Rose Bowl: Three Keys To A Michigan Football Win Over Alabama
We're days away from Michigan taking on Alabama in the Rose Bowl. The Wolverines have made their third-straight College Football Playoff appearance, but Michigan is hoping to capture its first win.
The maize and blue have struggled in the CFP so far. Michigan lost to both Georgia and TCU in semifinal action. However, this is the first season Michigan captured the No. 1 seed in the playoff, and even though the Wolverines are the dog -- Michigan has the underdog mentality facing the Alabama dynasty.
As of now, the Wolverines are favored to win the matchup, but plenty of analysts are predicting Alabama to win the game and get back to the national championship.
Here are three things Michigan needs to do in order to win the football game.
1. Get Jalen Milroe under duress
Milroe and Alabama have come a long way since the start of the 2023 season. Milroe, who once lost his job in Week 3 against South Florida, went from being a liability to the biggest threat on the Crimson Tide offense.
The sophomore quarterback has always been a threat running the football and is third on Alabama rushing for 468 yards this year, and leads the team scoring 12 touchdowns on the ground.
But Milroe has done a tremendous job throwing the football. He hasn't thrown an interception since November 11 against Kentucky and he has made big plays to get Alabama to where its at. Milroe threw the winning pass against rival Auburn to keep Bama's playoff hopes alive and made key plays against Georgia in the SEC Championship game.
It's hard to shut down a player like Milroe, but Michigan needs to do what it can to keep him under duress and get him panicked in the pocket. Shockingly, Alabama ranks 125th in the nation allowing 43 sacks this season.
The Michigan defense has sacked the opposing QB 33 times this year, and the Wolverines' defensive line has done a good job at mixing up their stunts to bring pressure on the quarterback. Between using a linebacker as a spy, and getting pressure up front, Michigan has a real chance at making Milroe feel uneasy on Jan. 1.
According to PFF, Milroe completes just 45% of his passes when he is under pressure. He completes over 70% when he has a clean pocket. It's going to be important for Jesse Minter to bring the heat against the Alabama quarterback.
2. Don't get cute on offense
It's one thing to mix in a trick play now or then, but scratching the offensive game plan and doing uncharacteristic things is not something Michigan wants to repeat. The Wolverines did themselves zero favors last year against TCU with their trickery -- or lack thereof.
The Wolverines are 13-0 for a reason and Michigan has been a balanced attack on offense. J.J. McCarthy has just one interception after this three-interception day against Bowling Green early in the year, and the Michigan running backs do a great job of taking care of the football.
Assuming Sherrone Moore doesn't get too cute and call the Michigan offense as he has all year, the Wolverines have enough talent where they can move the ball against a solid Alabama defense. But the last thing the Wolverines need is bad turnovers, turnovers on down, or getting behind the sticks due to getting way too cute -- like last year.
3. Slow down Alabama's Edge duo
Alabama has arguably the best Edge duo in the nation between Dallas Turner and Chris Braswell. Both are projected as top picks in the upcoming NFL draft and the Wolverines are tasked to slow them down in the Rose Bowl.
Turner leads Alabama with nine sacks and Braswell is right behind him with eight. Both players have wreaked havoc on the opposition quarterback and running game all year.
With Zak Zinter injured, Michigan slid Karsen Barnhart to RG and inserted Trente Jones in at RT. Assuming it stays the same against Alabama, both Jones and LaDarius Henderson will have to play their A+ game on Monday.
According to PFF, Jones is Michigan's best pass-blocking lineman with an 85.5 grade -- but he has just 100 snaps on the year. Henderson hasn't been so great in the pass-blocking department, says PFF. He is 19th on the team with a 52.1 grade and has allowed two sacks.
Depending on how the bookends hold up against the Alabama rush, the Wolverines could always utilize AJ Barner and the running backs to help out. But if both Jones and Henderson hold up on their own -- it will make the offense that much more explosive.
