TAMPA, Fla. – The teams that met in a College Football Playoff semifinal last season meet at Raymond James Stadium on New Year’s Eve. Though the ReliaQuest Bowl matchup between Alabama and Michigan is not for a spot in the national championship game – No. 11 ‘Bama was left out of a 12-team CFP bracket that needs work – and Nick Saban and Jim Harbaugh will not be on either sideline, it is still Alabama and Michigan.
Indeed, two pillars of college football clashing on the gridiron Tuesday (Noon, ESPN) will be a wonderful way to close out 2024.
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“This will be a matchup of two blue-blood programs in a great venue that our fans will enjoy,” said Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer, after the matchup was announced.
Both teams concluded the regular season with victories over their rival. It was no surprise the Crimson Tide (9-3/5-3 SEC) downed visiting Auburn, 28-14, in the Iron Bowl and set up an opportunity for a 17th straight double-digit win season. It was downright shocking when Sherrone Moore’s Wolverines (7-5/5-4 Big Ten) upended then-No. 2 Ohio State in Columbus, 13-10. A little more than a month later the teams meet seventh time after spmeeting between the schools, which split the first six.
“This is a great opportunity for our team to finish the season against an outstanding SEC opponent in Alabama,” said Moore, finishing his first season as a head coach.
From a historical perspective, the tale of the tape between the programs is awesome. Consider:
First Season
Alabama — 1892
Michigan — 1879
Wins
Alabama – 1,003, No. 2 all-time
Michigan – 1,011, No. 1 all-time
National Titles
Alabama — 18
Michigan – 12 (NCAA recognizes nine)
Bowls
Alabama – ReliaQuest will be 61st (34-23-3)
Michigan – ReliaQuest will be 53rd (23-29)
CFB Hall of Famers
Alabama — 23
Michigan — 40
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