Harbaugh says Michigan is excited about Alabama despite reaction video
Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh claims his players are looking forward to their College Football Playoff semifinal matchup against Alabama, even if video evidence suggests otherwise.
The College Football Playoff field was announced Sunday as top-ranked Michigan is set to face No. 4 Alabama in the Rose Bowl while No. 2 Washington takes on No. 3 Texas in the Sugar Bowl.
Alabama’s inclusion in the playoff came as a surprise to some as the one-loss Crimson Tide jumped undefeated Florida State for the final spot. Based on a video of Michigan’s reaction to the news posted by ESPN’s Adam Rittenberg, it appears the Wolverines weren’t necessarily expecting the Tide as their opponents. They didn’t appear too happy about it either.
An audible groan was heard by Michigan in the video while some are seen putting their hands on their heads. However, when asked about it during a teleconference later in the day, Harbaugh claimed his team was excited about the matchup.
“It’s iconic,” Harbaugh said of the matchup. “It’s Alabama. It’s Roll Tide. It doesn’t get any better than to be playing in the Rose Bowl. We’re just going to appreciate the tradition of the Rose Bowl, playing a great team like Alabama — it always has meaning.”
Despite Harbaugh’s comments, there’s little question Alabama offers Michigan a harder challenge than Florida State, who has struggled since losing starting quarterback Jordan Travis to a season-ending leg injury last month.
Meanwhile, Crimson Tide starting quarterback Jalen Milroe has is playing his best football over the past month. The redshirt sophomore earned MVP honors during Saturday’s SEC Championship Game, completing 13 of 23 passes for 192 yards and two touchdowns while adding 29 yards on 14 carries. Over Milroe’s last five games, he’s combined for 1,427 total yards and 17 total touchdowns while turning the ball over just once.
“He's playing at an elite level," Harbaugh said. "And you can see the improvement throughout the season. It really seemed like he hit an inflection point there around right before the halfway mark.”
Harbaugh was also asked about Alabama receiver Isaiah Bond, who has a team-high 44 catches resulting in 621 yards and a touchdown. The head coach said the sophomore receiver is also playing at an “elite level.”
“The precision in the passing game has been notable,” Harbaugh said. “The improvement to where it is now is at an elite level.”
The Rose Bowl will be held on Jan. 1 in Pasadena, California. The winner will move on to the national championship game on Jan. 8 in Houston.