The Wolverine Now

AUG. 29, 2012 Washington team with All-American wide receiver Reggie Williams was considered a dark horse to win the national champion- ship. But it has been 20 years — a top-10 showdown between No. 6 Michigan and No. 3 Notre Dame in 1992 — since U-M's week-one opponent was as ferocious as the Crimson Tide unit it will see Saturday. Alabama, the defending NCAA champ, is a 12.5-point favorite over the Wolverines, and is expected, by many, to roll. "I don't think anyone expects it to be a REIGNING SUPREME M ichigan last met a ranked opponent in a season opener in 2002, when a GAME FACTS Defending National Champion Alabama Is A Heavy Favorite Against U-M BY MICHAEL SPATH up probably a few big plays early in the season. "Then there is almost no one with ex- perience on the offensive line behind the starters. But the actual starters are very, very talented." Saban, who performed one of the quick- blowout, but there is no doubt around here that Alabama will win this game without being severely threatened," TideSports. com beat writer Chase Goodbread said. Though ranked second in college foot- ball's two major polls, Alabama has rea- son to feel confident. The Crimson Tide are 48-6 during the past four seasons un- der sixth-year head coach Nick Saban, including three wins over Big Ten teams by a combined score of 100-21, notably thumping Michigan State 49-7 in the 2011 Capital One Bowl. The defense returns only four full- time starters, but five UA defenders were named All-SEC first-, second- or third- team preseason performers by the league's coaches. The offense, meanwhile, returns six starters, with six Tide players (not est rebuilding projects in going 12-2 in his second season, and 14-0 in year three, following a 7-6 campaign in 2007, is not taking Michigan lightly, and understands no victory is guaranteed even if the Vegas oddsmakers believe Saturday is a gimme for the Crimson Tide. "Some places we have good experience Head coach Nick Saban has led the Crimson Tide to a 48-6 record the last four seasons, including winning two of the last three national championships. COURTESY OF UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA ATHLETICS all the same) named to a preseason all- conference team, and offensive linemen D.J. Fluker, Barrett Jones and Chance Warmack preseason All-Americans. "Alabama's biggest concern doesn't nor- mally show up in a first game — depth," Goodbread said. "They really have no backup quarterback behind A.J. McCar- ron, and they're very thin on experienced cornerbacks. They lost three starters in the secondary and they're going to give and other parts we'll play with young players," he said. "How rapidly those guys mature and can execute without making errors … if we go play a good game but make some errors they can get some big plays. "The only way to get that experience is to play, and to learn from those type of situations. We're going to do the best job we can, especially the places we have new players playing, young players playing. This is a very challenging game. Michigan has a very good team, very well coached." Saban also knows it is not easy to wear the bull's-eye; a year after Alabama won the national title in 2009, it went 10-3. His message to his team this offseason has been straightforward — put the 2011 campaign in the past, and focus on being game nationally. The game can be heard on the Michigan Sports Network (950 AM in the Detroit area, SiriusXM chan- nel 86) with longtime partners Frank Beckmann and Jim Brandstatter, and sideline reporter Doug Karsch. It can also be heard nationally on ESPN Radio (check your local listings). Coaches: Michigan: Brady Hoke (11-2, What: Michigan vs. Alabama. When: Sept. 1 • 8:12 p.m. Radio-TV: ABC/ESPN3 will televise the second season). Alabama: Nick Saban (55-12, sixth season). History: Michigan leads the series with Alabama, 2-1, last beating the Crimson Tide 35-34 in the 2000 Orange Bowl. Alabama Notes: Only three teams in college football — Indiana, Colorado and Rice (with eight each) — have fewer scholarship seniors than the Tide (nine) boast this season … Phil Steele's College Football Preview ranks Alabama's 2012 strength of schedule 28th nationally (Michigan's is fourth), with four of UA's regular-season opponents ranked in the initial Associated Press top 25 … Ala- bama's 65 consecutive weeks in the AP poll ranks as college football's longest active streak, four weeks better than Boise State.

• Cover