Five reasons why Michigan will beat Alabama in the Rose Bowl

The Michigan Wolverines will take on the Alabama Crimson Tide in the Rose Bowl on New Year’s Day as they advance to their third consecutive College Football Playoff. The Wolverines will be busy since they are still chasing their first College Football Playoff victory.

Although the Wolverines are ranked first and are a small favorite, the Crimson Tide have the advantage of history. We present five reasons why the Wolverines will win this game, despite the fact that many people are choosing the Crimson Tide.

1. This year, the Wolverines have already encountered a great deal of hardship.

This year’s experiences faced by the Wolverines were unmatched by any other team in the nation. Yes, a lot of it was their own fault, but no other college could have managed to go undefeated despite having their head coach suspended for half the season, having all of their opponents brand them cheaters, and missing many games with one of their best defenders.

This season, the Wolverines have hardly faltered; they have faced every obstacle head-on and overcome it all thus far. Michigan won’t back down this year, unlike previous seasons when it might have.

2. Background

Since the Crimson Tide have won three titles in the CFP era, they should have the advantage in experience for this game. But this year, that isn’t the case. Alabama’s many contributors had never been in this situation, and they were not able to make the playoffs the previous year.

Since being benched at the start of the season, Jalen Milroe, the starting quarterback for the first year, has performed admirably, guiding the Crimson Tide to an SEC championship victory over Georgia. Nonetheless, J.J. McCarthy is well aware of the brighter lights in the CFP due to his previous season’s difficulties in the Fiesta Bowl.

Getting through all of that gives the Wolverines a significant advantage that no one is discussing. The Wolverines are the more seasoned squad and are eager for a third chance, even though the Crimson Tide may have the name on their breast.

3. Supporting roles

With two of the top shutdown corners in college football and perhaps the best secondary, the Wolverines are formidable opponents. The most formidable duo the Crimson Tide will encounter this season is Will Johnson and Mike Sainristil, who have been excellent for Michigan this year. They can shut down receivers, so Michigan can continue to snoop on Milroe.

With a 65.5 percent completion rate this season, Milroe is a dangerous player. However, he also just finished a 13-for-23 performance against Georgia. We’re not saying he can’t pass the ball; rather, the Wolverines have the secondary to shut him down. There will be a difference from Michigan’s defense, particularly in the secondary.

4. Edwards and Corum

The Wolverines also boast Donovan Edwards and Blake Corum, maybe the best running back tandem in the nation. Even though they didn’t have as spectacular a year as they did in 2022, they still managed to accumulate over 1,400 yards of total ground gain.

They can make a spectacular play as well as grind out yards. Before they ultimately get that jaw-dropping gain of more than twenty yards, they wear you down.

The Crimson Tide allow 124.5 yards per game, which ranks them 30th in the nation in terms of rush defense. They may have appeared resilient at times, but they were vulnerable to strong running attacks as they allowed 206 rushing yards to LSU and 244 to Auburn.

5. Bama surrenders a lot of bags.

This season, the Crimson Tide allowed 43 sacks, or 3.31 sacks per game on average. Milroe’s excessive ball holding is a contributing factor, but the offensive line has occasionally been exposed as well.

In order to keep Milroe guessing, the Wolverines should apply pressure frequently. Although he is a fast runner, Michigan’s defense can keep up with him. Given the quality of the secondary, the defensive line should have plenty of time to at least pressure Milroe.

With luck, the Wolverines will be able to use their offensive line to their advantage and put Milroe in difficult situations.

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