Tag: ReliaQuest Bowl

WATCH: Acting OC Steve Casula previews Michigan football vs. Alabama

Some really good stuff here. #GoBlue

TAMPA, Fla. — Michigan football is gearing up for a new era in Sherrone Moore’s second year, but it still has to close out the 2024 season in the ReliaQuest Bowl against Alabama.

The Wolverines will likely have a new starting quarterback next season (favorites are freshman Bryce Underwood or incoming transfer Mikey Keene) and will certainly have a new offensive coordinator in former North Carolina OC Chip Lindsey. However, for the bowl game, tight ends coach Steve Casula is handling those duties in the interim.

On Friday, before the Wolverines took the field for their first practice in the state of Florida, Casula met with the media to discuss all things Michigan football.

You can watch most of his press conference below (we didn’t start recording until the second question).

From team preparation, players who are standing out, his thoughts on Bryce Underwood and more, there are a lot of takeaways from the former UMass offensive coordinator.

LOOK: Photos from Michigan football’s first practice in Tampa for ReliaQuest Bowl

Lots of first looks at early enrollees and much more! #GoBlue

TAMPA, Fla. — The last time Michigan football played in Tampa, in what was then the Outback Bowl, all of the hype surrounding the team was about a quarterback who was incoming. Apparently, the more things change, the more they stay the same.

In 2017, that quarterback was transfer Shea Patterson, who was the top signal-caller in his class (2016). But unlike in 2024, Patterson hadn’t joined his team. In 2024, that QB is Bryce Underwood, who cannot play until next year, but as an early enrollee is free to partake in everything that the Wolverines are doing in preparation for the ReliaQuest Bowl.

Whether it’s early enrollees (Underwood, LB Nathaniel Owusu-Boateng, five-star OT Andrew Babalola, WRs Andrew Marsh and Jamar Browder, OG Avery Gach were all spotted and photographed, we also saw Bobby Kanka, Julius Holly, and Eli Owens) or players getting ready, we made it to Tampa (Fla.) Jesuit to see the maize and blue in action at the beginning of the first practice for the matchup against Alabama.

Here are some pictures we managed to snag.

A look back at Alabama vs. Michigan head-to-head football history

Alabama and Michigan will meet for the seventh time on New Year’s Eve.

On Dec. 31, the 2024 season will officially come to a close for the Alabama Crimson Tide, as the program faces off against the Michigan Wolverines for the ReliaQuest Bowl in Tampa, Florida.

While not a part of the College Football Playoff, this is still one of the more intriguing bowl games this season as it not only pits two of college football’s top brands against each other, but is also a rematch from the CFP Semifinal just last year.

Well, we certainly know the recent history between the Crimson Tide and Wolverines, but just how many times before have Alabama and Michigan met?

All-time, Alabama and Michigan have met six times before, with a majority of the games coming in bowls. The series its split even at 3-3 apiece, with the first meeting having come back in 1987 via a 28-24 win for Michigan.

Alabama’s first win in the series would come in 1997 by a final score of 17-14, with Michigan however getting their revenge a few years later in 2000 with a 35-34 win. The two teams would have a lengthy break in between games however, not meeting again until the 2012 season opener in Arlington, Texas when the Crimson Tide dominated Michigan, 41-14.

In recent years, Alabama and Michigan have split the past two matchups, the first of which was a 35-16 win in the Citrus Bowl back in 2020. The most recent was arguably the most famous as well in the aforementioned College Football Playoff Semifinal a year ago in which Michigan topped the Crimson Tide in the Rose Bowl, 27-20, on their way to winning the national title.

Set to meet for the seventh time Dec. 31, will it be Alabama or Michigan getting their fourth win all-time in the ReliaQuest Bowl?

Nick Saban predicts Alabama vs. Michigan, SEC bowl games, and CFP winners and losers

Check out who Nick Saban picked to win Alabama’s bowl game vs. Michigan, as well as other SEC bowl matchups and Saturday’s first-round CFP slate.

The Alabama Crimson Tide are spending the weekend before the Christmas break preparing for their bowl game matchup against the Michigan Wolverines in Tampa, Fla., on New Year’s Eve.

No, the ReliaQuest Bowl (formerly the Outback Bowl) isn’t what Alabama players, fans or coach Kalen DeBoer wanted, but the Crimson Tide (9-3 overall) still have a lot to play for.

Alabama is hoping to extends its streak of 10-win seasons to 17 straight years and can do that with a win over a Michigan program (7-5) that also had higher expectations after winning the national championship a season ago.

Players like quarterback Jalen Milroe and others could improve their NFL Draft stock, should they decide to declare.

On Saturday, former Alabama coach Nick Saban and the rest of ESPN’s “College GameDay” crew were in Columbus for that night’s first-round College Football Playoff game between the Tennessee Volunteers and Ohio State Buckeyes.

The crew of Saban, Kirk Herbstreit, Lee Corso, Pat McAfee, Desmond Howard and celebrity guest picker A.J. Hawk weighed in with their predictions on Alabama vs. Michigan in the ReliaQuest Bowl.

“There is nobody in Tennessee rooting for Alabama, but I’ve got to go with the Crimson Tide on this one,” Saban said while acknowledging the large contingent of Vols fans in Columbus.

McAfee agreed with Saban, as did Corso and Hawk. Howard and Herbstreit picked Michigan to beat Alabama.

Kickoff for Alabama vs. Michigan is set for 11 a.m. CT on Dec. 31. The game can be seen on ESPN.

Nick Saban predicts SEC bowl game winners and losers

Saban picked the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets and his former assistant Brent Key to beat Diego Pavia and the Vanderbilt Commodores in the Birmingham Bowl next Friday, as well as the Texas A&M Aggies to beat the USC Trojans in the Las Vegas Bowl.

For the Citrus Bowl, Saban took LaNorris Sellers and the South Carolina Gamecocks to beat Illinois on New Year’s Eve in Orlando.

In non-SEC bowl games like the Pop-Tarts Bowl, Saban took Cam Ward and the Miami Hurricanes to defeat Iowa State on Dec. 28. He also picked Deion Sanders and the Colorado Buffaloes to defeat the BYU Cougars in this year’s Alamo Bowl next Saturday.

“I’m not allowed to pick against Deion. Miss Terry’s orders,” Saban quipped when picking Coach Prime and the Buffs.

Saban predicts first-round CFP winners

For Saturday’s College Football Playoff games, Saban took Penn State to defeat the SMU Mustangs, the Texas Longhorns to beat the Clemson Tigers, and Ohio State to beat Tennessee.

“Ohio State had great expectations for this season,” Saban said. “Most of the teams that I had the opportunity to coach that had great expectations and had a failing (in) the season made a great comeback and played great in the next game, and I think Ohio State will do that tonight.”

[lawrence-related id=98094,98077,97941,97883,97889]

Will Alabama wear home or away jerseys for ReliaQuest Bowl vs. Michigan? What history tells us

Will it be home or away jerseys for the Crimson Tide in their bowl game against Michigan? Here’s our best guess.

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.

RELATED: Alabama transfer safety announces playing destination for 2025

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.

Contact/Follow us @RollTideWire on X, and like our page on Facebook for ongoing coverage of Alabama news and notes, plus opinions. 

Michigan will be without another threat for ReliaQuest Bowl vs. Alabama

Michigan player opts out of bowl matchup with Alabama.

The Michigan Wolverines will be down a running back when they face the Alabama Crimson Tide in the ReliaQuest Bowl.

Senior tailback Donovan Edwards announced Sunday that he would opt out of the ReliaQuest Bowl matchup, ending his college career after four seasons in Ann Arbor.

Edwards rushed for 589 yards on 128 carries (4.6 avg.) this season, good for 19th in the Big Ten. He was second on the team in rushing behind Kalel Mullings (185 carries, 948 yards).

A season ago, Edwards ran for 497 yards on 119 carries behind starting tailback Blake Corum during the Wolverines’ 15-0 national championship season.

Michigan (7-5) has notable players skipping its bowl matchup with Alabama (9-3). Tight end Colston Loveland declared for the NFL draft over the weekend, as did star defensive tackle Mason Graham and cornerback Will Johnson.

Kickoff for Alabama-Michigan is 11 a.m. CT on New Year’s Eve in Tampa. The game will be televised on ESPN.

For coverage of the Michigan Wolverines, visit Wolverines Wire.

Contact/Follow us @RollTideWire on X and like our page on Facebook for ongoing coverage of Alabama news and notes plus opinions. 

Where Alabama vs. Michigan ranks among best/worst bowl games of 2024

Where does Alabama vs. Michigan rank among the best/worst matchups of bowl season?

Neither the Alabama Crimson Tide or the Michigan Wolverines had the types of seasons they wanted in 2024.

Alabama (9-3 overall) lost three games, which was one too many to keep them out of the 12-team College Football Playoff. Michigan (7-5) won the national championship a year ago while going 15-0 but was never in contention to repeat as champions this season.

This year’s ReliaQuest Bowl (formerly the Outback Bowl) matchup between the Crimson Tide and the Wolverines won’t have near the amount of stakes as last season’s Rose Bowl, a playoff semifinal game that Michigan won 27-20 in overtime.

But it’s still Alabama vs. Michigan, and college football blue bloods like the Tide and Wolverines carry a lot of weight. That’s particularly true for bowl games that aren’t normally accustomed to having two historical powerhouses play in lower-tier postseason events.

USA TODAY Sports recently ranked all 35 non-playoff bowl games for the 2024 season from best to worst. Alabama-Michigan ranked in the top 10 at No. 7, one spot behind the Music City Bowl matchup between the Missouri Tigers and Iowa Hawkeyes.

Eddie Timanus of USA TODAY Sports explained his ranking for Alabama vs. Michigan this way:

“One might expect a rematch of a playoff game from a year ago to be higher on the list, though clearly a lot has changed at both programs since. The Wolverines’ decline was more precipitous than the Crimson Tide’s ebb, but both teams own victories against playoff teams, so clearly there is still enough roster talent to give us a quality contest.”

On that note, Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe and linebacker Jihaad Campbell announced last Thursday that they intended to play in the ReliaQeust Bowl. Crimson Tide coach Kalen DeBoer had said earlier in the week that he didn’t expect many Alabama players to opt out for the game.

“I feel like right now we’re at a place where most of those guys are planning on playing,” DeBoer had told reporters.

RELATED: Alabama football 2025 roster, depth chart tracker

Alabama and Michigan are scheduled to kick off at 11 a.m. CT on Dec. 31 from Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Fla. The game will be televised on ESPN. The Crimson Tide are ranked No. 11 in both the US LBM Coaches Poll and AP Top 25. Michigan is unranked.

Contact/Follow us @RollTideWire on X, and like our page on Facebook for ongoing coverage of Alabama news and notes, plus opinions. 

USA TODAY Sports experts offer early predictions on Alabama-Michigan ReliaQuest Bowl

See who the experts think will win the ReliaQuest Bowl matchup between Alabama and Michigan.

The Alabama Crimson Tide will face the Michigan Wolverines in a matchup of two powerhouse college football programs playing in a non-powerhouse bowl game on New Year’s Eve.

Unlike a season ago when Alabama and Michigan met in “The Granddaddy of Them All” in the Rose Bowl in Pasadena with national championship implications at stake, the Crimson Tide (9-3 overall) and Wolverines (7-5) will meet in the ReliaQuest Bowl at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Fla., on New Year’s Eve.

Kalen DeBeor’s first season as Alabama’s coach included big rivalry wins over the Georgia Bulldogs, LSU Tigers and of course, the Auburn Tigers in his first dance with the Iron Bowl rivalry. Losses to Vanderbilt, Tennessee and Oklahoma cost the Crimson Tide a shot at the first 12-team College Football Playoff.

Michigan also has a first-year head coach in Sherrone Moore, who took over for Jim Harbaugh and guided the Wolverines to a winning season and a huge upset over the Ohio State Buckeyes in Columbus.

On Friday, USA TODAY Sports’ college football experts released their early predictions for every 2024-25 bowl game, including Alabama-Michigan. All six members of USA TODAY’s panel — Paul Myerberg, Dan Wolken, Eddie Timanus, Scooby Axson, Jordan Mendoza and Erick Smith — picked the Crimson Tide to win.

Similarly, ESPN college football writer/analyst Adam Rittenberg also predicted an Alabama win (subscription required).

RELATED: Jalen Milroe, Jihaad Campbell will play in ReliaQuest Bowl vs. Michigan

Kickoff for Alabama vs. Michigan is set for 11 a.m. CT on Dec. 31. It will mark the seventh all-time meeting between the Crimson Tide and Wolverines. The series is split 3-3.

Contact/Follow us @RollTideWire on X, and like our page on Facebook for ongoing coverage of Alabama news and notes, plus opinions. 

LOOK: Sherrone Moore arrives in Tampa to accept Michigan football ReliaQuest Bowl invite

Let the games begin! #GoBlue

On Jan. 1, Michigan football opened the season playing against Alabama in the Rose Bowl. And the Wolverines will close out 2024 the same way, taking the field against the Crimson Tide on Dec. 31 in the ReliaQuest Bowl.

On Thursday, both Michigan head coach Sherrone Moore and Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer arrived in Tampa to formally accept their teams’ bid for the December bowl game. As that happened, Moore (and DeBoer) took some questions, met up with the soon-to-be enemy, and posed with their teams’ helmets.

We got video footage from the ReliaQuest Bowl and spliced it to show Moore’s portions. You can watch that below.

The last time Moore and DeBoer faced off was actually on Jan. 8 in the national championship game when Moore was the offensive coordinator for the Michigan Wolverines and DeBoer was the head coach of Washington. Thus, both of them are leading these respective programs — Michigan and Alabama — in the postseason for the first time.

Alabama QB Jalen Milroe: ‘I will be playing’ vs. Michigan

One team will likely be much less shorthanded than the other.

If Michigan football was hoping to have a war of attrition in the ReliaQuest Bowl against Alabama, the Crimson Tide are not acceding.

The Wolverines already have a few opt-outs, as defensive tackle Mason Graham and cornerback Will Johnson have both declared for the NFL draft. More will likely come in the lead-up to the bowl game, now three weeks away. Tight end Colston Loveland and defensive tackle Kenneth Grant being among those who have decisions to make.

But for the Alabama side, head coach Kalen DeBoer expects as close a full contingent to suit up, and now we at least know that the signal caller will be present.

According to Tuscaloosa News reporter Colin Gay, junior quarterback Jalen Milroe — who Michigan saw a year ago in the Rose Bowl — does intend to suit up and play in Tampa.

 

The game does promise to be something of a mismatch, regardless of the entrants. Alabama, 9-3, had its hopes on bypassing an 11-2 SMU team that only got its second loss in the ACC Championship against Clemson. Michigan, however, enters the game at 7-5, with its sole ranked win having come in The Game against playoff-bound Ohio State. But with Graham, Johnson, and likely more opt-outs coming, the hill to victory for the Wolverines has steepened.

Milroe explained at his media availability that his decision is due to him wanting to finish the mission with the players he started with.

 


Michigan and Alabama will kick off the ReliaQuest Bowl at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida at noon EST on Dec. 31.