shy away from that fact leading up to the game, as Matt Charboneau of the Detroit News highlighted.

"Great opportunity to be here today, but it will be a great challenge," Dantonio said on Wednesday. "We'll need to be at our best, play at our best, because our best is going to be needed here."

That goes for every phase, whether it's Harris and the defense trying to slow down Henry, quarterback Connor Cook and the offense trying to sustain extended drives against 'Bama's second-ranked defense or the special teams unit avoiding any game-altering mistakes.

Ultimately, while Michigan State may be able to keep the game close into the fourth quarter, the combination of Henry and Alabama's defense will likely be too much in the end.

The Tide found a comfort zone after that loss to Texas A&M and have looked virtually unbeatable ever since. They'll ride that wave into the national title game.

Prediction: Alabama 27, Michigan State 21