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It’s not clear if Michigan “wanted” ‘Bama, but they’ve got them. The Wolverines will be matched up with the Crimson Tide in the Citrus Bowl Jan. 1.
It has been a down year in Alabama football standards, with the Crimson Tide missing out on the College Football Playoff after losing to rival Auburn in its final game of the regular season and No. 1 LSU earlier in the year.
Still, Alabama and Nick Saban figure to be heavy favorites heading into the contest. While Michigan will likely use it as a building block for the 2020 campaign, the game has revenge game and angry Nick Saban written all over it.
Some have even begun saying prayers for the Wolverines.
Citrus Bowl:
— Elite College Football (@EliteCollege_FB) December 8, 2019
#13 Alabama vs #14 Michigan
Let’s say a prayer for the Wolverines
pic.twitter.com/mByqX2L97u
Regardless, a throw down between two prestigious programs should make for a good drawing attendance-wise. Putting Jim Harbaugh toe-to-toe against Saban should also be intriguing.
In a teleconference presser Sunday, Saban referred to Harbaugh as a “great coach” and Harbaugh said Saban and ‘Bama have “set the bar for college football.”
Nick Saban: “Privilege and honor to be in the Citrus Bowl, playing a great team like the University of Michigan with great tradition, great coach in Jim Harbaugh. This is a challenge that we certainly look forward to.”
— Orion Sang (@orion_sang) December 8, 2019
Jim Harbaugh says he has "the utmost respect" for Alabama. "They've set the bar in college football over the years. A credit to Nick Saban and his coaches."
— Aaron McMann (@AaronMcMann) December 8, 2019
The game has already garnered the interest of the Twitter-verse. Here is what some other national outlets and college football fans are saying about the match up.
Michigan vs Alabama in the citrus bowl. I'm down for that.
— Mark Bartholomew (@MarkBarth64) December 8, 2019
I’m actually excited for Alabama vs Michigan bowl game
— Tyler Nethaway (@NethAddict) December 8, 2019
It's one hell of an intriguing matchup and a lot of people will be watching Alabama vs Michigan
— ᴛʀᴇᴠᴏʀ ᴡᴏᴏᴅꜱ (@WoodsFootball) December 8, 2019
One question on the minds of Wolverines fans is likely how Michigan — coming off a 56-27 blowout loss to rival Ohio State — will fair against an Alabama team that has been a perennial power for the past decade.
The potential for Alabama players to forgo the bowl game in order to prevent any chance of injury is very real, and it’s already known ‘Bama will be without quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. But the early feeling is that Michigan will come into the contest as an underdog.
I don’t think “Michigan getting smoked by a few touchdowns vs Alabama’s second’s string” is exactly the winning matchup the Citrus Bowl envisions it to be.
— Nate Oats fan account (@gothlaw) December 8, 2019
LMFAO Michigan vs Alabama
— NHL Insider FuukaHausen (@AriaOfTheStar) December 8, 2019
Michigan is gonna get their shit ran
Michigan vs Alabama in Citrus Bowl, pissed off Nick is going to give Jimmy a good a... kicking
— Danny Z (@ZwickDan) December 8, 2019
The game will be at 1 p.m. ET on ESPN.