No. 1 Michigan and No. 4 Alabama are in a tight battle Monday at the Rose Bowl with the Wolverines holding a 13-10 advantage over the Crimson Tide at halftime of their game. College football Playoff semi-final clash. Alabama took the lead early with a touchdown of Jase McClellanbut Michigan responded with two scores as the Wolverines' defensive line wreaked havoc on the Tide offense for two quarters.
Both teams entered the game in controversial circumstances. Alabama received the No. 4 seed ahead of a 13-0 ACC champion: No. 5 State of Florida. Crimson Tide, with a loss, had the strength to beat #6. Georgia the day before in the SEC Championship Game, while the Seminoles were penalized for limping to an ACC title without starting quarterback Jordan Travis.
Michigan, meanwhile, is 13-0, but coach Jim Harbaugh was not on the sideline for six of those games due to two different three-game suspensions – one for recruiting violations and one another for a sign-stealing scandal that captivated the nation. for most of the season.
Whether you're a college football traditionalist or someone who prefers chaos, there's something for everyone here.
Follow with LIVE UPDATES as Michigan takes on Alabama in the CFP Rose Bowl semifinal game.
How to watch Rose Bowl live
Date: Monday January 1st | Time: 5 p.m. ET
Location: The Rose Bowl — Pasadena, California
TV: ESPN | Direct: Fubo (Try for free)
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Michigan vs. Alabama: What you need to know
No team has more CFP experience than Alabama: The Tide are making their eighth College Football Playoff appearance, two more than the closest team (Clemson, which has six). The Rose Bowl marks Alabama's 14th CFP game, four more than Clemson's 10 games. Alabama has won the CFP three times and reached the championship game six times. The only time she failed to win her semi-final was in the first year of the CFP era (2014), where she lost to state of ohio 42-35 in the Sugar Bowl.
Michigan makes third straight CFP trip: The Wolverines are a case study in how results affect perception. This will be their third appearance in the College Football Playoff. This matches Georgia, but the difference is in the results. Georgia has reached the title game in all three of its CFP appearances, winning the last two. Michigan, meanwhile, has yet to win a playoff game. It was crushed by Georgia 34-11 in the 2021 Orange Bowl and upset 51-45 by TCU during last season's Fiesta Bowl. It's one thing to access the CFP, it's another to gain from it once you're there. Michigan is hoping the third time is the charm.
This will be the fourth Rose Bowl semifinal game: The first game of the College Football Playoff was hosted by the Rose Bowl, and it was not competitive. Oregon blew out Florida State, 59-20. The last time the game was played in Pasadena, California, the result was similar: Alabama got spanked. our Lady 31-14 in the 2020 season. However, the 2017 game between Georgia and Oklahoma was one of the greatest College Football Playoff semifinals we've ever seen. Georgia beat Oklahoma 54-48 in double overtime to send the Bulldogs to the title game, where they lost (in overtime once again) to Alabama. Hopefully this year's Rose Bowl resembles the 2017 game more than the 2014 or 2020 versions.
Rose Bowl prediction, picks
Odds via SportsLine consensus
You can debate all you want about whether Alabama deserves to be here, but there's one thing no one can argue with: The Crimson Tide can win this game. That doesn't mean they will; This Alabama team is probably one of the weakest teams of the Nick Saban era (his first season excluded), but the context of that sentence is important. The weakest Alabama team of Saban's tenure remains a team capable of beating 99% of the teams it faces.
The truth is, this game could honestly go either way, but given the history of these teams in the CFP, it's hard to pass up Alabama scoring points against a Michigan team that hasn't yet to win a playoff game. The Tide has won three national titles in this format and has won more playoff games (nine) than any other program. Maybe Michigan's first CFP win will come in the Rose Bowl against Alabama, but I need proof of concept before betting on that. Pick: Alabama -1.5
What college football picks can you make with confidence during bowl season? Visit SportsLine to see which teams will win and cover the spread — all from a proven computer model that has returned over $2,000 in profits over the past seven seasons — and find out.