Michigan State vs. Alabama in the College Football Playoff: Everything You Need To Know

It’s been almost a month since we last saw the Michigan State football team in action, but the Spartans finally hit the field Thursday in a much-anticipated College Football Playoff semifinal.

Michigan State-Alabama is a matchup of two teams with very similar, old-school playing styles, which surely should produce a smash-mouth football game.

Here’s everything you need to know.

When: Thursday, December 31, 8 p.m. ET

Where: AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas

TV: ESPN

Point spread: Alabama by 10

How they got here

Michigan State: The Spartans have been on both the giving and receiving ends of some crazy finishes in college football this season.

First, Michigan State stunned Michigan in the Big House, with an unbelievable blocked punt touchdown as time expired that will go down as one of the all-time great college football finishes.

Three weeks later, Nebraska hit a 30-yard touchdown with less than 20 seconds left to hand the Spartans their first loss of the season.

To leave no doubt about their playoff fate, though, Michigan State and star quarterback Connor Cook finished the season with wins over Ohio State and Iowa — both undefeated at the time they met — in three weeks to secure the playoff spot.

Alabama: Many counted the Crimson Tide out after an early season loss to Ole Miss, but Alabama responded in dominating fashion to clinch the No. 2 seed in the College Football Playoff.

Alabama plowed through the rest of its schedule, largely on the back of its Heisman Trophy-winning running back, Derrick Henry.

The Crimson Tide took down SEC challengers like LSU and Florida en route to a second straight playoff berth under former Michigan State coach Nick Saban.

Last time they met: There’s a slight revenge factor in play Thursday. The last time Alabama played Michigan State in football, the Crimson Tide won in dominating fashion, 49-7, in the Capitol One Bowl to finish off the 2010 season.