Some Quick Facts About Today’s Rose Bowl Game: Way More Than You’ll Need

It’s about 60 degrees here at the Rose Bowl with mostly sunny skies and winds in the 5-10 mph range.

Number one ranked Michigan is facing the Alabama Crimson Tide.

Michigan’s 1,002 wins are the most in college football history, and Alabama is second with 965.

This is the fourth time the Rose Bowl has hosted a CFP Semifinal (The 2014, 2017, 2020 seasons previous), and its the second time its been a No 1 vs. 4; but this is the first time the 1-4 game is in Pasadena.

The 2020 match-up was moved to Arlington due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Michigan is ranked No. 1 in the four major polls/rankings: College Football Playoff (CFP) Standings, the Associated Press, the AFCA/USA Today Coaches) and FWAA-NFF Super 16.

Alabama is No. 4, No. 5, tied for No. 4 and No. 4, respectively in the same. The No. 1 seed is 7-2 in the CFP semifinals (the two No. 4 seeds that have won were Ohio State (2014-15, Sugar) and Alabama (2017-18, Sugar) Alabama has played the most CFP games with 13 (going 9-4, 6-1 in semifinals (five straight wins) and 3-3 in title games; Michigan is 0-2.

This is the 39th No. 1 vs. No. 4 match-up (37 AP, now 2 CFP), with the No. 1 team owning a 26-11-1 edge; it will be the 18th time the AP Nos. 1 and 5 teams square off, with the No. 1’s leading, 10-7. There have been just two 1 vs. 4 RBGs (1968, 2021), and this is the first-ever 1 vs. 5 Rose Bowl Game (RBG).

This is the first-ever Rose Bowl Game meeting between Big Ten and SEC schools (the 2005 game doesn’t qualify, as soon-to-be SEC member Texas was in the Big 12 when it defeated Michigan 38-37) Combined, both teams are 87-13 in their last 100 games (‘Bama 46-4, Michigan 41-9) and are 178-32 in the last 200 (UA 90-10, UM 78-22).

Michigan has not allowed a first down in 66 of 140 opponent possessions this year; Alabama in 57 of 149 (not including kneel-downs to end a half or game); that’s 123 of 289 combined possessions (43 percent).

Alabama has been ranked in 260 straight Associated Press polls, second all-time to Nebraska’s 348 (1981-2002); Michigan has been in the last 45 (92nd on the all-time list, but currently the fourth-longest; the Wolverines do own the seventh-longest in history at 160 from 1969 to 1980) This will be the fifth time Alabama and Michigan meet in a bowl game (split the first four); Alabama is first in NCAA in history in bowl games (75) and wins (45, while Michigan is 12th in games (50) and 18th in wins (21); the NCAA includes CFP playoff games in the respective counts Michigan leads the Big Ten in 22 major statistical categories (second or third in 13 others) and is in 30 top 10 NCAA categories (tops in nine); Alabama leads the SEC in three areas (second or third in 18 others) and is in eight NCAA top 10sMichigan had seven turnovers all season (13 games); Rice had seven against Texas State in a 43-minute span in the First Responder BowlMichigan was 6-0 against FBS teams with winning records, outscoring them 177-76, while Alabama was 6-1 against winning teams, with a 226-157 edge in points. UM outscored the other seven teams by 3100-47, UA its other five FBS teams by 164-72. The Rose Bowl Game is the all-time leader in bowl attendance (9.56 million-plus).

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