Early Rose Bowl Score Predictions?
Michigan 27-21.
I cant bet against these guys. We have to keep Milroes legs in check. I think we do just enough to get it done and Saban cant believe it, this leading to our victory because he will be over confident and Milroe will make a crucial mistake and Saban will refuse to repect us, which will cause some failed fourth downs and zero field goal attempts by them.
December 6th, 2023 at 1:49 PM ^
35-0.
December 6th, 2023 at 4:18 PM ^
jimmy, he picked bama.....
December 6th, 2023 at 1:49 PM ^
Please remember that Tommy Rees is Bama’s OC…
December 6th, 2023 at 1:50 PM ^
What does this mean? Does Saban even care what little tommy thinks? Serious questions here Bub.
December 6th, 2023 at 1:53 PM ^
Does Saban call the plays? I believe he delegates that to Rees. And, I do not hold Rees in high regard as an OC.
Milroe and his improvisation on broken plays, designed QB draws, or RPOs is a concern to me.
December 6th, 2023 at 1:54 PM ^
Not sure. Saban doesnt seem like a dude who lets tommy have free reign.
December 6th, 2023 at 2:11 PM ^
I dunno. He let Tommy change QB. Then Milroe was back as QB. Tommy probably has some say it seems.
December 6th, 2023 at 2:05 PM ^
I think our DT and stunts will slow down his ability to escape too quickly. Not saying it will stop it but the lanes shouldn't be as obvious.
Then I think the speed of our LB's will help tremendously.
December 6th, 2023 at 2:30 PM ^
Designed QB plays don't scare me as much as improvisation. Thats when a running QB can do big damage.
December 6th, 2023 at 2:47 PM ^
Rees definitely calls plays but it's not his offense. When Rees interviewed/arrived he was given a playbook and told he would need to lean the Alabama playbook. I guess all the plays that have won them several national titles and every Bama OC must learn it.
This may have had something to do with their early season struggles.
Imagine being Buchner transferring there only to realize the offense is much different than Notre Dame's so you don't have an edge on the other QB's.
December 7th, 2023 at 12:28 AM ^
Telling an assistant what he will run gets us stuffed beavers.
Bama gets to go to the playoff.
#richrod'd
December 6th, 2023 at 2:22 PM ^
Dude drew up a helluva 4th and 31 play call. Probably remembered Denard to Roy and drew it up to the other side of the end zone.
December 6th, 2023 at 3:05 PM ^
The Auburn DC drew up an even more amazing play.
December 6th, 2023 at 3:25 PM ^
This doesn't really mean anything anymore. At the beginning of the season it did, but at some point Saban sat Rees down and told him "We're doing this my way. You're just along for the ride." And Alabama has been slowly but steadily getting better on offense since then.
I'd bet Rees is out of a job in Tuscaloosa once this season is over. National title or not.
December 6th, 2023 at 1:50 PM ^
21-17 Blue
December 6th, 2023 at 2:01 PM ^
21 - 16 seems like a far more realistic final score for a Michigan team, playing the Rose Bowl, for a chance at the national championship.
I was there BTW, seated directly in front of Sir Charles end zone interception.
December 6th, 2023 at 2:35 PM ^
So was I, in row 5.
5 rows behind row Z.
December 6th, 2023 at 2:41 PM ^
Me too. I was higher up in the stands in that corner of the endzone. Not sure which row, but randomly, former Detroit Tigers catcher Lance Parrish was sitting right behind me. Still one of the 10 happiest days of my life.
December 6th, 2023 at 2:51 PM ^
Absolutely terrible seats with the exception of that one play for most of the game.
At the end of the game howeva things changed dramatically. Not only did the band set up in the end zone to play the Victors on endless loop many of the players waded in to high five those of us close to the field. There was a picture published in the Freep I have in my office at home of my brother and I high fiving somebody (couldnt see their number and I dont think they were a starter) and our faces were pure joy.
I wont be at the Rose Bowl this year but I will be at the NCG after we beat Alabama.
December 6th, 2023 at 2:56 PM ^
we were up midway through the other endzone; my best in-person Michigan football memory. We also were low in the end zone for another Rose Bowl very close to the USC band - and those tickets sucked for sure - watched most of the game on the jumbo screen unless the play was being run right in front of us.
December 6th, 2023 at 4:05 PM ^
I was in section 2, a couple rows above the tunnel entrance. So basically goal line in the south east corner. Mostly wsu fans around us.
December 6th, 2023 at 1:51 PM ^
Michigan 27
Alabama 25
An instant classic & nailbiter that’ll have us clenching until the end.
December 6th, 2023 at 1:52 PM ^
Goosebumps.
December 6th, 2023 at 2:15 PM ^
When do we start clenching? Should it already have started?
December 6th, 2023 at 2:35 PM ^
Let the 24/7 clenching BEGIN!
(That is not my prediction...27-24 Good Guys)
December 6th, 2023 at 1:56 PM ^
69-10. If Michigan will know Alabama's signs.
69-13 If Michigan doesn't know Alabama's signs.
Muhajahahahahhhhhhhha!
December 6th, 2023 at 2:18 PM ^
Without signs we didn't see that FG attempt coming. Makes sense.
December 6th, 2023 at 2:00 PM ^
I'm already trying to emotionally prepare myself for a 3rd and 14 where Milroe runs for 15. Those throw the remote through the wall type plays.
Sustained drives that keep our defense fresh will be very important.
24-20 Michigan
December 6th, 2023 at 2:04 PM ^
You forget we have a Barrett
December 6th, 2023 at 2:30 PM ^
Milroe is a 10 on the Navarre to Denard Dilithium scale though
December 6th, 2023 at 3:48 PM ^
*Player/Coach Michael Barrett
December 6th, 2023 at 2:02 PM ^
29-24 Michigan
December 6th, 2023 at 2:03 PM ^
I think we turn them over a few times and have a good special teams play that sets us up with a short field. Offense is clunky at times but puts together a couple of long drives for scores in the first three quarters. By the end of the game we pull out the PSU offense with 7 lineman and start to pave, only to pull a play action TD to Barner to put the game away.
End of Q1: 7-3 Michigan
Halftime: 17-13 Michigan
End of Q3: 20-16 Michigan
End of Game: 34-26 Michigan.
December 6th, 2023 at 2:12 PM ^
A 3-3 3rd quarter would be unlike Michigan this year
December 6th, 2023 at 2:13 PM ^
Plus one for thoroughness.
December 6th, 2023 at 2:03 PM ^
32 - 18 Bama
December 6th, 2023 at 2:15 PM ^
How do you see bama getting in the 30s? That seems like alot against this defense. If we only scored 18 I would be so mad, but sadly not that shocked. However them in the 30s would shock me. We are gonna work to limit their TOP.
December 6th, 2023 at 2:32 PM ^
Early thoughts:
I think the defense will be okay but I'm worried about not containing Milroe and Bama picking on CB 2 & 3.
I'm more worried about the UM offense being predictable, interior OL getting caved in (Barnhart), and receivers not getting open.
I can see it being a close game into the 4th with a late Bama score being the back breaker due to the offense's inability to do much of anything dynamic.
Would Hinton at RG be a catastrophe? Pass pro is less of an issue on the interior and he and Trente could straight up mash
December 6th, 2023 at 3:46 PM ^
I completely agree with this (I said 31-20), I don't have confidence in UM putting the right wrinkles in at the right times yet. Saban also has a long time to figure out how to stop everything UM has shown and predict the wrinkles. As much as I think JJ is a top 5 college QB, I don't think he's ready to read a Saban defense yet.
December 6th, 2023 at 4:48 PM ^
The line isn't as good as last year, but Auburn ran the ball very well on Bama and that without a strong armed QB. I also remember the 2020 Citrus Bowl where M hung with Bama pretty well for three quarters with a solid gameplan. Then realizing that most of the line's struggles this year came against the 2, 3 and 4th rated defenses in SP+ - I think M has had a fair amount of success against good defenses. Against PSU it was because of the OL/OC, and against OSU it was because of JJ. Iowa stopped us but some of that may have been a strategic decision by the coaches too. Alabama's D isn't scrubs - but M has showed up on some good Ds so I'm just not as pessimistic here.
December 6th, 2023 at 2:16 PM ^
I was thinking something similar (30-17). Michigan has been some degree of disappointing more often than not in bowl games during the Harbaugh era (never mind the prior regimes).
I understand this is a special team, and I can see them having some success when $%&#ing with Milroe, but it's not easy for me to see sustained success on offense or a win. I hope I'm wrong.
December 6th, 2023 at 2:03 PM ^
26-20 Meeechigan.
December 6th, 2023 at 2:03 PM ^
3 weeks is too long to wait for FFFF. Anyone know any good articles with Alabama breakdowns?
December 8th, 2023 at 8:38 PM ^
Rewatch their game highlights. They're not too spectacular on either side of the ball. This Michigan team is built to beat Georgia who's built to beat Alabama.
December 6th, 2023 at 2:05 PM ^
31-20 Bama wins. Call me pessimistic, but I don't like the idea of Moore vs. Saban with a month to prepare, even if there are things Michigan is saving in their offense. Moore will plan some wrinkles to get one step ahead, but Saban will already be have his team prepared for them. JJ throws at least one pick and gives Bama good field position.
December 6th, 2023 at 2:14 PM ^
I think the most consequential matchup is Minter V. Rees.
December 6th, 2023 at 2:12 PM ^
The Bama vs Georgia: Bama 27-17
The Bama vs Auburn: Michigan 31-19
December 6th, 2023 at 2:14 PM ^
Let us compromise and take Bama vs Texas game.
December 6th, 2023 at 2:12 PM ^
I think it'll look like the Bama/UGA game, except Saban loses this one thanks to our superior QB play. Mark it, Dude.
30-27 M