Rose Bowl: How to watch Michigan vs. Alabama in the College Football Playoff

This is what the Michigan Wolverines have been focused on all season long. After coming up short in the semifinal rounds of the College Football Playoff each of the past two seasons, Michigan has been on a mission to not only get back to the playoff for a third consecutive season but win it all. And with the top seed in the four-team field and a spot in Pasadena locked in for the Rose Bowl semifinal, everything has fallen exactly where Michigan wanted it. But first up is a matchup with the playoff era’s most successful program, the Alabama Crimson Tide.

It has been a few years since Alabama reigned supreme on the College Football Playoff field, but this year’s team has the look of a serious contender that could cause some problems for Michigan the way no other team has been capable of this season. After a bit of a shaky start to the season, Alabama has gotten in gear and taken advantage of a miraculous road victory in the regular season finale against Auburn. Alabama knocked Georgia out of the playoff hunt and now looks to make some noise as it is back in the playoff.

The Big Ten is 1-2 against the SEC so far this bowl season with Ohio State and Penn State each taking losses to Missouri and Ole Miss, respectively, in their New Years Six bowl games. Maryland picked up the win against Auburn in its bowl game. New Years Day will feature three Big Ten vs. SEC bowl matchups with Wisconsin battling LSU in the ReliaQuest Bowl and Iowa facing Tennessee in the Citrus Bowl. Can the Big Ten gain an upper hand on the SEC in head-to-head matchups this year?

Here is how to watch Michigan face Alabama in the first College Football Playoff semifinal

TV and live stream information

Michigan vs. Alabama injury report

Unlike the majority of other bowl games, the good thing about this being a College Football Playoff game is there are no players opting out to focus on their NFL futures. The other good news is both teams appear to be in pretty good health coming into this semifinal matchup.

Alabama running back Jase McClellan could be questionable with a foot injury. If McClellan is unavailable, that would sting for Alabama as he is the team’s leading rusher this season with 803 rushing yards and 6 touchdowns. But the Tide would have Roydell Williams (561 yards, 5 TDs) and Jam Miller (190 yards, 1 TD) ready to step in.

Michigan has had a few players out of action for a while now. The biggest question may be the status of backup quarterback Davis Warren, who has been reported as questionable for the Rose Bowl. But as long as JJ McCarthy stays on the field, that should not be much of a concern for the Wolverines.

Stat Leaders

PASSING

• J.J. McCarthy, Michigan: 2,630 yards, 19 TD, 4 INT

• Jalen Milroe, Alabama: 2,718 yards, 23 TD, 6 INT

RUSHING

• Jase McClellan, Alabama: 166 carries, 803 yards, 6 TD

• Blake Corum, Michigan: 218 carries, 1,028 yards, 24 TD

RECEIVING

• Jermaine Burton, Alabama: 35 receptions, 777 yards, 8 TD

• Ronnie Wilson, Michigan: 41 receptions, 662 yards, 11 TD

Quick Preview

This is a terue College Football Playoff heavyweight and a game everybody should be looking forward to. Michigan’s defense has been up to the task all season long and the offense has a way of playing a physical style that just wears down defenses before really exploding for big gains on the ground later in the game. That is Michigabn’s bread and butter, but can they keep that style of play going against Alabama?

Odds are yes, they can. But Alabama’s offense may have enough to counterbalance everything Michigan does well. The play of the quarterbacks really goes in the spotlight here as Jalen Milroe has shown a wide range of results from questionable head-scratching decisions to moments of bewilderment trying to figure out how he pulled something off. Which Milroe does Alabama get more of against the Wolverines? And can JJ McCarthy get the time needed to make the plays he needs to make against the Tide defense?

Nittany Lions Wire staff overview from Charlie Strella: I have never been a JJ McCarthy believer, and knowing Nick Saban will make him throw the ball gives me even more concern. The last time he was forced to throw the ball was against Maryland, and McCarthy threw a pick in the red zone. Do that against this Crimson Tide squad, and you will be in trouble. A terrific coaching matchup will be on full display, and in the Grandaddy of them all, it will be one heck of a sight, but for me, it comes down to the quarterback. In a tight game, I trust Jalen Milroe more than I do JJ McCarthy.

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Story originally appeared on Nittany Lions Wire