In the Rose Bowl, Michigan is going all in for the underdog: “It’s the Alabama Invitational… bring on the best.”
Despite Michigan’s undefeated record, which is ranked first in the nation and in every major advanced analytical poll, Alabama’s reputation and postseason prowess have many people rooting for the Tide.
ANN ARBOR, Michigan: There doesn’t appear to be a greater incentive for college football players than having outsiders doubt their abilities and the team they play for.
When a team finishes in the top five and goes unbeaten, they will brag about how “nobody believes in this team,” as Dabo Swinney of Clemson said in 2016 or how “everyone doubted us all year,” as Kirby Smart of Georgia did following the Bulldogs’ second consecutive national title triumph in January. Ohio State has adopted the slogan “Ohio against the World,” while Michigan adopted the slogan “Michigan vs. Everyone” long before NCAA investigations and charges were well known.
It would appear that the Wolverines may need to stretch a little to locate a chip on their shoulder as they get ready for the College Football Playoffs. With a record of 13-0, Michigan holds the top spot in the nation and leads the country in all major advanced analytical rankings. As the clear favorite to win the national title, the Wolverines lead the country in scoring margin.
Nevertheless, Michigan is discovering an attitude of being the underdog and the desire that players love. The Wolverines’ opponent and their track record in the College Football postseason era—eight CFP appearances, a 6-1 semifinal record, and three national titles in the nine postseason seasons—are a significant advantage, according to Michigan’s coordinators.
According to defensive coordinator Jesse Minter, “I do think having that mentality of we feel like we’re hungry, we feel like we’re the underdog,” is important. “They’ve participated in eight of the ten playoffs and won several titles; this is the Alabama Invitational. It’s the SEC’s fourth or fifth straight win. Come on, let’s go. Let’s play them, put on our best, and assess our current situation.”
Though Michigan is favored by 1.5 points as of Tuesday, the Crimson Tide has received almost 90% of all money bets at BetMGM. The fact that the line hasn’t shifted in Alabama’s favor suggests that sports bookmakers aren’t as confident in Alabama’s victory as wagerers are, albeit it’s unexpected considering that Michigan is the nation’s top team going unbeaten.
However, the Wolverines are not shocked by the national recognition the Crimson Tide are receiving.
“We are not the winners. Thus, they have, while we have not,” stated Sherrone Moore, the offensive coordinator. “To reach to that position and what they’ve accomplished, we must work really hard to prepare. That’s our objective, that’s how we think. We will stop at nothing to achieve our objective of going to victory.”
Aside from its impressive record over the past 15 years—six national titles, nine appearances in the title game, nine SEC titles, eleven top-five finishes, 44 first-round NFL Draft selections, and 123 overall draft selections—Alabama is also enjoying widespread acclaim due to its current squad, which includes 18 former five-star prospects and 56 former four-star prospects. In contrast, Michigan
The idea that the Wolverines’ performance has declined after November 1st is feeding Michigan’s narrative. In contrast to its first nine opponents, all of whom it defeated by a margin of at least 24 points, Michigan did not completely dominate the three ranked teams it faced—No. 7 Ohio State, No. 10 Penn State, and No. 17 Iowa—despite covering the spread against each of them. The Wolverines “failed” to duplicate the three-touchdown victory they recorded against the Nittany Lions and Buckeyes last autumn.
For the Wolverines, however, a perceived decline in play and the talk that goes along with it are of no concern. In fact, it gives a team that has over six players who declined to enter the NFL Draft extra motivation.
When it comes to Michigan’s drive, Minter stated, “I don’t think it’s taken much to create it.” For many of the men we have, this is what they came back for when we got back together, especially as a defense and a team. 13-0 is amazing; no one has ever won the Big Ten Championship three times in a row as this team and Coach Harbaugh have. However, the group has also been motivated to reach this point, thus previous setbacks frequently contribute to the “chip on your shoulder” mindset.”
It’s true that during the past 20 years, the SEC has generally produced superior teams than the Big Ten. The SEC is 15-3 in the College Football Playoffs while not playing a team from another SEC conference, whereas the aggregate record of all other conferences is 11-22, with the Big Ten having a 3-7 record.
It’s also true that Alabama has performed incredibly well since a letdown against No. 3 Texas in September. In Atlanta, they have defeated No. 6 Georgia as well as Nos. 11 Ole Miss, No. 13 LSU, and No. 21 Tennessee, all by a combined score of 14 points. The Crimson Tide boast a squad full of future NFL players, a playmaking quarterback, a physically intimidating offensive line, a dominant defense, and well-respected coaches.
Of course, Michigan does as well this year.
“Now we’re here and now it’s on us to try and get further than we have and reach our ultimate destination,” Minter stated. “Even though we’ve had the success and it’s great, nobody is ever going to take that away, it’s really this moment, to a man, everybody said this is what we’re gunning for, this is why we’re coming back.”
