The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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24 THE WOLVERINE JANUARY 2020 against Jim Harbaugh. It's no secret these two guys don't like each other," Henderson said. "If Nick Saban can end the season with an exclamation point beating Jim Harbaugh head to head and a quality program like Michigan, it adds a little more fire to the season. I don't think it would be the same feeling if Alabama was playing someone like Minnesota or Memphis." Saban said he expected his team to be motivated by the opponent, noting it enhances the opportunity. He added it would be important in building to- ward the future for his program. "I would hope that would be the case with something to prove relative to the disappointments that we had in the season," he said. "But I think we've played in seven championship games in the last 10 years. We've won five and we've lost two, so there is a high standard for the program, and you're a little disappointed when you're not in that position. "[But] I think it's an opportunity for a lot of players on our team to … prac- tice and prepare for the future, and that's certainly what we're focused on right now, the future. So this is an outstanding opportunity for that." A FORMIDABLE FOE A preseason SEC and national championship favorite, Alabama fin- ished second in the SEC West Divi- sion after posting a 6-2 conference mark. The Crimson Tide averaged 48.3 points per game while allowing 18.8 per contest — good numbers that rank second and 15th nationally, but the latter especially is high compared to the program's standards. In addition to Harris, the Tide have a group of four other receivers with six or more receiving touchdowns, including Jeudy (959 yards, nine touchdowns), DeVonta Smith (1,200 yards, 13 scores) and Henry Ruggs (719 yards, seven touchdowns). The key, though, is backup quarter- back Mac Jones. He tossed two pick- sixes in the loss to Auburn, but he also threw for 335 yards and four scores. "Everyone is curious to see how he does, because he's done a pretty good job," Henderson said. "Auburn has one of the best defenses in the country. I know Michigan's defense is really good, but Mac is a capable quarterback. He's very good and has so much talent around him." The offensive line, meanwhile, is elite. The tackles, Leatherwood and Wills are both "All-America type guys," Henderson noted, and right guard redshirt junior Dionte Brown is a 6-4, 338-pounder who fared very well against elite Auburn defensive tackle Derrick Brown. They'll be a challenge for the smaller Michigan defensive line, one that struggled against the bigger fronts of both Wis- consin and Ohio State. On the other side of the ball, Ala- bama finished 17th nationally in total defense (318.6 yards per game) but only 36th in run defense (135.2). The Tide struggled with the preseason loss of junior linebacker Dylan Moses, and they'll be hurting more if a few of their standouts don't play. The defense is led by junior defen- sive back Xavier McKinney (85 tack- les, four forced fumbles and three in- terceptions) plus linebackers Shane Lee (77 tackles), a freshman, and An- fernee Jennings (73 tackles, 12 tack- les for loss and 7.5 sacks), a fifth-year senior. "I wouldn't expect a guy like Rae- kwon Davis, a senior defensive end, to play," Henderson noted. "Trevon Diggs, a senior corner, and linebacker Terrell Lewis said they won't play. From what I gather, though, everyone else is practicing for this bowl game." In Diggs' absence, the Crimson Tide will likely turn to sophomore Josh Jobe, a former Michigan recruit. That could work in U-M's favor, Hender- son continued. "The sophomore corner got eaten up during the beginning of the sea- son and last year against Clemson and Oklahoma. If Michigan's got its talented receivers playing, that could really expose him," he said. "That's potentially a mismatch." Other than that, though, it's hard to find an area in which the Crimson Tide don't match up favorably. The Wolverines will have their hands full, but Jan. 1 provides a great opportu- nity to close the season with a big win against an elite program. "We're looking forward to it … good to know who you're going to play, get started preparing for the ball game," Harbaugh said. "It's a big- time matchup, and we're very much looking forward to it." ❑ 2019 is the first year that Nick Saban has not coached his team to the College Football Playoff in its six-year existence. PHOTO COURTESY ALABAMA ATHLETICS PHOTOGRAPHY