Sugar Bowl Preview Capsule
No. 1 ALABAMA (12-1, No. 1 CFP) vs. No. 5 OHIO STATE (12-1, No. 4 CFP), 8:30 p.m. EST Thursday (ESPN)
Line: Alabama by 9.
Series Record: Alabama leads 3-0.
WHAT'S AT STAKE
Under the new College Football Playoff system, the Sugar Bowl doubles this season as a semifinal, with the winner advancing to the national championship game in Dallas against the winner of the other semifinal, the Rose Bowl matchup between No. 2 Oregon and No. 3 Florida State.
KEY MATCHUP
Ohio State QB Cardale Jones, who is making only his second start in place of injured J.T. Barrett, faces an Alabama secondary that has looked vulnerable at times. Jones passed for 257 and three TDs with no interceptions in Ohio State's 59-0 victory over Wisconsin in the Big Ten title game. The Crimson Tide gave up 456 yards passing to Auburn in the Iron Bowl, but won 55-44.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Ohio State: DE Joey Bosa has 20 tackles for losses, including 13 1-2 sacks. His honors this season include All-American, Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year and finalist for the Lombardi, Hendricks and Bednarik awards.
Alabama: WR Amari Cooper was a Heisman Trophy finalist this season. His 115 catches for 1,656 yards and 14 touchdowns set Alabama single-season records in each category.
FACTS & FIGURES
Ohio State, which won the Big Ten championship for the 35th time, enters the Sugar Bowl on an 11-game winning streak. ... Alabama has won eight straight since losing at Mississippi on Oct. 4 and captured its 24th Southeastern Conference title. ... . Ezekiel Elliott leads the Buckeyes' running game with 1,402 yards and 12 touchdowns. ... Alabama junior RB T.J. Yeldon has 3,275 yards rushing in his career. ... The Buckeyes are 36-3 since Urban Meyer took over as coach in 2012. ... Under new offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin, the Crimson Tide set a school record with 6,376 total yards, an average of 490.5 per game. ... Ohio State led the Big Ten with a 507.6-yard average and 45.2 points a game. ... Ohio State is 0-10 officially against the SEC in bowl games, vacating its lone victory against Arkansas in the 2011 Sugar Bowl because of NCAA violations. ... The most recent meeting between these traditional powerhouses was the 1995 Citrus Bowl, where the Crimson Tide prevailed 24-17. ... Their only other games were at the 1978 Sugar Bowl (Alabama 35-6) and the 1986 Kickoff Classic at the Meadowlands (Alabama 16-10).