Given that Alabama was ranked as the top team left out of the playoff in the committee’s final rankings, it feels like a punishment for them to face Michigan in the ReliaQuest Bowl.
It’s already challenging to keep players from opting out when not in the playoff, and getting fans excited about non-playoff bowl games is tough, too. This matchup doesn’t help the situation. There are several other teams I would have preferred Alabama to play over Michigan again. It’s unclear why this game was chosen.
A rematch of last year’s semifinal in a “meaningless” bowl game isn’t appealing. Why not have Alabama face teams like Miami, Colorado, or even BYU? With Colorado and BYU playing each other in the Alamo Bowl, it seems Alabama could have played Ole Miss instead. Any of these matchups would have been more interesting than the one scheduled for New Year’s Eve in Tampa.
The only positive from this game will be the opportunity for younger players to get significant playing time on both sides of the ball. The quarterback situation for Alabama will also be worth watching, especially with discussions around Jalen Milroe potentially preparing for the NFL Draft or entering the transfer portal. We should know more in the coming weeks.
Honestly, I’m more disappointed in having a 7-5 opponent in the bowl game than being left out of the playoff.
