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Alabama vs. Michigan Odds, Spread, Over/Under, Moneyline - Rose Bowl Odds

Moneyline: Alabama Crimson Tide -105, Michigan Wolverines -125
Spread: Alabama +1.5 (-110), Michigan -1.5 (-110)
Total: Over/Under 44.5 points

College Football Schedule Rose Bowl – Game info - Alabama at Michigan College Football Season 2023
Alabama (12-1, 5-0 Away) vs. Michigan (13-0, 7-0 Home)
Date: Monday, Jan. 1, 2024
Time: 5 p.m. ET
Venue: Rose Bowl Stadium in Pasadena, Calif.
TV Channel: ESPN
Live Stream: FuboTV

The Michigan Wolverines couldn’t believe their bad luck when they saw Alabama awarded the the No. 4 seed for this season’ College Football Playoff. Alabama’s late arrival in the season’s final four set up an almighty clash between the 13-0 Wolverines and the 12-1 Crimson Tide. Head coach Nick Saban’s Alabama team had to be perfect down the stretch to make it into the CFP, and a dramatic SEC Championship Game win over previously top-seeded Georgia kept the Crimson Tide in the hunt for what would be their first national championship in three years and their seventh in the past 15.

It has been a high-flying year for the Michigan Wolverines, but Alabama presents them with a very serious test. Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh has gained an unfortunate reputation for not being able to win the big games, and it doesn’t get much bigger than this. There is very little difference between these two teams when it comes to their level of talent, so the question is whether or not Harbaugh can keep his nerve in a chess match against the legendary Saban. What a treat this one should be!

Alabama vs. Michigan Preview

After an early-season loss to Texas, it appeared that 2023 might be one of those rare years in which Alabama head coach Nick Saban’s team wouldn’t reach the College Football Playoff. However, a last-second, remarkable “Hail Mary” pass by Tide quarterback Jalen Milroe against Auburn set up an SEC Championship Game date with No. 1 Georgia.

Entering that conference title game, the Crimson Tide were ranked only eighth in that nation, but a dramatic victory over the rival Bulldogs propelled them up to the No. 4 spot and their eighth CFP appearance in the 10 seasons since the current playoff format was adopted.

At the time of the Auburn game, no one realized how significant Milroe’s game-winning TD pass to wide receiver Isaiah Bond would be. The stunning 30-yard bullet to the back corner of the end zone kept Alabama’s playoff hopes alive and will go down as one of the best throws of the season. It was one of many highlights in a very good year for the first-year starting QB, who has thrown for 2,718 yards and 23 touchdowns, while rushing for 468 yards and 12 more scores.

Milroe benefits from a talented offensive line and deep group of skill-position players. Running backs Jase McClellan and Roydell Williams are a very useful 1-2 punch in the Alabama backfield, as each player is averaging roughly five yards per carry. Add the shifty Milroe into the mix, and the Tide have a running game that can cause major headaches for opposing defenses.

Fortunately for Michigan, the Wolverines have proven themselves to be pretty good at stopping the run this year. They have held opponents to just three yards per rushing attempt, which ranks sixth in the nation. Not allowing Alabama to establish the run -- and instead forcing a young quarterback to beat them with his arm -- would be a good strategy for the Wolverines.

The headliner in Milroe’s group of Crimson Tide receivers is senior Jermaine Burton, who has averaged an incredible 22 yards per reception this year. His 35 catches have produced 777 yards and eight TDs, which will keep the Wolverines’ defensive backs on their toes.

Burton is joined by Bond, the man who caught Alabama’s dramatic final-second TD pass to beat Auburn. Bond has posted 621 receiving yards and scored four touchdowns this year. He and Burton will be working against a Michigan secondary that allows opposing quarterbacks a mere 54 percent completion rate – the seventh-best mark in college football.

With Saban at the helm, the Crimson Tide are as well coached as they come, and they have talent all over their roster, but this Michigan team has been giving up only 9.5 points per game this year, and it will be tough to break down the Wolverines’ defense.

On offense, the star of Michigan’s show is Blake Corum. The Wolverines’ 5-foot-8 senior running back has scored an NCAA-leading 24 touchdowns this season while rushing for a total of 1,028 yards. He has done most of the heavy lifting in some of Michigan’s biggest games. Corum’s 26 carries against a good Penn State defense made life easier for quarterback, J.J. McCarthy, who only had to throw the ball eight times. When Corum had 22 carries against Ohio State, McCarthy only dropped back to pass 20 times for 160 yards.

There is no doubt that McCarthy is a talented player, but Alabama will be eager to make the Michigan junior QB drop back more than he has been doing in recent big games. He has a modest stat line of 2,630 yards, 19 TD passes, and four interceptions this season, and Alabama will be out to test whether he can put the team on his back. McCarthy’s 74 percent completion rate this year shows that he has talent and is part of a good offense, but Saban’s Alabama players won’t make life easy for him.

The Crimson Tide defense is star-studded. Their secondary is led by sophomore Terrion Arnold, who has five interceptions, a forced fumble, and 11 passes-defended on the year, and junior Kool-Aid McKinstry, who is touted to go high in the 2024 NFL Draft. These two DBs play behind a talented front seven featuring linebackers Dallas Turner and Chris Braswell and defensive lineman Justin Eboigbe, who each have at least seven sacks.

Alabama will be trying to stop a Michigan offense that runs through Corum and its talented group of pass-catchers. Wolverines senior wide receivers Roman Wilson and Cornelius Johnson, along with sophomore tight end Colston Loveland, have each registered at least 500 receiving yards this season. The Wolverines are averaging 36.7 points per game, which is even better than Alabama’s 32.5. Can the College Football Playoff’s No. 1 seed secure a momentous victory and move on to the championship game?

Alabama vs. Michigan Prediction and Pick

It is incredibly difficult to pick a winner in this game -- a fact reflected by its spread of just 1.5 points. Both teams are incredibly talented, and it should come down to the thinnest of margins. For that reason, I will be leaning toward Alabama. The Crimson Tide come in with less pressure and more momentum after two dramatic victories over Auburn and previously No. 1-ranked Georgia.

Michigan’s team, on the other hand, has all the pressure on its shoulders. They are unbeaten, but they have struggled to get the job done at this point of the season in years past. Head coach Jim Harbaugh will be desperate to shake a reputation for not being able to win big games, but a clash with Nick Saban’s Alabama team is a worst-case scenario for him. The Crimson Tide are talented and well coached, and they will be ready for the 2023 Rose Bowl.

The Pick: Alabama Crimson Tide +1.5 (-110)

It is also very difficult to pick the over/under on the points total. I could easily see this being a tough, defensive clash, but I think there will be enough offensive talent on the field to get us past the over. Both defenses are very good, but so are the offenses. Both teams should be able to put up some points in this one, so I will be taking the over.

The Pick: Alabama vs Michigan Over 44.5 (-115)

Best College Football Same-Game Parlay Picks today for Alabama vs. Michigan: 2-Leg Parlay Pick (+245)

Leg-1 SGP Pick: Alabama Crimson Tide +1.5 (-110)

Leg-2 SGP Pick: Alabama vs Michigan Over 44.5 (-115)

Odds are subject to change*

CFB SGP @(+245): Bet $100 to Win $345

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