Michigan Football Star Sounds Off After Rose Bowl Win

PASADENA — This evening, No. 1 Michigan downed No. 4 Alabama in the Rose Bowl, 27-20 in overtime, punching its ticket to the program’s first-ever national title game. After the game, I heard from Michigan football star linebacker Michael Barrett, one of the team’s veterans, who is tired of the disrespect that his team is facing.

Michigan football star sounds off after Rose Bowl win

Today’s win was one that Michael Barrett has waited quite some time for — he started his career at U-M on teams that went 9-4 and 2-4, respectively, and has since won three Big Ten titles, a CFP game, and more.

After the Rose Bowl, I had a chance to speak with and hear from Michael Barrett, who emphasized that he and Michigan football are tired of the disrespect.

“Give us our respect, man. Like what now? What do you have to say now? We’ve been working all year; first, it was the cheating scandal, then it’s — whatever,” Barrett said. “All the outside noise, it’s what we’ve been talking about all year… All we need is these guys (in the locker room). They’re (who I’ve) been going to battle with all year, day in and day out. Just go out there and put it on display.”

Alabama no match for the Maize and Blue

Earlier in the week, Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe told me that he felt confident going against Michigan’s No. 1-ranked defense. Today, however, that did not seem to be the case, as the Tide only mustered 20 points and failed to convert a 4th-and-goal with the game on the line. Afterward, I asked Michigan football star Michael Barrett about it.

“I think they haven’t seen a defense like us, they haven’t seen a defense as physical as us… I feel like they really just haven’t seen a defense like us; they weren’t prepared for the things — the movements and the schemes that we had,” Barrett said.

The moment #Michigan won the Rose Bowl. #GoBlue pic.twitter.com/DGWNAXsFfb

— Blue By 90 (@bluebyninety) January 2, 2024

Michigan football will now be moving on to the national title game, where it will face either Washington or Texas, for the program’s first championship since 1997.

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!