The Michigan Wolverines football team is seeded no. 1 in the College Football Playoffs and is the odds-on favorite to win it all on major bookmaker sites.
This will be the team's third straight CFP appearance, and they will meet the Alabama Crimson Tide as -1.5 favorites.
Coach Jim Harbaugh's team will enter the Final Four with a 13-0 record. Their record is identical to the Washington Huskies, but the Wolverines are the undisputed no. 1 one because of the strength of their schedule.
After being suspended for the sign-stealing scandal, the embattled coach was not there for his team in six games, including "The Game" with Ohio State.
He is back, and fans and players are excited about his return, believing they will become more formidable with him on the sidelines.
"You never know what's going to come out of that man's mouth," quarterback JJ McCarthy said.
"Anything that does, it's just always at the right time and the right words that are said. Having him around the locker room pregame, where he just kind of goes around to everybody and pumps them up in some way, 'Go kill them, champ, go out there and do you,' just little stuff like that, it makes a huge, profound impact."
Regardless of the ideal situation, Michigan must still take care of itself to win the national titles.
They need to address three key problems to win it all:
1. Figure out Alabama's defense
Defense is the name of the game, and the Wolverines and Crimson Tide's Rose Bowl showdown is on January 1, 2024.
The Wolverines are the higher-seeded team, and the Crimson Tide's selection is doubted. Despite the talks heading to the CFP, Alabama is not a pushover team.
Their defense is one of the best in college football, headed by linebacker Dallas Turner and corner Kool-Aid McKinstry, who were part of USA Today's Sports College Football All-America First Team.
The duo can be a pain to go up against, even for the methodical JJ McCarthy. Edge rusher Turner recorded 50 tackles with nine sacks and 13 quarterback hurries. His partner McKinstry worries wide receivers because he only allowed 183 yards on the year and broke up 10 passes.
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2. Counter Nick Saban's genius
Nick Saban is just a better coach than Jim Harbaugh. The Crimson Tide head coach has seven national titles, with the last one from 2020 against the Buckeyes.
The CFP is Saban's play place, and anybody has good reason to anchor their hope in the presence of the veteran coach.
He is excellent at establishing processes of preparation and execution and instilling mental toughness in his players.
He also makes in-game adjustments effectively, and Harbaugh needs to counter immediately.
3. Raise the bar for themselves
This part is more about non-football stuff.
Michigan Wolverines have beaten their rivals, Ohio State Buckeyes, in grand fashion, but that should not be their last stop. They were almost there last season after reaching the Fiesta Bowl, only to lose to TCU.
Players knew they could get the chip, so many of them returned.
Through the lead of running back Blake Corum, defensive back Mike Sainristil, linebacker Michael Barrett, offensive lineman Trevor Keegan, and wide receiver Cornelius Johnson are all raring to reach greater heights come January.
Related article: 3 Problems Washington Huskies Football Need To Fix To Win National Title
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