When the Alabama Crimson Tide and Michigan Wolverines face off in the 2024 ReliaQuest Bowl, it will be their third head-to-head meeting in five seasons — and their second in the past 365 days.
At least from the standpoint of uniforms, it will also be an aesthetically pleasing game to watch on TV or in person, if you’re traveling to Raymond James Stadium in Tampa.
There are few if any teams in all of college football that are as uniquely identifiable as the Wolverines’ in their maize and blue combo, or Alabama in its crimson and white threads (officially named Crimson Flame and Victory White by the university).
But what color jersey will these two heavyweight programs be wearing when they meet again on New Year’s Eve?
Well, neither school has made any official announcement on that front but for a bit of fun, we look to the past for clues as to which team will be wearing home and away jerseys.
The ReliaQuest Bowl (formerly the Outback Bowl) has pitted the SEC vs. the Big Ten in every matchup since the 1995 season. The Big Ten representative has been designated as the home team in even years (after the 2016 regular season, 2018, 2020, etc.), while the SEC representative has been the home team in odd years.
When Alabama made its last appearance in the Outback Bowl on New Year’s Day 1997 (also against Michigan) following the ’96 regular season, the Crimson Tide wore their road white jerseys. Like then, Alabama is the designated visiting team for this year’s matchup.
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A season ago, LSU was the designated home team in Tampa and opted to wear its alternate purple jerseys over gold pants against Wisconsin. When Indiana was the designated home team following the 2020 season, the Hoosiers wore their home uniforms against Ole Miss.
That means the Crimson Tide will likely be in their classic all-white jerseys, though not necessarily. Schools that are designated as the home team still have the option to wear white.
If Alabama indeed takes the field in Tampa in their road jerseys, it will mark the same uniform matchup as last season’s Rose Bowl against Michigan in the College Football Playoff semifinals. The Wolverines wore a matching blue pant combination in that game but could opt for their traditional maize pants this time.
Regardless of who ends up wearing what jersey, Alabama-Michigan is bound to be as close to perfection as any uniform matchup will get during the 2024-25 college football bowl season.
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