Wolverine TV: Michigan players react to No. 1 ranking, drawing Alabama in CFP
INDIANAPOLIS, Mich. — Michigan Wolverines football senior running back Blake Corum, senior defensive tackle Kris Jenkins and graduate linebacker Michael Barrett met with the media following the team’s selection into the College Football Playoff. U-M is the No. 1 seed set to take on Alabama in the Rose Bowl.
Watch video of Corum in the player at the top of the screen and Barrett and Jenkins in the embeds below. As always, check out our video content on The Wolverine’s YouTube channel.
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Michigan is ranked No. 1 for the first time since it won the national championship in 1997, which was capped off by a win over Washington State in the Rose Bowl.
Barrett and Corum discussed the top ranking. Barrett said that Michigan is a “big dog,” just like Alabama, and Corum noted that he personally is going to approach it like the Wolverines are the ‘top dog’ even though the Crimson Tide have won a slew of recent national championships.
Jenkins discussed how he and Michigan are excited about the matchup with Alabama. Most expected Florida State to earn a bid to the College Football Playoff since it was undefeated and a Power Five champion, but Jenkins got the showdown he hoped for. Michigan has made the playoff each of the last two seasons, losing to Georgia and TCU, but Jenkins says the Maize and Blue know the preparation has to be better this time around.
Michigan and Alabama will kick off at 5:10 p.m. ET (2:10 p.m. local time) Jan. 1, 2024, to ring in the new year. The game will be televised on ESPN. The surface is natural grass and the Rose Bowl Stadium capacity is 89,702.
Here are some notes on Michigan’s bowl berth:
• Michigan will be making its 51st all-time bowl appearance, which is the 11th-highest total among FBS schools.
• Michigan will be making its 40th all-time bowl appearance in the month of January.
• Michigan has played in 12 different bowl games during its history, winning 21 bowl games, which is the 17th-highest total among FBS schools.
• The Wolverines are playing in the Rose Bowl for 21st time in school history; 8-12 record.
• Michigan’s last appearance in the Rose Bowl came during the 2006 season, a 32-18 setback against USC on Jan. 1, 2007.
