Alabama Football: Cotton Bowl (CFP) Predictions

Nick Saban and the Alabama football team aim to remove the bitterness of last year’s College Football Playoff loss to Ohio State. They face the perfect opponent for such a feat in fellow Big 10 East opponent Michigan State.

2014: Alabama suffers an early season loss to Ole Miss and finds their rhythm late with a first year quarterback and dominant running game to win the SEC and look unstoppable heading into the College Football Playoff against a Big 10 East opponent.

2015: Alabama suffers an early season loss to Ole Miss and finds…

Yeah. The Alabama football team enters the 2015 College Football Playoff in nearly an identical scenario that they did in 2014. They were unable to defeat Ohio State, who they were favored to beat.

Can Alabama prove Vegas right this time and knock off Michigan State?

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How Alabama Can Win:

It isn’t difficult to see why Alabama is favored to win this game. They are essentially playing themselves without a Heisman Trophy winner and less heralded recruits. Both teams run the ball and aim to pass the ball proficiently (if not impressively). Each team keys on stopping the run and has looked suspect against passing attacks. The goal here for the Tide will be to simply execute “Alabama football” better than Michigan State can.

How Alabama Can Lose:

Mark Dantonio doesn’t lose big games often. According to ESPN, Michigan State has won 7 of their last 8 games against top 10 opponents — even as the lower ranked team 5 of those times. The key for Michigan State will be forcing turnovers (groundbreaking idea, I know). Alabama has only lost once this season. In that loss, the Crimson Tide turned the ball over 5 times and were not able to force any. As old school as it is, that is Sparty’s best bet to steal a win the College Football Playoff.

Predictions:

John: I’m not buying into the rumor that Nick Saban has lost his touch in big games. Yes they lost Oklahoma in the Sugar Bowl. Yes Ohio State beat them in the inaugural College Football Playoff. I’m still selling. Saban has coached in so many big games he was bound to lose a few eventually. I think the Tide lean heavily on Derrick Henry and they win a close game. I just can’t see Michigan State’s 66th ranked offense causing too many problems for Alabama’s 2nd ranked defense. Give me Alabama 31-21.

Ben: I’m going to keep saying it and I’m going to continue to be ridiculed, but I’m taking Michigan State to win. What they did against Ohio State with a second string quarterback cannot be overlooked. I believe they will bottle of the Heisman winner similarly to the way they bottled up Ezekiel Elliot. Ezekiel Elliot has rushed for 100 or more yards ever single game this season except one. Against whom? That’s right, Michigan State. Alabama’s run defense can match the stifling run defense, so it comes to quarterback play. If Michigan State can shut down the Ohio State quarterback duo, why should I believe they can’t stop Alabama’s Jake Coker? Give me Michigan State to pull the upset, despite probably being double digit underdogs at kick off.

Neal: Give me the Tide to win this game.

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