Michigan football vs. Alabama football — two blue-blood programs from each side of the Mason-Dixon Line that are set to square off in the Rose Bowl (College Football Playoff semi-final) on January 1st. For the Maize and Blue, who just beat Iowa 26-0 in the Big Ten Championship Game, beating Nick Saban and the Crimson Tide is a one-way ticket to the program’s first-ever national title game. While Saban has not given the Wolverines a good look just yet, he shared some initial thoughts about Michigan on Sunday.
Alabama football coach Nick Saban breaks down initial thoughts on Michigan football
Alabama football coach Nick Saban is known as one of the best — perhaps THE best — to ever coach at the college level. While he already has an NCAA record seven national titles, the Crimson Tide’s legendary head coach has his eyes on title No. 8, though Jim Harbaugh and Michigan football stand in his way in the 2024 Rose Bowl game.
“I know they (Michigan) are one of the best defensive teams in the country,” Alabama football coach Nick Saban said Sunday. “They do a great job of attacking the ball and getting turnovers.
“They’re very productive on offense. The quarterback (JJ McCarthy) is a good player, a good runner, great balance,” Saban added. “I haven’t been able to see them, and it wouldn’t be fair enough to compare them to someone else that we’ve played, but I certainly have a tremendous amount of respect for what they’ve been able to accomplish all year long.”
Michigan searching for first College Football Playoff win
The last time Michigan and Alabama squared off was in the 2020 Citrus Bowl — a game that Saban and the Tide won 35-16. This season, however, Jim Harbaugh and his Wolverines will be looking to return the favor, especially now that the stakes for both schools are higher than ever as a trip to the national championship game hangs in the balance.
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 Cj@BluebyNinety.com. 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!