Game notes: Things you need to know ahead of Alabama vs. Michigan Football

Trent Knoop | 4 Hours Ago

Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Michigan will play in one week from today when the Wolverines travel down to Florida to take on Alabama in the ReliaQuest Bowl. The maize and blue will take on Bama for the second time in this calendar year and Michigan got the best of the Crimson Tide the first time the two teams played. The Wolverines got past Nick Sabana and Co. to win the Rose Bowl and move to the national title.

But both teams will look extremely different when the two square off in Tampa. Between bowl opt-outs, transfers, and losing so many seniors from the first time the two played -- it's hardly a glimpse of what we saw in January.

But before the game, here are some game notes thanks to M Go Blue.

• This will be the seventh meeting between Michigan and Alabama; series is tied at three wins apiece.

• U-M won the last matchup, a 27-20 victory in overtime in the 2024 CFP Semifinal at the Rose Bowl.

• Michigan is making its seventh appearance in the ReliaQuest Bowl.

• Kalel Mullings is 52 yards shy of 1,000 this season: rushed 185 times for 948 yards and scored 12 TDs.

• Ernest Hausmann leads U-M with a career-best 82 tackles and 7 TFLs.

• Josaiah Stewart is pacing the defense in TFLs (13) and sacks (8.5).

• Dominic Zvada is the Big Ten's most accurate kicker with a 94.4 percent conversion rate (17-18 on FGs).

• U-M has compiled a 23-29 record in bowl games, listing 11th in the NCAA in appearances and 17th in victories.

• This will be the 19th time that Michigan faces a Southeastern Conference school in a bowl game.

• The Wolverines have a 9-9 mark against the SEC in bowl games.

• The most recent bowl match-up with the SEC came in the 2023 CFP Semifinal at the Rose Bowl, a 27-20 overtime victory over Alabama on New Year's Day.

• Michigan is no stranger to the Southeastern Conference and will face an SEC school for the 41st time in school history.

• The Wolverines have a 26-13-1 all-time record against schools from the SEC.