2020 Citrus Bowl Alabama v. Michigan, January 1st, 1:00 PM EST, ABC

[lineygoblue]

Look at the positives. Supposed to be Sunny and low 70s. I can work on my tan.

..and you won't have to wear your long johns

[Jeff Buchanan]

True dat.

[AlabamAlum]

Two defensive starters sitting.

[lineygoblue]

Two defensive starters sitting.

So?

The guys who will take their place could start at Michigan.

Just stop. Support your team. You know you have a huge advantage at every position even with your missing starters.

And you have Nick Saban.

Case closed.

[AlabamAlum]

No. We were decimated with injuries already on the defense. As in, not even in the top 30 in rushing defense WITH those two. That, plus Tua.


Killer.

[hack]

I think AA has been honest and transparent about his approach to posting, and how we should read his posts.

[WingsFan]

Michael Dwumfour out for the Citrus Bowl Bama will score 50+

[Jeff Buchanan]

Well, this is an opportunity for Donovan Jeter, Chris Hinton and Mazi Smith to play. Dwumfor was at best at 75% the entire season and often worse than that/didn't play. He had some kind of injury to his foot v. Maryland in 2018 (Plantar fascia?) and, given that he had surgery last week, it appears it didn't respond to more conservative treatment. Karlo Kemp, while not 100% for most of 2019, is expected to be ready.

It is a task facing Alabama's OL that has two early NFL draft prospects at OT and solid contributors on the interior but the OL isn't overwhelming. It's good and the numbers demonstrate that.

https://www.footballoutsiders.com/stats/ncaaol/2019

You can make what you will out of the stats but I can see places where an aggressive Brown approach to the run game - something similar to what Venebals does with Clemson's approach to the run game can work. That approach did not work v. osu but Mac Jones doesn't present the run threat that justin fields did and I think most observers think M's approach to osu's offense put too much emphasis on containing fields instead of selling out to stop dobbins. I think Brown and the players learned from that .....or one would hope.

Anyway, its become a common meme - M's DT is thin and lacks talent - that may be getting too much play after the Dwumfor report. I guess we'll see soon enough. I do expect Najee Harris to get 100+ yards. Hopefully, it's between the 20s and that M can hold big, game changing run plays down.

[WingsFan]

The Prime will be there also, im not watching this.

[WM Wolverine]

Najee will break 100 in the 1st quarter

[iam416]

Correct. Wait, incorrect! Don BROWN!!!!

[lineygoblue]

Even the wizardry of Coach Brown is not going to help against Najee and his bruisers. Wings speaks the truth.

[WingsFan]

Dan Dierdorf (bad color guy for Michigan) when asked how big it would beating Bama be for the program said.... We don't need a win its just needs to be competitive. Its happened now, no denying it anymore - one of the greats who played for Bo will be happy with a moral victory.

[lineygoblue]

What else is there? There's no chance of a win. Its a exhibition game for what's coming to Alabama in 2020. Michigan is there to be the demonstration team.

[Jeff Buchanan]

I think there is a more than zero chance for a win. For it to happen though the officials have to gift it to M and more than half of the 50/50 plays have to go M's way like it did for Clemson's win v. osu ..... at least that's the way talent sees how osu lost. None of that happened for the poor buckeyes and M can only beat Alabama if they get all the breaks and officials don't screw them over. A M win will have nothing to do with M players of coaches executing precisely.