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If my Twitter mentions mean anything, Michigan football fans aren’t exactly eager to play Alabama in the VRBO Citrus Bowl on Jan. 1 in Orlando, Florida. But, to me, this is the best scenario.
Maybe that sounds insane. Alabama has been the best football program in the country over the past decade. However, this one feels different. And this is the only game that could change the national narrative for the Wolverines.
The last three years, Michigan did not want to play in any of their bowl games. The last win — in the Citrus Bowl over Florida — the Gators didn’t want to be there, while Michigan wanted to prove it could hang with the big boys after a devastating loss to Ohio State. Florida was relegated to a non-NY6 bowl despite being in the SEC Championship where it lost to — yes, Bama. But the maize and blue were in the same scenario, in one way or another, the next three years.
Let’s look at each year: Florida State was trying to show it belonged with a Michigan team that many thought was deserving of being in the College Football Playoff, but missed due to a questionable spot in The Game. The Wolverines had the look of one of the best four in the country, but a stumble in Iowa City mixed with falling apart down the stretch in Columbus meant that the Wolverines had to settle for a consolation prize. Jabrill Peppers, arguably Michigan’s best player, didn’t play in that game. Jake Butt said all month that they weren’t disappointed, given their ‘sweet opponent,’ but it felt like the team was trying to convince itself it wanted to be there. Its lackluster play through much of the game all but proved it didn’t.
The next year, the Wolverines played South Carolina in the Outback Bowl, in a season derailed by injury after injury. They hung with Ohio State despite an obvious talent disparity only to lose it in the final minutes of The Game. Michigan had a 19-point lead in the third quarter that it squandered with undisciplined and unmotivated play.
Last year, playing against Florida for the ten-thousandth time, multiple Michigan players sat out for various reasons. The Wolverines were without star playmakers Rashan Gary, Devin Bush and Karan Higdon, among others, and the Gators were in Michigan’s 2015 position, looking to prove it could hang and more in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl.
So now, Michigan draws Alabama after an embarrassment, again, at the hands of the Buckeyes. The Crimson Tide will be without star quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, and who knows which others will choose to sit. Michigan offensive coordinator Josh Gattis has full familiarity with the inner-workings of the Alabama program, having spent 2018 there. The Wolverines don’t have as many sure-fire early-round draft picks this year, so it’s doubtful that anyone will sit to preserve their draft stock.
But, most importantly, regardless of Alabama’s motivation, this is an opportunity for Jim Harbaugh & Co. to change the narrative for good — that he can’t beat big teams, can’t win big games, et cetera.
This is the only game that has the opportunity to do that. No other opponent that Michigan could have drawn has that cache. Not Oregon or Utah. Not Auburn or Georgia. No ACC also-ran. Just Alabama.
To me, this is a huge win. But, Michigan has to come out firing on all cylinders. If it loses, nothing really changes. The narrative remains the same. But if it wins? Well, that changes everything.
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