Opinion Roundtable: What Are Michigan Chances Against Alabama?
Alabama is currently a 7-point favorite over the Wolverines and that's without its star quarterback and two high NFL draft picks who have decided to sit out. Others could still decided to skip the bowl game but it might not matter. Bama is supremely talented and has a knack for winning big games. Most people don't give U-M much of a chance but that's why they play the games.
Brandon Brown
I think Michigan has about a 10-20% chance of winning this game. The way I always look at matchups is like this — if these two teams played ten times, what would be the outcome? I think Michigan might win once or twice, but even that seems like a long shot.
Alabama is much more talented than Michigan. In fact, despite losing twice this year, Bama still might be the most talented team in the country top to bottom. They've certainly recruited as good or better than anyone else in the country and will simply trot out new four- and five-star players if more than a couple guys sit out.
Mac Jones isn't Tua Tagolvailoa, but he was a four-star prospect in his own right and had more than 20 offers to choose from as a prep player. He's capable enough and has an offensive line littered with NFL prospects, a running back in Najee Harris who was once the No. 1 player in the country coming out of high school and perhaps the best quartet of receivers ever assembled.
On defense Bama isn't perfect, and Michigan might be able to score, but I just don't see the Wolverines being able to keep pace with the Tide. Nick Saban has built a machine and even with players sitting out, Bama is better than almost every team in the country, including Michigan.
Steve Deace
I’d give Michigan about a 20% chance to win the game, because I think those are the odds they can be plus-2 or better I turnovers — which is what it’s going to take, in my opinion.
I think Michigan will definitely score some points, but I don’t think there’s too many adjustments for Don Brown to make defensively. These are simply better players. I don’t see Michigan able to hold at the point of attack against the run, and then Alabama might have the greatest receiving corps of all time. The hope is Brown can give Mac Jones some looks that cause turnovers to create stops.
But overall, even without Tua, Alabama still looks like the kind of team Michigan just doesn’t fare well against.
What do you think the chances are for Michigan? What's it going to take for U-M to win? Comment below!!!
