Alabama Faces Michigan in Playoff Semifinal
Rose Bowl Playoff Semifinal Sees Wolverines the Slightest of Favorites
The Rose Bowl kicks off this upcoming Monday. We’ve got the latest updates on lines, injuries, departures and weather right here:
The line in the CFP Semifinal at the Rose Bowl has pretty much been dialed in for the past three weeks. After Michigan opened as 2.5-point favorites, the line dropped to 1.5 for a bit before moving to the current number of Michigan -1.
The moneyline opened at Wolverines -135, although it was taken off the board for a while after Michigan dropped to 1-point favorites. But the moneyline has reappeared at Michigan -125. That is slightly high for a 1-point favorite. The total opened at 46, moved to 45.5, and is now at 45.
Winning a national championship is the dream of college football players. So you seldom have to worry about opt-outs or many players entering the transfer portal and missing the playoffs. The most significant loss is Michigan offensive lineman Zak Zinter. Zinter will miss the game with an injury suffered against Ohio State.
The weather in Pasadena, California, is expected to be ideal for football. Temperatures will be in the low 60s at kick-off, with slight cloud cover. There is an 18% chance of rain, and there shouldn’t be much in the way of wind.
Now, check out the rest of the Rose Bowl preview, originally published on December 23.
Like it or not, No. 4 Alabama is going to square off against No. 1 Michigan in the Rose Bowl Playoff Semifinal. There’s no denying Michigan belongs here. Alabama isn’t quite so etched in stone, but the bottom line is the Crimson Tide knocked off the No. 1 team in the country in the SEC championship game. Michigan Wolverines opened as a 2.5-point favorite against Alabama. The line is down to Wolverines -1, while the total has held pretty steady at 45.5. With the point spread being a single point, there is no moneyline on the game.
CFP Semifinal at the Rose Bowl Information
Alabama Crimson Tide vs Michigan Wolverines 
Day/Time:
Location: Rose Bowl, Pasadena, California
Stream: ESPN
Alabama Exceeds Expectations
Nobody gave Alabama a chance to win the college football championship after its Week 2 loss to Texas. The Tide was routinely criticized for their play, especially quarterback Jalen Milroe, who threw for 23 touchdowns against six interceptions and rushed for 12 more TDs.
But the Crimson Tide would have the last laugh, finishing the NCAAF season 12-1 and an impressive 9-4 against the spread, including 1-0 as an underdog in the SEC championship game. Alabama was 8-3-2 against the scores and odds in totals. You don’t think of Alabama as an over team, but this year’s version of the Tide definitely was.
The Tide ran the ball nearly 40 times per game, although they weren’t great at it. Alabama averaged 4.4 yards per rush against teams allowing 4.3 yards a carry.
The Crimson Tide were solid in the passing game, gaining 9.8 yards per pass attempt against teams that allowed 7.4 yards. Alabama averaged 228.5 passing yards per game against teams allowing 227.9 yards, but they did it throwing 7.5 fewer passes than the opposition normally faced.
Defensively, Alabama allowed 18.4 points to teams that averaged 30.1 points. The Tide averaged 3.7 yards per rush to teams averaging 4.6 yards a carry. The pass defense gave up 6.4 yards per attempt to teams that averaged 7.6 yards per pass play. The Crimson Tide held teams to 188.8 passing yards per game.
Departures & Injuries
Teams playing in the college football playoffs seldom see players opt-out and that’s the case with Alabama Crimson Tide. So far, no main contributors to the team have announced plans to skip the game. This is what the NCAAF players dream of when they sign with the Crimson Tide. They’re not about to miss out on the opportunity to play for a national championship.
Wolverines Deserve No. 1 Ranking
For all the complaining people have done about the college football playoff matchups, one thing that can’t be argued is Michigan at No. 1. The Wolverines were the most impressive of the teams that finished undefeated in the NCAAF standings.
Michigan was 7-5-1 against the point spread and was favored in every game. The Wolverines were favored by single-digits twice during the season and covered both times against Ohio State and Penn State.
With a defense that allowed under 10 points per game, the Wolverines were 6-7 in totals. Michigan was 1-4 in totals that were 50 or higher. Michigan scored 49 or more points in three games to send the game over the total themselves.
The Wolverines’ offensive numbers are pretty comparable to Alabama’s. Both teams run the ball a lot, even though they don’t necessarily gain a lot of yardage on the ground. Michigan averaged 4.3 yards per carry against teams allowing 3.7 yards per rush.
The Wolverines averaged 161.9 rushing yards per game. Michigan threw for 218.8 yards per game, gaining 9.0 yards per pass attempt against teams that allowed 6.8 yards per pass.
The Michigan defense was strong against the run, allowing just 2.9 yards per carry to teams that averaged 4.0 yards a rush. The Wolverines allowed 152.6 passing yards and held teams to 5.8 yards per pass. The 239.8 totals yards allowed by the Wolverines is nearly 100 fewer yards than teams averaged. There wasn’t a weak spot on the Michigan defense.
Departures & Injuries
Michigan hasn’t lost any key contributors due to opt-outs or the transfer portal so far. Players want to play in the college football playoffs and aren’t about to sit out the Rose Bowl Playoff Semifinal.
Game Has Makings of a Classic
The Rose Bowl Playoff Semifinal has everything you could want in a college football game. You have two strong offensive teams and two pretty solid defensive NCAAF teams. Michigan and Alabama are two of the bigger name football programs over the years. It really doesn’t get any better than this.
This game is pretty evenly matched, which is shown in the point spread. Bettors are having a tough time deciding on which team to take and that’s a good thing for those who like college football. The total is a bit on the low side, but both teams are solid defensively, so the number makes sense in this case.
For NCAA bowl scores, college football betting lines and more, visit Point Spreads Sports Magazine.
