Top Analyst Identifies Threat That Michigan Football Must Stop

The Michigan football defense is hailed as one of the best in the sport; in fact, according to the NCAA’s team statistics page, the Wolverines rank No. 1 in scoring defense and No. 2 in total defense following their 26-0 win over Iowa in the Big Ten Championship Game. That said, top college football analyst Joel Klatt identified a major threat that the Maize and Blue must stop in the Rose Bowl on January 1: Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe.

Michigan football to face Alabama in the Rose Bowl Game

Jalen Milroe had a rough start to the year and was a major reason that Alabama dropped an early game at home to Texas. Still, The Tide are rolling and have cleaned a lot of things up since then, even beating No. 1 Georgia in the SEC title game last weekend.

Bama’s win over the Bulldogs vaulted Michigan football to the coveted No. 1 spot heading into the Rose Bowl (College Football Playoff semi-final), though seeing as U-M has to face the Crimson Tide in round one, their seeding this year really did not do much for them.

Joel Klatt high on Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe

Joel Klatt, one of the leading analysts in all of college football, knows that the Michigan football defense is elite — he has seen it thrive under any circumstance time and time again. Still, Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe is dangerous when he gets hot, and with a month for him and Nick Saban to prepare, Klatt sees Milroe as being a difference-maker against the Wolverines.

“When I first saw Michigan-Alabama (in the Rose Bowl), I immediately thought to myself, ‘It’s going to be a tough one for Michigan in particular because of Jalen Milroe,’” Klatt said. “Jalen Milroe is absolutely the most dynamic running quarterback that Michigan will have seen during the course of the season. That’s been a great defense, there’s no doubt. One of the best, if not the best, defense in the country. But that’s a dynamic (quarterback) that they will have to deal with for really the first time. Nobody on their schedule has been able to threaten them like Jalen Milroe will threaten them.

“I think (Alabama offensive coordinator) Tommy Rees has gotten better and better as the offensive coordinator of the Alabama Crimson Tide, and they’re going to have a formidable battle at the line of scrimmage with a Michigan team that is built to be great at the line of scrimmage. Milroe played really well in that SEC Championship game. Now you know, that’s first blush, his ability to run and use his legs, I think that could cause the Michigan Wolverines some problems.”

Massive implications in the College Football Playoff

Michigan football (13-0, 10-0 Big Ten) and Alabama (12-1, 8-1 SEC) will face off on January 1 in the prestigious Rose Bowl game with everything on the line. A win for either team will send them to the national title game, while a loss sends the loser home and out of the race.

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