The Michigan State Spartans are 16-1 straight up and 9-7-1 against the spread over their last 17 games. The Spartans will be looking for a big upset this New Year’s Eve facing off against the Alabama Crimson Tide in the second College Football Playoff semifinal game.
Michigan State vs. Alabama odds, Cotton Bowl 2015: Spartans betting underdog vs. Tide
Michigan State and Alabama meet in the second game of the College Football Playoff semifinals on New Year’s Eve with the Tide big favorites.
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Michigan State is a 9.5-point betting underdog in the Cotton Bowl according to sportsbooks monitored by OddsShark.com. In their last nine bowl appearances, the Spartans are just 2-7 SU.
After going 0-6 ATS through a sloppy 6-0 SU start, the Michigan State Spartans turned their season around with one big play. Catapulted by a road win over Michigan due to a punt block returned for touchdown on the final play of the game, the Spartans ended the season on a 6-1 SU and 5-1-1 ATS run, including a 17-14 road win over Ohio State as a 14.5-point underdog and a 16-13 win over Iowa in the Big Ten Championship Game.
Michigan State’s defense allowed only 10 points per game over the last four games of the season.
The Spartans have excelled in the underdog role in recent seasons. Michigan State is 9-4 SU and 11-1-1 ATS in its last 13 games as the betting underdog per the OddsShark College Football Database.
Michigan State Spartans vs. Alabama Crimson Tide
When: Thursday, Dec. 31, 8 p.m. ET
Where: AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas
Betting Line / Total: Alabama -9.5 / 46.5 Points
Alabama's 43-37 home loss to Ole Miss in the team's third game of the season put the Crimson Tide in a big hole early, but they climbed out of that hole in dominant fashion. The Crimson Tide ended the regular season on a 10-0 SU and 6-4 ATS run, beating their opponents by an average of 21.6 points along the way.
Derrick Henry ran away with the Heisman Trophy race, rushing for 1,986 yards and 23 touchdowns this season. Alabama is 5-1 SU and ATS in its last six games against Big Ten opponents.
Thursday night’s total is set at 46.5 points. The OVER is 4-0 in Alabama’s last four December games and 8-1 in Alabama’s last nine bowl games.
While the Crimson Tide may be the superior team, Michigan State has played way too well on defense this season and plays too well as an underdog to be written off. Take the 9.5 points on the Spartans to keep it close in the Cotton Bowl.
