Michigan Football Should Be Able To Run The Ball On Alabama

No. 1-ranked Michigan football has seen a lot of offensive growth over the past few seasons, including a good amount of passing alongside its strong rushing offense. Now, heading into the College Football Playoff semi-final (Rose Bowl) against the No. 4 Alabama Crimson Tide,  Blake Corum, Donovan Edwards, and other stout Wolverines look to continue playing their brand of football en route to a national title game berth. Here is why we think that the Maize and Blue will do just fine on the ground against Bama on January 1, 2024.

Can Michigan football move the football on the ground against the Alabama Crimson Tide?

Over the past few seasons, Michigan football has entirely changed its identity, especially on offense. For the Maize and Blue, rushing the ball better than any other team has led to three straight Big Ten Championships, wins over Ohio State, and College Football Playoff berths — including an upcoming matchup against Bama in the Rose Bowl game.

The Alabama Crimson Tide does not have the best-rushing defense, and seeing as Michigan football has an elite group of ball carriers, the Wolverines should manage in the Rose Bowl. That said, a few key numbers and factors have us confident that Michigan will be able to move the ball on the ground in the CFP.

Throwback to last year when Donovan Edwards & Blake Corum had huge TD runs on back to back offensive plays against Penn State.

The roar of the crowd on Blake's run has me ready to be back in the Big House immediately. pic.twitter.com/RteOlHiz0Q

— Blue By 90 (@bluebyninety) May 16, 2023

Key numbers against Bama

Alabama has a stout defense, though a few key numbers say a lot about where Bama’s weakest points are right now.

When it comes to rushing defense, Alabama ranks No. 31 in the nation, giving up over 124 rushing yards per game, on average. Through 13 games, opposing teams are averaging 3.7 yards per carry, and the Tide have given up 14 rushing touchdowns. It’s nothing jaw-dropping, but it’s worth noting, seeing as Bama’s rushing defense ranks outside of the top 30.

But how does that stack up against some of Michigan’s 2023 opponents? Well, Penn State ranks No. 2 nationally in rushing defense — Michigan football put up 227 rushing yards and a pair of touchdowns on the Nittany Lions at Beaver Stadium this fall. Nebraska ranks No. 6 — Michigan rushed for 248 yards and three touchdowns in Lincoln. Ohio State ranks N0. 22 — Michigan rushed for nearly 160 yards and a pair of touchdowns.

All this to say, the Wolverines have faced better-run defenses and done just fine; in fact, against two of the top rushing defenses nationally, Michigan welt over for over 200 yards and a few touchdowns in each game.

Key names to note — such as Blake Corum and more

The Wolverines have some of the best ball-carrying running backs, an elite quarterback, and more on their side heading into the Rose Bowl against Alabama. Here are a few of the most important names to know for Michigan football when it comes to the ground game.

Blake Corum: Despite coming off an injury, Blake Corum finished No. 9 in Heisman voting this fall, breaking program records and more along the way. Right now, Corum is tied at 55 for most rushing touchdowns in Michigan history, and he broke Hassan Haskins’ record (22) for most rushing touchdowns in a single season in U of M history (24). While his open-field explosiveness that we saw in 2022 is not quite what it used to be, Corum will be a tough task for Alabama to handle in the Rose Bowl.

Donovan Edwards: Edwards came into the 2023 season with incredibly high expectations, and while his rushing ability was not as explosive as most had hoped heading into the year, he has been solid for Michigan football throughout his junior season in Ann Arbor. Edwards has proven in the past that he can score from anywhere on the field, and his rushing ability has drastically improved throughout the 2023 season — he isn’t RB1 for the Wolverines, but he is a fantastic RB2.

JJ McCarthy: Michigan’s junior quarterback, JJ McCarthy, has become one of the nation’s top passers since the start of the season. While an injury prevented him from becoming a Heisman finalist, he is still recognized as a difference-maker for Michigan’s offense heading into the College Football Playoff and has his Wolverines at 13-0 for the second season in a row. While McCarthy’s arm is impressive, his legs can be just as dangerous and will likely get used quite a bit against Alabama in the Rose Bowl.

Alex Orji: We’ve seen Alex Orji, a sophomore quarterback for Michigan football, get limited reps this fall, though there is a chance that he gets used some against Alabama in the Rose Bowl game. Orji is known around Ann Arbor as a freak athlete; in fact, heading into the season, Jim Harbaugh said that he wanted to see Orji return some kicks — something that we are still yet to see in a game. Against Ohio State, Orji had an impressive first-down run, and a few days later, AJ Barner revelead that Michigan has been saving plays for Orji. He won’t be a factor all game long, but there is a chance that the sophomore QB gets some carries against the Crimson Tide in Michigan’s CFP bout on New Year’s Day.

Thank you for reading Blue by Ninety. For more Michigan Athletics and Big Ten content from Blue by Ninety, follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. You can also subscribe to our YouTube Channel. For feedback, questions, concerns, or to apply for a writing position, please email our Publisher at [email protected]. Also, be sure to check out our shop and our podcast, which is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and all other streaming platforms. It is because of your support that we have become one of the fastest-growing and most influential Michigan media outlets there is!