Betting sites in Las Vegas and some national media personalities feel maize and blue confetti will fall in favor of Michigan following the Rose Bowl next Monday in Pasadena, Calif.
The Wolverines are undefeated (13-0) entering the matchup against Alabama and are a 1.5 to 2-point favorite.
RELATED: Joel Klatt makes definitive prediction for Alabama football’s season
However, a Fox Sports analyst is starting to lean toward the Crimson Tide. Joel Klatt, host of the Joel Klatt podcast, was on The Next Round Show on Thursday for a Rose Bowl preview. He thought Michigan was the ‘better team’ for 12 weeks, until both schools played their conference championship games. Klatt saw Alabama dominate Georgia, and Michigan struggle with Iowa.
He wants to see which version of Alabama and Michigan shows up at Rose Bowl Stadium, but Klatt feels Jalen Milroe gives the Crimson Tide an advantage at quarterback. Milroe, a sophomore, earned Most Valuable Player honors after Alabama grabbed a 27-24 victory over the Bulldogs at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. He has 2,718 passing yards, 3,186 total yards, and 35 touchdowns.
“For 12 weeks this year I thought Michigan was the better team.
The one week I don’t feel all that confident in that happens to be their last game…” @joelklatt on the Rose Bowl@AlabamaFTBL @UMichFootball @CFBPlayoff pic.twitter.com/Oi7k8ac6N2
— The Next Round (@NextRoundLive) December 28, 2023
“I am leaning Alabama in this game,” Klatt said. “I am different than Las Vegas. I think the ability of Jalen Milroe to extend plays is something Michigan’s defense has not seen. Now, there are a lot of things Michigan does well, and probably to a better degree than any of the other teams Alabama has faced. … The aspect I am most nervous for is not even Milroe. Michigan has to be able to run the football. It is baked into them. They don’t have a lot of answers in the drop back passing game. Now, their passing game is really good when it comes off the run action. It does not mean J.J. (McCarthy) is not a good player, but it is how the offense is built. They ran the ball for under two yards a carry against Iowa. That is concerning. For me, it is more about Zak Zinter their All-American guard. He got injured, broke his leg in the Ohio State game. What they looked like after that was not something that gives me a lot of confidence. So for those reasons, I am leaning toward Alabama.”
Klatt really likes Michigan’s defensive line, calling it the ‘best defensive front Alabama will have faced all season,’ but he looks at how one-dimensional the Wolverines are on offense. It is going to be fun to watch next Monday at 4 p.m. CT.
*Get the BEST Alabama football insider information, message board access, and recruiting coverage today! SIGN UP HERE to unlock our subscriber-only content!*
Stephen M. Smith is the managing editor and senior writer for Touchdown Alabama Magazine. You can “like” him on Facebook or “follow” him on Twitter, via @CoachingMSmith.
