Michigan State played Alabama for the first and only time in the 2011 Capital One Bowl – it wasn’t pretty.
The stakes are a bit higher now than they were in the Crimson Tide’s 49-7 win with both programs shooting for a spot in the national championship game.
College Football Odds at BookMaker.eu
Alabama Crimson Tide -10
Michigan State Spartans +10
Over/Under 49
ODDS ANALYSIS
Alabama is the pick to win it all if you look at the opening line. The Tide was pegged as 10-point chalk, a rather alarming number considering you have two of the top programs facing one another. Bama is just 7-6 ATS this season, mainly due to the large lines they’ve been up against. The Tide failed to cover in the SEC title game as 16.5-point favorites in 29-15 win over Florida. They are 3-5 ATS in games as a double digit favorite this season.
2015 ALABAMA IN REVIEW
Following a home loss to Mississippi that left the Tide with a 2-1 record, Nick Saban’s group was being written off. Two weeks after that defeat, Bama was an underdog for the only time this season at Georgia and the team responded with a 38-10 victory. With the exception of a 19-14 win over Tennessee, Alabama cruised the rest of the way, entering the initial CFP rankings at No. 4. The Tide improved to No. 2 the next week in the selection committee’s estimation and stayed there. Alabama wins on talent, but it also wins with the right formula of cranking out the running game and not screwing up offensively. The Tide lost the turnover battle just twice this season – the loss to Ole Miss and against Arkansas. Running back Derrick Henry is the workhorse and likely Heisman Trophy winner, rushing for nearly 2,000 yards behind a mammoth offensive line. The Tide wears opponents down in the trenches on both sides of the football and once again survived a brutal SEC schedule. As the only program to make the final four in consecutive seasons, it’s up to Alabama to end the SEC’s national championship drought at two years.
2015 MICHIGAN STATE IN REVIEW
The Spartans are a hard-nosed team that grinds out wins, relying on defense and experience to survive close contests. MSU ranked tied for fourth in turnover margin, seventh in rushing defense, 26th in total defense and 10th in time of possession. Six of their games were decided by four points or less and another by seven points. The Spartans beat nine bowl eligible teams in 2015, including Michigan, Ohio State and Iowa in the Big Ten Championship. Their lone blemish was a one-point loss at Nebraska in which the outcome was decided on a controversial call with 17 seconds left. MSU does all the little things right. It’s not going to beat itself with penalties, big turnovers and, most importantly, it’s not going to stall. The offense is tremendous on third downs, and because of it, it’s outstanding at grinding out the clock and controlling the game.
ALABAMA BOWL HISTORY
Alabama, making its 63rd bowl appearance, has played in more bowl games and earned more bowl victories than any school in college football history. The Tide has posted a 34-24-3 all-time bowl record and is making its ninth consecutive bowl appearance under Saban and the 12th straight overall. The Tide also is making its eighth straight New Year’s bowl appearance under Saban, who owns a 5-3 record in bowl games at Alabama. Saban has already won three national championships while in Tuscaloosa – in 2009, 2011 and 2012. Overall, Alabama has claimed 15 titles, the most in college football.
MICHIGAN STATE BOWL HISTORY
The Spartans have won a school record four consecutive bowl games, including a 41-14 Cotton Bowl comeback over Baylor on Jan. 1 – so, yes, Sparty has a chance to be Cotton Bowl champs twice this year. MSU is one of five schools in the FBS to win a bowl game in each of its last four seasons. The Spartans are extending their school record by playing in a bowl game for the ninth consecutive season. Coach Mark Dantonio is 4-4 in bowl games at Michigan State and has led teams to 11 bowl berths in 12 seasons as a head coach.
Access live betting lines from your mobile device or tablet at BookMaker Sportsbook! You can wager on sporting events as they unfold on television with BookMaker’s live betting platform. Real-time spreads, totals, props and moneyline odds are all available by clicking here so start betting with BookMaker today! The Michigan State Spartans and Alabama Crimson Tide square off on Thursday, December 31, 2015, at 8 p.m. ET at ATT Stadium. The game will be televised nationally on ESPN.
