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CFN: Michigan vs Alabama Prediction, College Football Playoff Rose Bowl Prediction Game Preview

jthomas666 said:
Fiutak in recent years tends towards very superficial analysis--blithely dismissing the impact of losing an "NFL-ready" O-lineman, for instance. He makes a lot of observations, but never explains how or why they will/will impact the game.
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Agreed - it seems like they're asking him to cover a lot more stuff (NFL, CBB, NBA) and he just doesn't have the time to dedicate to CFB anymore.
 
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The job of a journalist is to write a story or in the internet age present a podcast. In the past there was nothing to write. The last time Michigan played Alabama Mac Jones was handing the ball off to Najee Harris, Brian Robinson & and throwing to Jeudy, DeVonta Smith, Henry Ruggs, and Waddle. Michigan had a great gameplan for the Citrus Bowl game. The gameplan was as futile as discussing the outcome prior to the game. Perhaps the outcome is the same in 2024. The point is there are not 7 1st round draft picks among the Alabama skill positions this year. Okay, I lied. Brian Robinson Jr is a 3rd round pick.

There is something to write about this year. If this guy does not write anything or writes the usual, he is out of a job. How boring if he writes a narrative that this is going to be the same as it was in all other years.
 
hfhmilkman said:
The job of a journalist is to write a story or in the internet age present a podcast. In the past there was nothing to write. The last time Michigan played Alabama Mac Jones was handing the ball off to Najee Harris, Brian Robinson & and throwing to Jeudy, DeVonta Smith, Henry Ruggs, and Waddle. Michigan had a great gameplan for the Citrus Bowl game. The gameplan was as futile as discussing the outcome prior to the game. Perhaps the outcome is the same in 2024. The point is there are not 7 1st round draft picks among the Alabama skill positions this year. Okay, I lied. Brian Robinson Jr is a 3rd round pick.

There is something to write about this year. If this guy does not write anything or writes the usual, he is out of a job. How boring if he writes a narrative that this is going to be the same as it was in all other years.
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None of us have a problem with Fiutak picking Michigan.

All of us have a problem with what amounts to superficial analysis from a guy whose job is to analyze.

He picks Michigan data points from late in the season, Alabama points (mostly) from early in the season, and pretends he's laid out the "why." It sure seems to me that "A/M held them to 23 yards rushing" is far less relevant than "Alabama exceeded 100 yards rushing on UGA despite not having their best running back in the game," since we're talking about playing at peak time versus peak team.

Michigan may well stifle the Alabama offense. It's just we've seen this movie the last couple of years, and it has seen Michigan surrender 34 and 51 points in two playoff losses. Does that play a prime determinant in who wins?

No.

But it has far more relevance than "hey, way back here Clemson put together a mini-dynasty and so did UGA, so maybe it's Michigan's time."
 
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colbysullivan said:
I simply don’t understand how Michigan was favored in the first place. There is no metric that supports Michigan beating Bama.
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Using straight data… Michigan is a 10-12 point favorite. It’s mostly because of how Alabama has played against weak competition compared to how Michigan has played against weak competition. Basically it’s only a virtual pickem because sharp money has come in heavy on Bama.

It’s one of those weird games in which Vegas has no idea where the line should be.
 
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colbysullivan said:
I simply don’t understand how Michigan was favored in the first place. There is no metric that supports Michigan beating Bama.
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colbysullivan said:
Too many people stopped watching Bama after week 3. That, plus the Iron Bowl has people completely misinformed about this Bama team. For crying out loud, Bama just manhandled a better version of Michigan in the SEC title game. Bama is built to beat teams like this.
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To me it's bizarre that people can constantly bring up the iron bowl but downplay beating a #1 Georgia team the very next week. Alabama never even trailed after the first quarter in that game.
 
81usaf92 said:
Using straight data… Michigan is a 10-12 point favorite. It’s mostly because of how Alabama has played against weak competition compared to how Michigan has played against weak competition. Basically it’s only a virtual pickem because sharp money has come in heavy on Bama.

It’s one of those weird games in which Vegas has no idea where the line should be.
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I think it also has to do with Bama playing so inconsistently all season and during each game and supposedly Michigan has been more consistent throughout the season. If you just look at the eye test though, especially in November, Bama looks much better. If Bama has all starters healthy, I think we win.
 
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Saban4Ever said:
I think it also has to do with Bama playing so inconsistently all season and during each game and supposedly Michigan has been more consistent throughout the season. If you just look at the eye test though, especially in November, Bama looks much better. If Bama has all starters healthy, I think we win.
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To the very last statement, shouldn`t everybody but Jace be ready?
 
STONECOLDSABAN said:
To me it's bizarre that people can constantly bring up the iron bowl but downplay beating a #1 Georgia team the very next week. Alabama never even trailed after the first quarter in that game.
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Because Auburn had just lost to New Mexico State.
In a pole-axing no less.

That's largely the Alabama season - stellar enough to take the fight to UGA, mediocre enough to struggle win over Auburn.

It's fair to assess Alabama by the games they played just so long as they're viewed in context. As you no doubt recall, the same thing happened in 2021 with the same teams.
 
Tideflyer said:
To the very last statement, shouldn`t everybody but Jace be ready?
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As far as I know, yes. I have not read about any injuries from practice thank goodness.

Jase will be one of the players being interviewed while there, so hopefully that is a good sign.

Media interviews start tomorrow. I saw a schedule Charlie Potter put out on BOL today. Tomorrow is at Disneyland at 2pm PT for the Welcome Pressers. Thursday is Offensive Presser, Friday is Defensive Presser, Saturday is full team media days, and Sunday is Head Coaches Presser.
 
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selmaborntidefan said:
Because Auburn had just lost to New Mexico State.
In a pole-axing no less.

That's largely the Alabama season - stellar enough to take the fight to UGA, mediocre enough to struggle win over Auburn.

It's fair to assess Alabama by the games they played just so long as they're viewed in context. As you no doubt recall, the same thing happened in 2021 with the same teams.
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Hey who are you telling??? LOL. My first coach as a Bama fan was Gene Stallings, and this season has hit me with a massive wave of Nostalgia. You're absolutely right, I still don't understand what happened with Auburn. I have giving up on predicting anything other than stress when we play Auburn in Jordan Hare.

What's crazy is we were trending in that right direction after Halftime in the Tennessee game. 27-0 in the second half. Beat LSU by two Scores and then whupped Kentucky. Was on deaths door against The Barn followed by beating #1 Georgia in epic sec title game. Honestly, we didn't even play our best game against Georgia. Now that doesn't mean we will or won't against Michigan or possibly the national title game. It would be really awesome if we saved our best for last though.
 
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I think last time Michigan beat Alabama (I remember a heckuva New Years party the night before), Tom Brady brought them back from two td’s down—twice. If they have somebody like that they have a good chance. After all, we didn’t know who Brady was at that point in time, and I don’t think they did either.
 
jabcmb said:
I think last time Michigan beat Alabama (I remember a heckuva New Years party the night before), Tom Brady brought them back from two td’s down—twice. If they have somebody like that they have a good chance. After all, we didn’t know who Brady was at that point in time, and I don’t think they did either.
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Brady at Michigan was probably the most disrespected player ever. Everyone acts like Alabama fans were horrible to Jalen, but Michigan’s treatment of Brady was far worse… Especially in 1999. It got to the point that Carr even benched him vs Nick Saban because he got so much pressure to play Drew Henson and it probably costed them a national championship.

Any Michigan fan claiming Tom Brady as one of their own is too young to know the details or are desperately trying to ignore the time period between 2001-2016 by claiming the greatest quarterback in the nfl and ignoring all the booing and letters written to the AD that they did.
 
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