Michigan #1 Overall, Draws Alabama In Rose Bowl
Well: the committee left out 13-0 Florida State in favor of Alabama, which upset Georgia in the SEC championship game, and Michigan draws them. Alabama's not your usual Alabama team, having struggled for sizeable chunks of the season. They're literally tied with FSU in SP+ at 23.7; Michigan is at 32.1. Bama enters with the #11 offense and #9 defense; Michigan is 10 and 1.
Alabama is 12-1, with a ten-point loss at home to Texas and a series of narrow wins over South Florida (17-3), Texas A&M (26-20), Arkansas (24-21), Auburn (27-24) and Georgia (27-24). They hammered LSU, Mississippi State, and Kentucky and have two-TD wins over Ole Miss and Tennessee.
More analysis to follow. There is no content after the jump.
December 3rd, 2023 at 6:01 PM ^
Shades of 1973, B10, Dennis Franklin, though I need not elaborate.
December 3rd, 2023 at 7:12 PM ^
Honestly you have to blame #4 FSU its their own fault for being undefeated and beating ranked Louisville to win the ACC.
Of course after 15 weeks of data now you would be jumped by #8 in one weekend. Fucking stupid and all the board SEC/Espn gobblers can kick rocks as well.
December 3rd, 2023 at 7:27 PM ^
Exactly. What else could they possibly do besides not have late-season injuries? To claim it is because they lost their QB makes it seem like they know the outcomes of an unknowable future.
2014 OSU loses to Virginia Tech and manages to get #4 in final CFP despite Cardale Jones having to fill in for J.T. Barrett in the B1G championship game and only 2 wins over ranked opponents (MSU and Minnesota). That same year Baylor loses one close game at West Virginia then wins the Big12CG and TCU loses just one close game to Baylor but had 4 wins over ranked opponents yet neither make it to the playoff. FSU deserved to be there that year, as did Oregon and probably Alabama. OSU didn't seem to fit, had a new QB and was shaky on defense yet they win it all.
If you win all your games in a major conference, you should have a shot.
December 3rd, 2023 at 7:48 PM ^
$$$$$$$$
December 3rd, 2023 at 12:33 PM ^
Time to prove it on the field. Beat Bama!
December 3rd, 2023 at 12:34 PM ^
We got this shit but I’m agreeing with a guy named Booger. Why even play these games if you’re always going to have an SEC team in the CFP.
Kinda want to beat the hell out of Bama for FSU.
Bet.
December 3rd, 2023 at 12:35 PM ^
Boogers are awesome, including this one you are talking about
December 3rd, 2023 at 12:47 PM ^
The SEC could have just claimed Texas anyway. Now we have two B1G and two SEC teams. It's the Power 2 after all.
December 3rd, 2023 at 2:49 PM ^
Get used to it.
December 3rd, 2023 at 12:34 PM ^
And I had thought the SEC was about to lose its enforcement powers.
There’s a chance here to end Saban’s career with a loss.
December 3rd, 2023 at 12:38 PM ^
Exactly what I said elsewhere. Let's beat his ass into retirement.
December 3rd, 2023 at 1:02 PM ^
Saban’s sly little smirk on ESPN after lobbying for this exact situation the whole year knowing his Bama team is subpar this year is gross
December 3rd, 2023 at 1:19 PM ^
Let's cherish the opportunity to beat a subpar Bama team.
December 3rd, 2023 at 1:39 PM ^
Watching Bama politic this was gross but understandable.
It reminded me of 97 Nebraska.
The difference is we get go do something about it.
December 3rd, 2023 at 12:35 PM ^
So, we draw the best of the other 3 teams in the semifinal, at least playing the best right now. oh well, I guess you have to beat some good teams to win a national championship, right?
December 3rd, 2023 at 12:47 PM ^
Hey, Alabama barely beat Auburn. Lots of variance game to game for teams this year. Michigan has actually been most consistent. Bring ‘em on, let’s see how it plays out.
December 3rd, 2023 at 1:49 PM ^
Agreed. Michigan has been the most consistent all season, and is likely the best team in the playoff. I do think that right now Alabama is playing the best of the other 3 teams.
December 3rd, 2023 at 12:48 PM ^
We don't know that. Texas beat Bama @ Bama. Bama QB has improved since then but I think Georgia is still the best team in the country and happy to avoid them.
Bama is one bonehead play by Auburn DC away from not being here.
December 3rd, 2023 at 12:52 PM ^
Good for us that UGa can’t seem to figure out how to get the Bama monkey off of its back. Even when they beat them a couple years ago it was a toss up. They didn’t look like typical Georgia in the game yesterday, let Bama dictate the pace.
December 3rd, 2023 at 1:47 PM ^
Yeah. absolutely. Bama has not had a great season. but I do think that they are playing the best of the other 3 teams right now. the odds from Vegas reflect that as well.
December 3rd, 2023 at 4:16 PM ^
An early loss in the season is always discounted versus a loss late in the season. Especially if you start the season with an inexperienced quarterback, as Bama did in Milroe. The Milroe playing now is far superior to the one that started the season!
Not a surprise to me.
December 3rd, 2023 at 12:50 PM ^
Are you sure they’re the best?
They needed a miracle to beat Auburn. They lost by ten at home to Texas.
I think they’d lose to Texas again, and Washington might beat them too.
Every CFP team is going to be very good to elite. I’m not sure how Michigan matches up against Bama but I’d take playing a freshman QB over either of the two alternatives.
December 3rd, 2023 at 2:07 PM ^
Can we all agree let's spy Milroe in this game?
Let's make that priority #1?!?!
I still have Vince Young nightmares!
(Although the '04 Rose performance by Young convinced me to make some very lucrative wagers on Texas to upset usc the following year!)
December 3rd, 2023 at 2:12 PM ^
It was weird how a slow footed Allar ran on the D pretty effectively (perhaps by surprise?)
Milrow will certainly be accounted for.
December 3rd, 2023 at 2:51 PM ^
Georgia put two spies on him and it still didn't fully work.
December 3rd, 2023 at 1:18 PM ^
Alabama is dangerous but erratic. They may be the most talented of the other 3 teams, but it isn't at all clear that they're the best. The SEC collectively was vastly overrated this year.
December 3rd, 2023 at 1:38 PM ^
We're playing the 2023 Alabama football team, not the ghost of 20-teens Alabama teams
December 3rd, 2023 at 2:07 PM ^
It is far from clear that they are the best of the other 3.
December 3rd, 2023 at 2:07 PM ^
Been there done that. We just beat the best Big Ten team (OSU) to play in to the Big Ten Championship Game in order to play an easier team (Iowa). Just win, baby.
December 3rd, 2023 at 4:36 PM ^
Exactly, media had ohio#2 but since we beat them they're out of the conversation. Last year we beat them by much more in columbus and they still got the #4 seed.
Why? Because alabama needs a little help getting in this year and they're a bigger brand than ohio.
December 3rd, 2023 at 12:35 PM ^
I can't believe that two one loss teams jumped an undefeated FSU...
December 3rd, 2023 at 2:12 PM ^
In case you're still flummoxed after all these previous posts - 1973 B10 screwing of Michigan for the same reason is your go-to for relevant precedent.
Yes, all of us alive then are still pissed about it.
And yes, all of us wanted to play fsu rather than bama!
December 3rd, 2023 at 2:25 PM ^
Yup. Florida State got screwed, in my opinion.
Washington reminds me of TCU last year, Texas will probably beat them, but don't count out Washington until they play the game.
It's really a shame that the committee put a team with one loss ahead of an undefeated team, especially given the fact that the undefeated team had two big non-conference wins including one against a top team from the SEC.
I'm having a hard time imaging the criteria that caused them to choose Alabama.
Embarrassing!
December 3rd, 2023 at 12:36 PM ^
Need to put Pete Firebum in his place. That would be the sweetest part of the championship of all.
December 3rd, 2023 at 12:36 PM ^
This is why I'm looking forward to the 12-team playoffs; the teams getting screwed by the committee would not be undefeated Florida State (or 11-1 Michigan in 2006), but teams at the bottom of the list: Penn State, Oklahoma, Missouri, etc.
Yes, it would still suck to be left out. Yes, there will still be arguments. They can be ignored more easily, though, and we can all save our energy for shitty referees in the actual playoff games.
December 3rd, 2023 at 2:16 PM ^
12 teams is a ludicrous number for a college football tournament. No one left out could possibly have any argument that they were a legitimate title contender!
That's why I preferred an 8-team field with no byes. Still plenty to argue about there, and isn't that what we're all really here for?!
December 3rd, 2023 at 2:54 PM ^
But I LOVE that the 12 team playoff provides for on-campus playoff games. Those will be incredible. The bye teams will be jealous.
December 3rd, 2023 at 4:38 PM ^
But the problem is when a three-loss #11 seed from the sec wins the whole thing on bad refereeing. It's honestly going to be worse when that happens.
December 3rd, 2023 at 12:36 PM ^
That is some bullshit
December 3rd, 2023 at 12:36 PM ^
Gives us the chance to beat a piece of shit MSU coach. Go Blue!
December 3rd, 2023 at 12:36 PM ^
This could be the greatest scandal ever in the sport. I don't know how you compare this with situations where there was harm to children and what not, but this is criminal and it just erodes the beauty of Michigan drawing the top seed.
December 3rd, 2023 at 12:43 PM ^
Greatest scandal, you say?
We already know what that is…
/s
December 3rd, 2023 at 12:45 PM ^
uh... criminal? That's taking it a bit too far.
December 3rd, 2023 at 12:54 PM ^
It's really not, they stole millions of dollars from FSU. People go to jail for stealing from a grocery store.
December 3rd, 2023 at 1:15 PM ^
Unless it's just crab legs or something, which FSU also knows well.
December 3rd, 2023 at 1:39 PM ^
Free Shoes University
December 3rd, 2023 at 1:31 PM ^
Hyperbole
December 3rd, 2023 at 1:43 PM ^
perhaps, I guess I shouldn't get upset over FSU getting screwed, maybe an overreaction, still think it's wrong
December 3rd, 2023 at 12:37 PM ^
For all the people rightfully mad about FSU getting screwed, now is Michigan's chance to put away all this talk of SEC supremacy. Its put up or shut up time again for the B1G. Beat Bama!
December 3rd, 2023 at 12:57 PM ^
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