Citrus Bowl eyeing Michigan-Alabama
This is starting to unfortunately catch on. Really hope this does not happen.
Also just heard now on WTKA that Brett McMurphy said the Citrus Bowl really wants Michigan. Zach Shaw said his 247 people are hearing Citrus Bowl rumblings too.
December 4th, 2019 at 12:54 PM ^
One might argue that Tom Herman has everything to do with Texas' record and that the hype they received from beating Georgia has nothing to do with it.
December 4th, 2019 at 12:03 PM ^
I mean I kinda agree with your overall point, but Alabama's d didn't give up all those points to Auburn, they also had two pick sixes for scores. Auburn was outplayed badly in that game and was very fortunate to be in it, they got a ton of breaks.
December 4th, 2019 at 9:33 PM ^
Alabama probably belongs in the top 4. Their ranking is way too low. They don't deserve it. I'm wondering if they were moved down intentionally to justify a match up with Michigan on Jan 1. There should be very high tv ratings if that game did happen.
December 4th, 2019 at 11:37 AM ^
Okay...this would be...challenging.
December 4th, 2019 at 11:40 AM ^
We don't need this matchup. So you can be assured it will happen.
December 4th, 2019 at 11:40 AM ^
Do Not Want. When I got married in 2003, Michigan had the better recent and overall football program of the two schools. When my wife (an Alabama grad) said that Alabama had the better football program, I mansplained why this was not true and told her that Michigan would the dominant program going forward. I have been paying for this ever since. I don't need more reminders of this error.
December 4th, 2019 at 12:05 PM ^
Time for a divorce...
December 4th, 2019 at 11:40 AM ^
Let it ride. Worst case, we're all miserable just like we are today - just like we were last year after Florida. If we pull off a W, it's a huge momentum boost and a nice emotional lift for the whole program going into next year. Plus, it'd be a good opportunity for the NFL guys to improve their draft stock after blowing it against OSU, so I don't think many would sit.
December 4th, 2019 at 11:42 AM ^
Why is everyone spelling Florida so strangely? It's F-L-O-R-I-D-A. We play Florida in bowl games. This is law. Citrus bowl is a bowl game. Thus we play Florida.
December 4th, 2019 at 11:43 AM ^
As was said by a few in the other thread about this, the position for Michigan is Lose/Lose. Alabama will have mass sit outs so the victory by Michigan will be minimized due to that. Losing would feed trollers like Paul Finebaum and other people with heads shaped as a penis.
December 4th, 2019 at 11:47 AM ^
Maybe in the short term, but honestly, how many OSU fans bring up the caveat that many more times than not, Michigan is limping into the game with injured starters and/or a 2nd-string (or worse) QB? They don't. People don't remember after some time.
December 4th, 2019 at 11:49 AM ^
I completely disagree with you. Beating Bama is still beating Bama. The average fan (and ESPN) will never get into the granular detail of who played and who say. Hell, last year we were criticized for getting blown out - nobody cares that our top 5-6 players were either injured or say out.
One thing that I don’t disagree with you on - Feinbaum’s head is absolutely shaped like a penis.
December 4th, 2019 at 12:16 PM ^
I'd prefer you to be correct, in the victorious. I disagree that the SEC Channel (ESPN) will not spin the loss of Bama toward a rationale off the field. It improves their luster to maintains Bama's. It's not as simple as saying they will not get granular. It is the motivation they have to protect the gem of their jewel collection. Since their company line will have access to the overwhelming majority of consumers (and voters) they have an incentive to spin the loss. Especially to Michigan as they show disdain fairly regularly toward Harbaugh (Greenie the exception?).
December 4th, 2019 at 11:54 AM ^
'shaped'? No, it is a penis.
December 4th, 2019 at 11:43 AM ^
Fuck Alabama bring it on
December 4th, 2019 at 11:46 AM ^
Not in the face!
December 4th, 2019 at 11:46 AM ^
Looking forward to that bludgeoning
December 4th, 2019 at 11:47 AM ^
Oh god
December 4th, 2019 at 11:47 AM ^
I say bring this on. If some miracle were to happen and we win this, that changes national perception pretty quickly....
As an aside, can you imagine what the narrative for Alabama would be if they went 9-3?
December 4th, 2019 at 11:49 AM ^
They're already 10-2, so at worst 10-3 (may be a typo or you may have been constructing a hypothetical for next year)
December 4th, 2019 at 11:51 AM ^
Naw, that’s me just knowing they had two losses already and not doing the math right on a 12 game season...
December 4th, 2019 at 11:48 AM ^
I'd rather play Auburn.
But... what an opportunity to frame the season and program in an entirely different light. A loss is expected and won't materially increase the lol's pointed at Michigan from the CFB world. So the risk is very low. A win changes everything, yes even if people then say it was Alabama's worst team in XX years.
December 4th, 2019 at 11:48 AM ^
Of course because what would we do without our traditional consecutive ass beatings to send us into the off season?
December 4th, 2019 at 11:50 AM ^
Bama will be without Tua and may have no motivation since they've been eliminated from the CFP. Still going to be a tough matchup, especially if we have a number of guys sit out.
The timing of the OSU game does not help the perspective of Michigan... would we be more excited about a shot at Alabama if the OSU loss was a month ago and we were coming off great wins vs MSU and Indiana?
December 4th, 2019 at 11:53 AM ^
I really want a 10 win season because people love to bring up the narrative of double digit win seasons.
But fck it, this is college football and these matchups are fun. The fanbase will get excited. Let's do this.
December 4th, 2019 at 11:53 AM ^
I'm worried our D line will get mauled if this is the case. I guess you never know with bowls because motivation is such a factor but I'd rather avoid this match-up. Maybe Alabama is so un-interested in this game they sleepwalk through it and we pull off the win. But with our luck Alabama would be so insulted to be in the Citrus Bowl they'll come up guns blazing and run right over us.
December 4th, 2019 at 12:08 PM ^
time to roll out Mazi and Hinton as the interior line all game. They'll probably get demolished because they're freshman but Kemp and Dwumfour are 280 lbs and havent looked great against good interior lines. Still mystified that we didnt see more of Mazi unless he was hurt. He was supposed to be a monster in the weight room. He was scout team player of the week early on in the season and played a little against Maryland.
December 4th, 2019 at 11:58 AM ^
Is Alabama not going to be chosen for the NY6? They're 12th in the ranking, behind 9-3 Auburn, and the AAC team (Memphis/Cincy) is guaranteed a spot. But if Utah beats Oregon and OU beats Baylor, I expect Alabama to jump them and still get into a better bowl than the Citrus. But I'm not into the details so maybe it'll happen.
December 4th, 2019 at 12:01 PM ^
This Bama team does not scare me.
December 4th, 2019 at 12:41 PM ^
"This (bowl opponent) team does not scare me."
LOL. I've heard that sentiment expressed by Michigan fans before literally every one of our 25 bowl game losses since 1969. You'd think that Michigan fans would eventually wise up.
December 4th, 2019 at 12:07 PM ^
Let's go beat up USC in the Holiday Bowl and feel good about ourselves for a change.
December 4th, 2019 at 12:09 PM ^
Might be able to put some points up on the Bama defense this year, but the d-line trying match up against their o-line is terrifying. The lack of size at DT this year is just not equipped to slow down a o-line and running game like that. Also Alabama's speed at receiver would not be the best matchup given the busts down the field we saw against OSU.
December 4th, 2019 at 12:09 PM ^
They will shred our defense apart just like osu did,
December 4th, 2019 at 12:12 PM ^
I don’t like this idea at all. We’d probably get blown out by Bama, and that would be 4 straight bowl losses (2 by blowout). Also, we finished the 2016 season by going 1-3, finished 2017 by going 0-3, finished 2018 by going 0-2, and are in danger of finishing 2019 by going 0-2. This feels like a program that desperately needs a bowl win to end a season on some semblance of a semi-positive note.
December 4th, 2019 at 12:37 PM ^
And to open the season on the road at Washington looking a 3 game losing streak in the face.....
No thanks.
December 4th, 2019 at 12:45 PM ^
Washington should be a W next year. They were 7-5 this season and their head coach is retiring. They lost to decidely mediocre Stanford, Colorado, and Cal teams. They're good enough to make it a game but assuming this is a road loss seems like a stretch. Michigan's lost to the #2, #10, and #12 teams in the country this year. We suck comapred to OSU but let's not exaggerate the problem.
December 4th, 2019 at 12:14 PM ^
An angry Alabama team. Blow out city. FML
December 4th, 2019 at 12:15 PM ^
Oh No! Our defense will be torched again with that offense even with a backup QB. Not good for Michigan going for a 10th win.
December 4th, 2019 at 12:16 PM ^
We already know Michigan is not elite. Alabama lost 2 games by many fewer combined points than Michigan did vs "Ohio." But if this is it, fine.
December 4th, 2019 at 12:16 PM ^
Well will get destroyed as Najee goes for 300.
December 4th, 2019 at 12:18 PM ^
I have some mixed thoughts here.
On the one hand OH GOD NO THIS WOULD BE A BEATDOWN OF EPIC PROPORTIONS WE'D LOSE BY 40.
On the other, though?
Why not.
I'm kinda leaning toward the latter. Fuck it. Bring on Bama.
December 4th, 2019 at 12:21 PM ^
Bama without Tua is totally different than with him, with Tua they beat us by 35, without it's a close game.
December 4th, 2019 at 12:28 PM ^
Not close at all and your wrong. Alabama lost to LSU and Auburn and look at how many points they scored against those teams. Who in the hell in the Michigan secondary can cover man to man against Waddell and Smith? No one and Brown will have Uche of Glasgow covering one of them with his bullshit man schemes. Tua or not, Bama will light Michigan up both passing and running the ball and they will not have any players sit for the bowl game. They will play as a team. Quit dreaming like the Greenberg article pointed out about the ridiculous delusion of Michigan fans. The Wolverines need a WIN for the 10th win and for confidence going into this off season. The program doesn't need another humiliating ass whipping at the hands of an SEC team. Not good.
December 4th, 2019 at 12:37 PM ^
You think Alabama, a team with a bunch of 5-stars that didn't make the CFP for the first time ever, is going to have nobody sit out the bowl game..? And Michigan, a team that currently has nobody projected in the first 2 rounds of the draft, is?
December 4th, 2019 at 1:12 PM ^
Yes they will play no matter what stars they are. It is Alabama and Saban fosters a Team environment. Several of those guys may also return to Alabama for next year instead of opting for the NFL. There are no Higdons in Tuscaloosa my friend.
December 4th, 2019 at 8:47 PM ^
Bama without Tua is totally different than with him,
I saw them play without him. They aren't that much different.
December 4th, 2019 at 12:26 PM ^
So tired of these Florida bowl games against the SEC. Go west and play a PAC 12 team we can beat.
I live in San Diego and am rooting for Holiday bowl against USC. I think most west coast Michigan fans would show. I think M fans won’t be inclined to go down to Orlando again and get their asses kicked by Alabama.
I went to Citrus a few years ago and it was fun, but highly doubt we would get the same turnout due to pessimism rather than optimism had a few years ago!
December 4th, 2019 at 12:28 PM ^
I'll go to watch UM vs Bama with my Bama fan sister and brother in law. I most likely won't like the outcome however.
December 4th, 2019 at 12:26 PM ^
So finish the season playing probably the best team in the country, then play a playoff-quality team in a "down" year... Hmmm, nice.
December 4th, 2019 at 12:28 PM ^
If both teams care and put forth an effort, it won't be close. Najee will avg. 7-9 yards per carry. He almost single handedly got them back into the game vs. LSU. I don't see the defense holding up in any scenario.
On a positive note, I think UM may be able to score some against their D. If Michigan has all their players.