| FTBL College Football News Game of the Week: UA vs UM - Their score - 27-10 Bama

TerryP

Staff
GAME OF THE WEEK

Michigan (0-0) vs. Alabama (0-0) in Arlington, Sept. 1, 8:00, ABC

Here’s The Deal: To close out the 1999 season, Tom Brady and Michigan beat Shaun Alexander and Alabama 35-34 in a classic Orange Bowl that ranks among the greatest college football games of all-time.

This is bigger.

This is either the moment when one of college football’s leaders and best rises up to show that it’s ready to play the role of superpower again, or it will be a chance for the defending national champion to flex its muscle and prove to the world that it’s an SEC world with everyone else simply playing for fun?

Can Michigan come up with the shocker and show that it belongs among the national title favorites? This is one of the Big Ten’s top teams going into the season in Brady Hoke’s second year at the helm, and while it’s expected to be in the mix for the conference title and the Rose Bowl all season long, this is the game the fan base has been waiting for in what would be the program’s biggest opening day win since it handed Iowa Pre-Flight its only loss of the 1944 season. That’s how important this is to the Wolverines, and that’s how much they’ve struggled in titanic early season matchups over the years.

But it’s a new team with a new attitude under Hoke, and while Michigan might not be quite the finished product the coaching staff wants it to be following the Rich Rodriguez era, it’s good enough to be able to realistically think it can go toe-to-toe with a team as good as Alabama.

The main focus might be on Michigan and whether or not it’s ready for primetime, but this is a statement game for the Tide, too. Depending on the poll and ranking system, LSU and USC have spent August battling it out for the top spot with Bama hovering around the top three. There were some big personnel losses on defense and running back Trent Richardson is gone from the offense, but the talent level is still as strong as ever under Nick Saban with the expectations set at national title or bust.

It’s possible that the Tide could lose this game, roll through conference play, and end up getting into the BCS championship, but a defeat would be a huge blow to the aura of invincibility surrounding the SEC and would be a painful blow to a team that hasn’t lost an opener since 2001.

Bama has risen to the big early season occasion over the last several years, from the opening day victory over Virginia Tech to kick off a national title run in 2009, to dominant blowouts over Penn State over the last two seasons, to a 34-10 blasting of Clemson in 2008, Saban’s teams have been ready. No one prepares a team better, making it all the more impressive if Michigan can pull off the upset.

The two superpower programs have only met three times – all in bowls – with all three decided by a grand total of eight points.

Why Alabama Might Win: The Alabama front seven is going to be a brick wall for the Wolverines to try to get through.

The Michigan offense wasn’t all about the running game last season, highlighted by Denard Robinson’s jump-ball deep passes in the win over Notre Dame, but the problems came when the ground attack didn’t go anywhere gaining a season-low 56 yards in the close call over Virginia Tech in the Sugar Bowl and being stuffed for 82 yards in the loss to Michigan State. In the only other loss of the season, Michigan gained just 127 yards with no scores against Iowa, while Notre Dame was able to keep everything bottled up allowing just 114 yards and a score.

Of course, it’s a new year with new personnel and new ideas, but it’s going to be the same old Alabama defense. Last season’s D led the nation in almost every major defensive category allowing just three rushing scores while giving up over 150 yards on the ground just once – allowing 302 to the quirky Georgia Southern option attack. Michigan has to go into the game assuming it won’t be able to crank out big rushing yards on a regular basis, but it’s going to try to get Robinson loose early on in an attempt to take the fight to the defending national champions. The problem will be speed. The Michigan runners are fast, but Alabama’s linebackers should be able to run stride for stride.

No, none of the Tide linebackers have Robinson’s 4.3 wheels, but this is a smaller, faster and more athletic group on the outside than last year’s corps. Forget about Michigan doing anything up the middle against Jesse Williams and the Tide front three, and after getting an offseason to prepare for Robinson, the linebackers should be able to swarm and keep him in check.

Why Michigan Might Win: It’s possible that Denard Robinson just might be that good.

Rarely do good Michigan teams get to play the Nobody Believes In Us card, and motivation only goes so far against a team as good as Alabama, but this will be an attitude game on the lines and the Wolverines have the ability to more than hold their own on offense. Alabama’s front seven might be a rock, but Taylor Lewan and the veteran offensive line will be a strength, now knowing what it’s supposed to do under Hoke. Few coaching staffs do a better job of creating holes to get their speed guys into space, and while the chances might be few and far between, all it will take is one or two key chances for Robinson to break off a big dash.

This isn’t going to be a high-scoring game – at least Michigan isn’t going to be able to hang 30 points on the board – and the Wolverine D should be able to load up to stop the run. Alabama’s passing game won’t do much deep, and while QB AJ McCarron should get plenty of time to work, he’ll have a hard time doing much more than keeping things short-to-midrange, like he did against LSU in the BCS championship. Michigan was able to survive last season when it got dinked and dunked on, and this year the back seven is even stronger with six starters back including a solid safety tandem of Jordan Kovacs and Thomas Gordon. This group has been through the lean times and now knows what it’s doing.

The biggest key for Michigan will be the turnover margin. Alabama was phenomenal at holding on to the ball after giving up four picks in the opener against Kent State, but with new running backs, receivers playing different roles, and in the first game of the year, it might take a little bit for everyone to be settled. The Wolverines were great at forcing fumbles last season coming up with 20 recoveries, and without Richardson to handle the rock, the chances will be there to come up with a few key takeaways.

What To Watch Out For: The Alabama offensive line. The Big Ten might have the reputation for being tough and nasty in the trenches, but the unsung reason for the SEC’s dominance over the last several years has been the play on the offensive line. LSU, Wisconsin and Texas A&M all have terrific front fives, and Alabama’s is as good as any in America, possibly better, starting with the big move of Outland Trophy winner Barrett Jones from left tackle to center. He might have been the best blocker in college football last season, but as a tackle, sophomore Cyrus Kouandijo is expected to become even better. D.J. Fluker has first round draft pick potential as a right tackle or a guard, left guard Chance Warmack will be a ten year pro, and right guard Anthony Steen might be the team’s strongest player. Michigan might have the lightning bolt in Robinson, but Bama should be able to control the game and the clock with its line pounding away on average Wolverine defensive front four.

Of course, the marquee star of the show will be Robinson, even though McCarron comes in as a national title-winning quarterback and with the expectation to grow even more this season. There isn’t a more electrifying player in college football than Robinson, but he’s going to have to be patient and he’s going to have to take what’s there on the short-to-midrange passes. He’s the home run hitter who’ll have to go for singles, and he appears to have the maturity and the experience going into this season to understand that. Patience will be the key as he’ll have to get used to avoid getting frustrated with nowhere to run time and again. He was held to 13 yards on 13 carries against Virginia Tech, and failed to make up for it with the passing game. Against Alabama, he’s going to have to throw efficiently and effectively to have any prayer of loosening up the linebacking corps.

What Will Happen: The Alabama defense will be the Alabama defense. This won’t be a thing of beauty by any stretch, but the Tide ground game will outrush the Michigan running attack and Robinson won’t have the passing day to pick up the slack. Expect and efficient and effective day from McCarron and the Tide offense, while the D will give up one big play that gives the Wolverines a glimmer of hope, and nothing else.

CFN Prediction: Alabama 27 … Michigan 10
ATS Consultants Line (Click for more lines and picks): Alabama -12.5; O/U: 42
Must Watch Rating (5 – Boss, 1 – Married To Jonas) 5
 
No, Phlugner lost that game...
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God that one still hurts to this day, Shaun Alexander was a BEAST in that game. How does the best running back in the country have 150+ yards, 3 TDs and you STILL lose? Because of a damn kicker missing an extra point, good god.
 
I seem to remember some drama regarding Chris Samuels not playing that game and our backup LT having quite a few critical holding calls.

I also remember one of UM's receivers abusing our secondary that day. That happened several times that season. I was at Legion field on that dark day when..... I can't even speak the words....:icon_puke_r:
 
I was there in Miami and remember it well. Watching the missed extra point, my wife asked if I was pissed. I could only smile. After beating Florida earlier in the yr on a missed extra point, in my mind, karma had returned. Samuels not playing, true frosh Ellington in his place, 4-5 holding calls, it was ugly.
 
I was there in Miami and remember it well. Watching the missed extra point, my wife asked if I was pissed. I could only smile. After beating Florida earlier in the yr on a missed extra point, in my mind, karma had returned. Samuels not playing, true frosh Ellington in his place, 4-5 holding calls, it was ugly.

I knew it was over as soon as I realized it was down to a kick. End zone seats in Miami, looking at the players line up and seeing Phlugner lining up as well...immediately started heading for the restroom.

It's one of only two games with Bama I've left before it was over. (The 2nd was the same calendar year now that I think about it; Auburn that fall. Too damn wet and cold. Made it through the first half, watched the second half at the house.)
 
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