Previewing Michigan-Bama: Why to watch, who to watch and what will happen
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Michigan’s 2024 started off with a bang as the Wolverines put together a come-from-behind, OT victory over Alabama at the Rose Bowl on Jan. 1 to punch their ticket to the National Championship Game. The final day of 2024 will pit those same two schools against each other in a matchup that lacks the stakes, fanfare and player participation that the Jan. 1 contest in Pasadena had. But hey, college football is college football. And stakes-less exhibition or not, it will be fans’ last chance to see Michigan play a school other than itself for the next nine months.
So even though Michigan enters as one of bowl season’s biggest underdogs (13.5 points as of this writing) and even though the Wolverines’ already toothless offense is going to be an even weaker version of itself with injuries, attrition and opt-outs, there still are reasons to watch Tuesday’s ReliaQuest Bowl matchup between two of college football’s most storied programs.
This newsletter will serve as my breakdown of Michigan and Alabama in Tampa — including an audio breakdown from me and The Michigan Insider’s Sam Webb, a “why to watch” section for those on the fence and a “who to watch” section for those interested in things other than the scoreboard (probably a wise decision). And I’ll even humor myself and toss in a prediction for good measure.
So let’s get to it after the paywall jump.👇
