Michigan starts Rose Bowl trying to gift Nick Saban another CFP win

The Michigan Wolverines are having a hard time once again in the national semifinals. It is still insanely early, but the spoils are not going to go to the victors if they keep playing like this. Michigan had been a total disaster on its first two offensive possessions. They nearly turned the ball over on the first play from scrimmage but ended up muffing a punt that led to an early Alabama touchdown.

Michigan was an early favorite to win this national semifinal game over the Crimson Tide. The Wolverines are one of two undefeated teams left in college football, along with the Sugar Bowl-bound Washington Huskies, who play the Texas Longhorns in the other national semifinal later. While all the pressure is on the Wolverines in the Rose Bowl, Alabama is licking its chops in the early part of this.

There is a lot to like about this Michigan team. The Wolverines are well-coached, have a tremendous ground game and a phenomenal pass rush. But Alabama is still Alabama, and nobody ever wants to play the Crimson Tide. Of course, you cannot beat yourself if you plan on beating Alabama. Things can change quickly, but Michigan's self-inflicted errors could knock them out of the playoff yet again.

Semaj Morgan's muffed punt allowed for Quandarrius Robinson to recover and maintain possession.

Had it not been for Caleb Downs stepping out of bounds, he would have picked off J.J. McCarthy.

Michigan has to clean this up if they want to keep the Crimson Tide from stealing their sunshine.

Early miscues could cost Michigan dearly vs. Alabama later in Rose Bowl

Michigan did respond with a touchdown of its own after surrendering the first seven points of the game to Alabama. Again, Michigan is the presumptive favorite to win the national championship, but you have to remember how last season ended for the Wolverines. They were the massive favorite over the TCU Horned Frogs in the Fiesta Bowl. Plenty of miscues led to that monumental upset.

Overall, football is a game of momentum and nothing is decided until it is. Alabama is far from a perfect team, but the Crimson Tide historically thrive in these big spot. To date, Nick Saban is 6-1 in national semifinal games, having won six in a row. The last time Alabama lost in the national semifinals when the Crimson Tide made the playoff, they fell to eventual national champion Ohio State in 2014.

As far as Michigan is concerned, they are 0-2 all time in playoff games, losing last year to TCU in the Fiesta Bowl and then got blown out vs. Georgia in the Orange Bowl during the 2021 season. To date, Jim Harbaugh is riding a lengthy bowl game losing streak. The Wolverines have not won a bowl game under his guidance since his first year back at his alma mater in 2015 when they annihilated Florida.

Michigan could be up big early, but Alabama was able to steal points thanks to the Wolverines' errors.