Arguably the most anticipated matchup of College Football’s opening weekend will be the #2 ranked Alabama Crimson Tide against the #8 ranked Michigan Wolverines on Saturday night. The game will be played on the neutral turf of Cowboys Stadium in Dallas and the atmosphere will no doubt be electric. Michigan, however, will have the pressure squarely on their shoulders, as not only is it an important game for the Wolverines, but it will be a measuring stick for the entire Big 10 conference.
The Big 10 really hasn’t been relevant in the National Championship race since 2007 when the Ohio State Buckeyes played in their second straight title game. The Buckeyes lost to the Florida Gators and LSU Tigers respectively, and as a matter of fact the last six national champions have come from the SEC, which is now widely regarded as the best conference in the country. And Alabama of course has won the championship two out of the past three years. So to say Michigan has something to prove is a bit of an understatement.
Michigan can look at playing a team like Alabama this early as a bad piece of scheduling, or they can view it as an opportunity to see where they are at when it comes to playing the best in the country. The Crimson Tide, led by mad defensive scientist Nick Saban, boasted one of the best defenses ever in 2011. Alabama only allowed an average of 183 yards per game last season and their opponents third-down conversion rate was under 25%. The Wolverines can take some solace in the fact that Bama lost several defensive players to the NFL, and four of those were taken in the first 35 picks.
Michigan is also coming off of bit of a surprise campaign, that saw first year coach Brady Hoke lead them to an 11-2 year which culminated with a Sugar Bowl victory. They also beat Ohio State for the first time in seven years. I think if that was the only game they won last year Wolverine fans still would have been happy. Quarterback Denard Robinson is getting some Robert Griffin III comparisons and is a possible Heisman candidate, but if he doesn’t figure out how to stop throwing interceptions he isn’t going to be in the conversation for long. And you can bet Saban is relishing at the opportunity to shutdown a top quarterback like Robinson. It will be interesting to see how a 3-4 defense like Alabama plays will matchup against a quarterback that likes to run. If their defensive line does its job then it should free up extra bodies to track down Robinson.
Having Michigan ranked in the top ten and playing in the biggest game of opening week is good for the Big 10. They don’t necessarily have to beat Alabama to make a statement either. A good showing and a strong rest of 2012 should still keep them in the national title picture. One game won’t change how strong the SEC is or its unofficial rating as the nation’s best conference, but a strong performance for Michigan can win back some respect for the Big 10.
