2024 ReliaQuest Bowl Preview: Alabama vs. Michigan

The 2024 ReliaQuest Bowl features two of the most iconic football programs in college football, the Alabama Crimson Tide (9-3) and the Michigan Wolverines (7-5). This game also marks a rematch of the 2024 Rose Bowl, a College Football Playoff Semifinal that Michigan won in overtime 27-20 on its way to a National Championship.

Michigan enters the game coming off one of the most shocking upsets of the 2024 college football season, beating rival Ohio State 13-10 in Columbus. Meanwhile, Alabama comes in fresh off what many Tide fans consider a playoff snub. The Tide were ranked 11th in the final CFP rankings and were the first team left out of the playoffs.

ReliaQuest Bowl: Keys to the Game

These are the keys to the game prior to viewing the ReliaQuest Bowl on New Year’s Eve.

Opt-Outs and Transfer Portal Impact

Like many non-CFP Bowl Games, this game will be impacted by players opting out and/or leaving their school via the transfer portal. This is the new NIL era of college football; there’s no use in fighting it. Players are making true business decisions when they opt out of these games. The opt-out list can be fluid up until kickoff, so the list below shouldn’t be considered final.

Alabama Crimson Tide Opt-Outs & Transfers

• DeVonta Smith, CB – Transfer Portal
• Justice Haynes, RB – Transfer Portal (transferring to Michigan)
• Kendrick Law, WR – Transfer Portal
• Kobe Prentice, WR – Transfer Portal
• Emmanuel Henderson, WR – Transfer Portal
• Caleb Odom, WR – Transfer Portal
• Keanu Koht, LB – Transfer Portal
• Deontae Lawson, LB – Injury
• Malachi Moore, S – Injury
• Keon Sabb, S – Injury

Michigan Wolverines Opt-Outs & Transfers

• Tyler Morris, WR – Transfer Portal
• Dominick Giudice, C – Transfer Portal
• Andrew Gentry, OT – Transfer Portal
• Tommy Doman, P – Transfer Portal
• Mason Graham, DT – Opt-Out
• Kenneth Grant, DT – Opt-Out
• Josiah Stewart, DE – Opt-Out
• Will Johnson, CB – Opt-Out
• Colston Loveland, TE – Opt-Out
• Donovan Edwards, RB – Opt-Out
• Kalel Mullings, RB – Opt-Out
• Myles Hinton, OT – Opt-Out

Alabama: Who to Watch?

Alabama will be pretty thin at wide receiver for this game due to the transfer portal impact. However, one receiver that will be suiting up is freshman phenom Ryan Williams. Williams is a big play waiting to happen for the Tide offense. He has 45 catches for 857 yards and eight receiving touchdowns on the season, while also rushing for two touchdowns. Look for Alabama to feature Williams in this game.

Alabama also has a huge advantage at the quarterback position. Jalen Milroe is expected to play in the ReliaQuest Bowl, and is one of the most dynamic players in the country. Milroe has thrown for 2,652 yards and 15 touchdowns this season. Yet what makes him a nightmare for opposing defenses is his ability to run. Milroe leads the Tide in rushing yards with 719 yards and 20 rushing touchdowns. Those are truly video game type of numbers! 

The one part of Milroe’s game that has hurt the team this year is his interceptions. Milroe has thrown 10 interceptions this year, with six of those coming in Alabama’s three losses. Milroe threw three interceptions in the 24-3 loss to Oklahoma (6-7) alone. That loss to Oklahoma is what many view as the game that might have kept the Tide out of the playoffs.

Another key and glaring advantage for Alabama in this game is with their offensive line. Alabama has four starters on the offensive line that played against Michigan last season in the CFP. Three of those starters, Kadyn Proctor, Tyler Booker, and Jaeden Roberts played against Michigan in the 2024 Rose Bowl. The center, Parker Brailsford played against Michigan in the National Championship game as a member of the Washington Huskies. This experienced group should have their way with the opt-out impacted Michigan defensive line.

Michigan: Who to Watch?

Michigan’s defense will be without much of their starting defensive line. However, their starting secondary and linebackers could be a potential advantage for the Wolverines. The secondary features starters Jyaire Hill, Aamir Hall, Makari Paige, Quinten Johnson, and Zeke Berry. Future first-round pick, cornerback Will Johnson has opted out due to injury. However, the Wolverines’ defense has played without Johnson for the majority of the season.

With Alabama being thin at receiver, look for the Michigan secondary to be a key for the Wolverines in limiting the Tide’s big plays.

The starting linebackers Ernest Hausmann and Jaishawn Barham both have had strong seasons and will need their best in containing the running ability of Milroe. There’s some discussion about Barham changing positions from inside linebacker to edge rusher for the 2025 season. If that’s true, we might see Barham getting snaps at both positions in this game.

With all of the Michigan opt-outs, there is great opportunity for some unknown players to emerge. On the Michigan offense, running backs Jordan Marshall and Benjamin Hall should see the majority of the touches. Neither have had much work this season with Kalel Mullings and Donovan Edwards atop the depth chart.

At tight end, Marlin Klein and Hogan Hansen should see extended playing time with NFL-bound tight end Colston Loveland opting out. Klein and Hansen received some workload later in the season when Loveland was out due to injury.

On the Michigan defense, starting defensive end Derrick Moore will be leaned on heavily for pressuring Milroe. Edge rushers TJ Guy and Cameron Brandt should get more snaps in this game.

Guy and Brandt have been rotating all season, but their snaps will go up.  At defensive tackle, Rayshaun Benny and Trey Pierce look to be the guys that will get the majority of the snaps with NFL-bound tackles Mason Graham and Kenneth Grant opting out.

ReliaQuest Bowl Outcome

It’s more than an exhibition game, it is a showcase type of game. This is a “uniform game”, two titans of college football going head to head on New Year’s Eve. College football fans got Alabama versus Michigan on the first day of 2024, and now they are getting it again on the last day of 2024. The players and coaches on both teams have plenty of motivation to make this a competitive game. 

First-year Michigan head coach Sherrone Moore hired Chip Lindsey as the Wolverines’ new offensive coordinator after the end of the regular season. Lindsey won’t be calling plays in this game. However, all the Michigan offensive players will be trying to make a good impression on the new offensive leader heading into 2025.

Meanwhile, first-year Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer has all kinds of motivation to beat Michigan as his Washington Huskies team fell to Michigan in last season’s National Championship game.

The actual outcome of the game likely won’t define either team’s season. Although, Alabama fans won’t take too kindly to Alabama losing a fourth game this season. This game gives both teams a great opportunity to take momentum into the 2025 season.