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Alabama Crimson Tide Arrives at Rose Bowl

The Crimson Tide flew to California, before practicing at Dignity Health Sports Park, as the team resumed preparation for the College Football Playoff.

The teams have arrived.

Tuesday morning, the Alabama Crimson Tide flew to California, where it got settled in and then held its first bowl-week workout in shells at Dignity Health Sports Park.

The No. 4 Crimson Tide will meet the top-ranked Michigan in the Rose Bowl on New Year’s Day (4 p.m. CT, ESPN). The Wolverines also traveled to the Los Angeles area on Tuesday. 

Both teams will hold practices/workouts each day this week in preparation to play in a College Football Playoff semifinals. The winner will advance to face the winner of Washington vs. Texas. The National Championship Game will be played in Houston a week later on Jan. 8.

Alabama and Michigan will meet for just the sixth time in the history of the two storied programs. The Crimson Tide owns a 3-2 all-time advantage overall with the teams tied at 2-2 in bowl matchups. 

The Crimson Tide and Wolverines last met in the Citrus Bowl on New Year’s Day 2020, with Alabama claiming a 35-16 victory. 

Overall, Crimson Tide head coach Nick Saban is 4-3 all-time against Michigan, including a 2-0 mark with the Crimson Tide. Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh is 0-1 against Alabama with the lone contest coming in that Citrus Bowl pairing. 

Alabama has been a part of seven total Rose Bowl matchups, holding a 5-1-1 mark in those games. The Crimson Tide has played six of those contests in Pasadena with the seventh occurring in Arlington, Texas, at AT&T Stadium on Jan. 1, 2021 as a College Football Playoff semifinal. Texas played host to the Rose Bowl in 2021 due to a global pandemic.