ESPN College GameDay crew make their picks for Michigan vs. Alabama

Chris Breiler | 11 Hours Ago

Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK

Ahead of Saturday's slate of playoff games, the ESPN College GameDay crew made their picks for a number of upcoming bowl games, including the matchup between Michigan and No. 11 Alabama on Dec. 31 in the Reliaquest Bowl. Ironically, this will be the second bowl game matchup between these two programs in 2024, with the last meeting occurring back in January in the Rose Bowl.

Although that previous Rose Bowl matchup provided an epic battle between two blue-blood programs, the upcoming matchup in the Reliaquest Bowl has a much different feel. On one side, Alabama was the first team left out of the playoff after putting together a 9-3 season with losses to Vanderbilt, Tennessee, and Oklahoma. On the other side, the Michigan Wolverines found themselves fighting to become bowl eligible in late November, putting together a 7-5 record that included a win over Ohio State to close out the regular season.

Here are the predictions from the College Gameday panel:

• Desmond Howard: Michigan
• Nick Saban: Alabama
• Pat McAfee: Alabama
• AJ Hawk: Alabama
• Lee Corso: Alabama
• Kirk Herbstreit: Michigan

MICHIGAN MAN @KirkHerbstreit pic.twitter.com/NxSdWmnNL1

— National Champions Barstool Blue (@BarstoolUofM) December 21, 2024

While it may not be a playoff game, it doesn't mean that the Wolverines are taking this one lightly. Meeting with the media this week, senior QB Davis Warren made it clear that Michigan wants to finish this season the right way - with a win against the Crimson Tide.

"They've got a new coach, different system on defense. So it kind of feels like a different team. Some similar players, but overall a different team," Warren said. "Since I've been here, we've only been in the Playoffs, so this is new to me. But I think everyone's done a great job, you wouldn't notice a difference from last year to the year before this year in terms of the intensity, the focus, and everything that we've got to do.

"We need to win this football game. It's important to us as a team. It's important as an offense for us to do what we do and to uphold the standard of Michigan. There's a thousand wins up there. There's a standard here of winning. And we don't plan on stopping that. And Michigan needs us to win this football game."

- Enjoy more Michigan Wolverines coverage on Michigan Wolverines On SI -

More Michigan News:

• Michigan Football's Mason Graham named unanimous first team All-American

• Injury Update: Detroit Lions star Aidan Hutchinson promises to return for Super Bowl

• Michigan Football: Bryce Underwood officially enrolled, will begin practice this week

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