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CFBW: Four #Michigan beat writers evaluate what they saw from #Alabama, #NotreDame http://t.co/yIk45GFT
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Mark Snyder (@Mark__Snyder) - Detroit Free Press
Mark Snyder
The interesting thing is Alabama was very physical on offense. Obviously with their huge line, they imposed their will on Michigan. Michigan wasnāt ready for that offensive line even as much as they heard about it. Thatās something you canāt simulate, the size and the power of that offensive line. That was maybe the biggest thing Alabama had to contend with in that game.
Notre Dameās defense was good but Michigan did a lot to help them by throwing all of those interceptions and fumbling the ball as well. Michigan was in that game. They gave away five or six possessions on turnovers. They still only lost by a touchdown. They were in that game. They werenāt in the Alabama game. They were kind of shocked early on by Alabamaās physicality on offense and Alabama could have pushed it up more in the second half if they wanted to. They didnāt need to because they had such a dominant lead.
The only thing about Alabama -- at least what we saw that day, and they were probably still figuring out some things, too -- was that Alabama was vulnerable to a couple of Michiganās big plays. Michiganās a big-play team with Denard Robinson and theyāve done that all year. I donāt know if Alabama has since gotten that under control.
I think Alabama is a better team. I think Notre Dame slid by on the skin of their teeth a couple of times. With all that time to prepare, (Nick) Sabanās got a track record. Heās done this before on this level with this amount of time. I know Brian Kelly has done it at a lower level, but heās not been in this environment with all of this attention, all of the spotlight for all of this time. A lot of the Alabama players have experience with this just last year. We saw how much they changed from the first LSU game last year to the second one.
Kyle Meinke (@kmeinke) - MLive.com
Kyle Meinke
The results speak for themselves: Michigan lost 41-14 to Alabama and 13-6 to Notre Dame. It would seem the Crimson Tide played the Wolverines tougher, and that's exactly what I saw. Michigan was dominated on both sides of the ball, especially in the trenches. It was overmatched from the start.
It was not overmatched by Notre Dame, which beat the Wolverines by just seven points despite U-M committing six turnovers. Michigan committed turnovers on five consecutive drives at one point, yet hung around. It hung onto the ball much better against Alabama, yet was routed.
Now, it must be pointed out that Michigan, defensively, was a better team by the time it played Notre Dame than when it opened the season against Alabama. It was breaking in new starters at each spot on the defensive line against the Tide, which features probably the best offensive line in the country. That was a total mismatch.
By the time Michigan played Notre Dame, that unit was more fortified, which put more pressure on the quarterback and also freed up the linebackers to make plays.
Flip the two games, though, and I bet the results don't change much. Alabama just seemed to be a more complete team, especially with its physicality. It was on another plane than Notre Dame.
Michigan was a better team by the time it played Notre Dame, so it's a difficult proposition to say just how much can be extrapolated from comparing Notre Dame to Alabama based on their games against U-M. But this can be said: Alabama is better. It just is, from what I saw.
Expect a second straight national title.
Nick Baumgardner (@nickbaumgardner) - MLive.com
Nick Baumgardner
It should come as no surprise to anyone, at this point, that both Alabama and Notre Dame are still standing as unbeaten teams due to strong defenses.
When Michigan played Notre Dame earlier this season, the Wolverines were able to move the football without too much trouble during the first half ā but every time Michigan made a mistake, Notre Dame capitalized. Manti Te'o and company are extremely opportunistic, and they force the quarterback to make snap decisions because their front seven is so good. Notre Dame forced Michigan to turn the ball over on six consecutive possessions ā which is completely ridiculous, but also completely true.
Offensively, it's tough for me. Because, at the time, Everett Golson was really not very good. He was yanked against Michigan in favor of Tommy Rees, and deservedly so. Golson didn't look comfortable against Michigan's active front seven, he turned the ball over. It wasn't pretty. Clearly he's improved as the season has gone on, but there are weaknesses there.
While Notre Dame was opportunistic against Michigan, Alabama was downright dominating. Michigan couldn't move the football. It couldn't stop Alabama's push up front, and when it did get a pass off, the Crimson Tide seemed to have two defensive backs ready to pick the ball off. Alabama has the more dominant defense, in my opinion, and I'm not sure it's that close. That was a thorough beating. Against Notre Dame, Michigan had a chance in the fourth quarter. Against Alabama, the game was over when Michigan got off the bus.
If Alabama can get Eddie Lacy and T.J. Yeldon going on the ground, I think this is the Crimson Tide's game to lose. Because, I'm not sure Notre Dame can score enough points to be in this thing.
Michael Rothstein (@mikerothstein) - WolverineNationESPN.com
Michael Rothstein
It's an interesting matchup. The biggest thing people might be underselling is Notre Dame's defense. The Irish front seven is just as talented as Alabama's and that has nothing to do with linebacker Manti Te'o. Stephon Tuitt, Louis Nix and Sheldon Day are among the most talented players in the country regardless of position.
It's going to be a struggle for both teams to really move the ball, especially Notre Dame, as Alabama has the better offense. I really like T.J. Yeldon in the backfield for Alabama. He could be the difference-maker in the game, especially in the second half. Michigan had some running room then, and if Yeldon has those same holes, that could be the difference. On the other side, Notre Dame tight end Tyler Eifert could be a major problem for Alabama. He is an awful matchup for any defense and if quarterback Everett Golson -- who has improved greatly as the season has moved along -- can find him six-to-eight times, that could be a major factor as well.
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Mark Snyder (@Mark__Snyder) - Detroit Free Press
The interesting thing is Alabama was very physical on offense. Obviously with their huge line, they imposed their will on Michigan. Michigan wasnāt ready for that offensive line even as much as they heard about it. Thatās something you canāt simulate, the size and the power of that offensive line. That was maybe the biggest thing Alabama had to contend with in that game.
Notre Dameās defense was good but Michigan did a lot to help them by throwing all of those interceptions and fumbling the ball as well. Michigan was in that game. They gave away five or six possessions on turnovers. They still only lost by a touchdown. They were in that game. They werenāt in the Alabama game. They were kind of shocked early on by Alabamaās physicality on offense and Alabama could have pushed it up more in the second half if they wanted to. They didnāt need to because they had such a dominant lead.
The only thing about Alabama -- at least what we saw that day, and they were probably still figuring out some things, too -- was that Alabama was vulnerable to a couple of Michiganās big plays. Michiganās a big-play team with Denard Robinson and theyāve done that all year. I donāt know if Alabama has since gotten that under control.
I think Alabama is a better team. I think Notre Dame slid by on the skin of their teeth a couple of times. With all that time to prepare, (Nick) Sabanās got a track record. Heās done this before on this level with this amount of time. I know Brian Kelly has done it at a lower level, but heās not been in this environment with all of this attention, all of the spotlight for all of this time. A lot of the Alabama players have experience with this just last year. We saw how much they changed from the first LSU game last year to the second one.
Kyle Meinke (@kmeinke) - MLive.com
The results speak for themselves: Michigan lost 41-14 to Alabama and 13-6 to Notre Dame. It would seem the Crimson Tide played the Wolverines tougher, and that's exactly what I saw. Michigan was dominated on both sides of the ball, especially in the trenches. It was overmatched from the start.
It was not overmatched by Notre Dame, which beat the Wolverines by just seven points despite U-M committing six turnovers. Michigan committed turnovers on five consecutive drives at one point, yet hung around. It hung onto the ball much better against Alabama, yet was routed.
Now, it must be pointed out that Michigan, defensively, was a better team by the time it played Notre Dame than when it opened the season against Alabama. It was breaking in new starters at each spot on the defensive line against the Tide, which features probably the best offensive line in the country. That was a total mismatch.
By the time Michigan played Notre Dame, that unit was more fortified, which put more pressure on the quarterback and also freed up the linebackers to make plays.
Flip the two games, though, and I bet the results don't change much. Alabama just seemed to be a more complete team, especially with its physicality. It was on another plane than Notre Dame.
Michigan was a better team by the time it played Notre Dame, so it's a difficult proposition to say just how much can be extrapolated from comparing Notre Dame to Alabama based on their games against U-M. But this can be said: Alabama is better. It just is, from what I saw.
Expect a second straight national title.
Nick Baumgardner (@nickbaumgardner) - MLive.com
It should come as no surprise to anyone, at this point, that both Alabama and Notre Dame are still standing as unbeaten teams due to strong defenses.
When Michigan played Notre Dame earlier this season, the Wolverines were able to move the football without too much trouble during the first half ā but every time Michigan made a mistake, Notre Dame capitalized. Manti Te'o and company are extremely opportunistic, and they force the quarterback to make snap decisions because their front seven is so good. Notre Dame forced Michigan to turn the ball over on six consecutive possessions ā which is completely ridiculous, but also completely true.
Offensively, it's tough for me. Because, at the time, Everett Golson was really not very good. He was yanked against Michigan in favor of Tommy Rees, and deservedly so. Golson didn't look comfortable against Michigan's active front seven, he turned the ball over. It wasn't pretty. Clearly he's improved as the season has gone on, but there are weaknesses there.
While Notre Dame was opportunistic against Michigan, Alabama was downright dominating. Michigan couldn't move the football. It couldn't stop Alabama's push up front, and when it did get a pass off, the Crimson Tide seemed to have two defensive backs ready to pick the ball off. Alabama has the more dominant defense, in my opinion, and I'm not sure it's that close. That was a thorough beating. Against Notre Dame, Michigan had a chance in the fourth quarter. Against Alabama, the game was over when Michigan got off the bus.
If Alabama can get Eddie Lacy and T.J. Yeldon going on the ground, I think this is the Crimson Tide's game to lose. Because, I'm not sure Notre Dame can score enough points to be in this thing.
Michael Rothstein (@mikerothstein) - WolverineNationESPN.com
It's an interesting matchup. The biggest thing people might be underselling is Notre Dame's defense. The Irish front seven is just as talented as Alabama's and that has nothing to do with linebacker Manti Te'o. Stephon Tuitt, Louis Nix and Sheldon Day are among the most talented players in the country regardless of position.
It's going to be a struggle for both teams to really move the ball, especially Notre Dame, as Alabama has the better offense. I really like T.J. Yeldon in the backfield for Alabama. He could be the difference-maker in the game, especially in the second half. Michigan had some running room then, and if Yeldon has those same holes, that could be the difference. On the other side, Notre Dame tight end Tyler Eifert could be a major problem for Alabama. He is an awful matchup for any defense and if quarterback Everett Golson -- who has improved greatly as the season has moved along -- can find him six-to-eight times, that could be a major factor as well.
