The historic Rose Bowl in Pasadena will serve as a College Football Playoff semifinal between top-ranked Michigan and No. 4 Alabama. The Big Ten conference champion and the SEC champion clash, with the winner moving on to the national championship.
ESPN’s Bill Connelly listed a top question or storyline for every bowl game (subscription required), including the playoffs.
For the Rose Bowl, his question is “Can Michigan counter an angry Alabama?”
“What’s the opposite of rat poison? Nick Saban always starts complaining when coverage is too positive and when people start expecting too much of his team,” writes Connelly. “But now he’s been able to feed off of a unique amount of negativity with the reaction by some (who will remain nameless) to Alabama’s playoff inclusion over an unbeaten Florida State. History suggests that means we’ll see a particularly strong and motivated version of Alabama in Pasadena. Combined with the fact that their last performance — an SEC championship win over Georgia — was their best of the season, that could be a pretty scary thing.”
Ever since the Crimson Tide’s Week 2 loss to Texas and the struggle against USF the following week, Alabama has been steadily improving every week. The notable effort and desire to win has led to the program returning to the College Football Playoff.
Connelly points out one big difference between the Wolverines’ offense and that of the Crimson Tide’s.
“Michigan has been the most consistently dominant team of 2023, showing as much upside as required and grinding teams to dust with great line play and efficiency. But the Rose Bowl might be determined by just how much upside Michigan can deploy. Big plays haven’t been a major feature for the Wolverines’ offense; they might have to show up now.”
Quarterback Jalen Milroe is known to be a huge playmaker, which has saved Alabama in a few games and has put other opponents into a deep deficit.
Roll Tide Wire will continue to follow Alabama football as the College Football Playoffs approach.
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