2015 Cotton Bowl semifinal, Alabama vs. Michigan State: Date, time, location and more

The Cotton Bowl Classic has a lengthy history dating back to New Year’s Day in 1937, but for the first time ever it will serve as the stage for a semifinals game in the College Football Playoff.

In the first year of the College Football Playoff era, the Cotton Bowl served as one of the New Year’s Six games, but did not host a semifinal. With a chance for a trip to the National Championship Game now on the line, all eyes will be tuned to AT&T Stadium.

When the game was first founded in 1937, it was held in the Cotton Bowl. But in 2006, a bid to become part of the BCS Championship Series led the game to be moved to the newly built AT&T Stadium in 2010.

Here is everything you need to know to get ready for this year’s Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic:

Date and time: Thursday, Dec. 31, 4 or 8 p.m. ET

TV channel: ESPN

Location: Arlington, Texas

Stadium: AT&T Stadium, 85,000

Last year’s score: Michigan State 42, Baylor 41

Last year’s attendance: 71,465

Last year’s TV rating: 5.2

Last year’s payout for each school: $3.625 million

Teams with the most all-time appearances: Texas, 22

Teams with the most all-time wins: Texas, 11

After a slow start in the SEC Championship Game, Alabama came back to dominate Florida just as everyone expected, and the Crimson Tide are headed back to the College Football Playoff for the second year in a row. Despite an early season loss to Ole Miss, Nick Saban’s team bounced back to dominate the SEC West.

The offense is a big part of the domination. The Crimson Tide bounced around between different quarterbacks earlier in the season, but they finally decided on Jacob Coker and haven’t looked back. Coker has starred both through the air and with his feet this year, and he’s benefited from the addition of star wide receiver Calvin Ridley. And don’t forget likely Heisman Trophy winner Derrick Henry, who passed Herschel Walker as the SEC’s single season rushing leader.

The defense has hit its stride, as well. The front seven is arguably the best in the country, and the secondary, which struggled against Ole Miss, has been lockdown ever since. The Crimson Tide hasn’t given up more than 16 points since mid-October. Alabama will be a tough out with both units playing as well as they have been.

Last bowl game: 2014 season’s Sugar Bowl (42-35 loss to Ohio State)

All-time bowl record: 34-24-3

Head coach’s bowl record: Nick Saban is 8-8 in bowl games. He’s 5-3 with Alabama, 3-2 with LSU and 0-3 with Michigan State.

Against a lot of probability, Michigan State is set for its College Football Playoff debut this winter. The Spartans were a play away from losing to Michigan, Ohio State and Iowa -- all Playoff contenders -- but won in the last minute against all of them. They had close calls against a couple of bad teams in Purdue and Rutgers, but the Spartans have slogged through 13 games with just one dubiously officiated loss to Nebraska.

The Spartans have a lot going for them. They’re certainly battle tested, but they’re also talented. Senior quarterback Connor Cook struggled a little bit in the Big Ten Championship, but he’s had a terrific season. So have receivers Aaron Burbridge and Macgarrett Kings and tight end Josiah Price. Running backs Scott, Gerald Holmes and Madre London have given the backfield some youthful punch, and it all works because of a steady offensive line anchored by left tackle Jack Conklin. The defense is good, too, even though it doesn’t have the sort of dominating cornerback the Spartans have had in most recent years. Inside linebacker Riley Bullough and pass-rushing end Shilique Calhoun are the ring leaders for a unit that stands No. 26 nationally in total defense and No. 19 in points allowed.

Michigan State doesn’t usually win big. With the exception of blowouts against Penn State and Indiana, the Spartans have played reasonably tight games all the way through their season. That’s probably how the Playoff shapes up, and the Spartans won’t be overmatched in a national semifinal against Clemson.

Last bowl game: 2014 Cotton Bowl (42-41 win over Baylor)

All-time bowl record: 10-14

Head coach’s bowl record: Mark Dantonio is 5-4 in bowl games.