The College Football Playoffs kick off with a heavyweight matchup between the No. 5 Alabama Crimson Tide and the No. 1 Michigan Wolverines.
Alabama miraculously finds itself in the CFP Semi-Finals despite drawing the then undefeated Georgia Bulldogs in the SEC Championship. The Crimson Tide upset the Bulldogs and will look to do the same against the 13-0 Wolverines.
Michigan breezed past the Iowa Hawkeyes en route to its second consecutive Big Ten Championship. Jim Harbaugh’s squad now has its sights set on its first National Championship since 1997.
Can Alabama take down the No. 1 ranked team in back-to-back games? Let’s take a look at the NCAAF odds and our predictions and best bets for Alabama vs Michigan at the 2023 Rose Bowl.
Alabama vs Michigan Odds
Track our latest CFB odds for Crimson Tide vs Wolverines:
NCAAF lines used for Alabama @ Michigan were current as of Dec. 22 at 2 a.m. ET on FanDuel Sportsbook.
- Moneyline: Michigan (-128) • Alabama (+106)
- Spread: Michigan -1.5 (-115) • Alabama +1.5 (-105)
- Total Points: Over 44.5 (-112) • Under 44.5 (-108)
Oddsmakers are having trouble giving either side the edge in this matchup, though Michigan has kept its slight favorite status since the lines opened.
The Wolverines are currently the odds-on favorite to win the National Championship; however, even reaching that game doesn’t appear set in stone as of right now.
Alabama vs Michigan Prediction
SCORE PICK: Michigan 23, Alabama 20
I’m rolling with Michigan to beat Alabama and advance to the National Championship.
While Michigan’s games haven’t always been pretty this season, no matter what was happening, the Wolverines always found a way to win. This game can go either way, but I believe Michigan’s defense can do enough to slow down Jalen Milroe and Alabama’s offense and just inch away with a victory.
Both of these squads hung their hat on the defensive end this season, and I can certainly see both teams struggling to crack each other on that side of the ball.
Despite a controlling victory against Iowa, Michigan amassed just 213 yards of total offense in the Big Ten Championship. Nick Saban’s squad wasn’t much better in their championship game, finishing with 306 yards in a 27-24 victory.
I can see both sides keeping things close with a field goal separating the two when this one’s all said and done. Harbaugh will need much more from starting quarterback J.J. McCarthy, who threw for under 200 yards in the last four games straight.
The Wolverines have depended on the production of senior running back Blake Corum and have been very successful in doing so. However, the Crimson Tide has been one of the better teams in the country at stopping the run, and I can see Corum having trouble on the ground in this one.
Ultimately, this game will be neck and neck for about three and a half quarters before either team makes a game-winning play that will ultimately see it through to the National Championship. With how strong Michigan has been all season, I am giving it the slight edge to get that done at the 2023 Rose Bowl.
Alabama vs Michigan Best Bets
Michigan -1.5 (-115)
FanDuel Sportsbook • WAGER: 1 unit
It’s hard to count a Saban-led squad out, especially when we get to this time of year. However, I believe Michigan will get it done and ultimately win it all.
Michigan’s defense has been second to none this season, and I can see them keeping the Wolverines in the game long enough to come out on top eventually. We are rolling with the spread rather than the moneyline, as it provides slightly better odds.
Alabama Under 21.5 (-122)
FanDuel Sportsbook • WAGER: 1 unit
FanDuel has Albama’s point total at just 21.5, which is a testament to how good Michigan’s defense truly is. The Crimson Tide only failed to surpass this total once all season; however, oddsmakers are giving the Under slightly lower odds than the contrary.
Going with the Under is certainly a risk based on the talent Alabama’s offense employs. Even so, Michigan’s ability to stifle teams gives me all the confidence in the world that they can do so again here. In their 13 games this season, the Wolverines allowed an average of 9.5 points per game, which is insane.
Alabama vs Michigan Same-Game Parlay
Alabama vs Michigan SGP (+211)
FanDuel Sportsbook • WAGER: 1 unit
- Michigan +3.5 (-210)
- Blake Corum Any Time TD (-200)
- Under 50.5 (-215)
I combined three -200 or lower odd legs into an Alabama vs Michigan same-game parlay to come away with +211 odds with highly likely scenarios.
To do so, I decided to roll with Michigan as 3.5-point underdogs just to give the Wolverines a slight cushion should Alabama find a way to upset them.
FanDuel luckily has some player props available, so I went with one of the most sure things for Michigan this season, Corum to score a touchdown at any point during this game.
While I don’t foresee a big game on the ground (yards) for the 23-year-old running back, Corum’s 24 touchdowns on the season speak for themselves. Corum has scored two or more touchdowns in the last five straight games and at least one touchdown in every game this season.
Finally, I gave these teams some headroom and went with the Under 50.5 alternate point total to finish this SGP off. While we are sacrificing some odds here, giving these teams a few extra points should anything out of the ordinary happen will be the safest way to go.
