Life comes at you fast.

Last season, the Alabama Crimson Tide and Michigan Wolverines met in the Rose Bowl in an all-time classic. There is a goal line against it Jalen Milroe led to a win for the Wolverines, which they converted into a national title.

This season, they will face each other again on New Year’s Eve at noon ET in Tampa after disappointing seasons with first-year coaches that – obviously – left them out of the College Football Playoff.

Which blue blood can end their season with success?

Let’s dive into the best Alabama-Michigan bets for Tuesday’s ReliaQuest Bowl using the college football odds at FanDuel Sportsbook.

All college football odds come from FanDuel Sportsbook and are subject to change after this article is published.

Alabama vs. Michigan betting tips and player props

Michigan +14.5 (-112)
Alabama under 28.5 points (-111)

Bowl season hasn’t exactly gone well for top quarterback prospects in the NFL Draft. Cam Ward stopped playing at halftime and Shedeur Sanders’ Colorado Buffaloes seemed unable to make it to the Alamo Bowl. How will Jalen Milroe fare?

Well, he’s coming off a difficult test against a Michigan defense that has been elite all season and is putting up a standout performance. UM ranked fourth in the FBS in opposing yards allowed per game (4.1 YPP) and was just one of the favorites to win the College Football Playoff with 10 total points and 4.3 yards per game (YPP).

That side of the ball wasn’t the problem, but the older one Davis Warren also stabilized the quarterback situation at Michigan a little. He has posted a QBR of 72.0 or better in three of his last five games. Both playoff teams were exceptions, including the Ohio State Buckeyes. Alabama’s defense (19th in YPP) isn’t quite as fearsome, and they allowed a modest 3.9 yards per carry this year.

This game appears to be ugly and low-scoring – a disparity that could get worse if Milroe leaves this game early with an eye on the NFL.

The maximum points scored by a non-playoff Michigan team this year was 24, and it’s not like Bama hasn’t had its fair share of stinkers. I’m raising their team’s total with a key number of 28, which should also give the Wolverines an excellent chance to cover the spread.

Jordan Marshall Anytime touchdown (+190)

Just because we didn’t see it Jordan Marshall We don’t know what role we’ll play on Tuesday in Michigan.

Kalel Mullings or Donovan Edwards wouldn’t have waited that long for a score in any game for the Wolverines, who have the 20th highest rush rate in FBS this season (58.6%). In 2024, they scored 18 rushing touchdowns and only 11 passing scores.

I would argue that Marshall could have a total monopoly on Michigan’s backfield on Tuesday. The two games in which he received any work at all are the last two at Michigan, where he scored eight runs and just two for Benjamin Hall.

The Wolverines may have kept his redshirt, but a third appearance in Tampa won’t blow it, even if he gets 30 runs. If the true freshman lives up to his four-star recruiting prospects, he may not need anywhere near additional eligibility in exchange for playing on Sunday.

Hall has a +270 scoring chance, so it’s conceivable that you could use both at favorable odds to benefit, although we’re not entirely sure how this backfield will work. I predict it will be primarily through Marshall.

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The above author is an employee of FanDuel and is not authorized to participate in public daily fantasy contests or place sports bets on FanDuel. The author’s advice does not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel. Following the author’s advice is not a guarantee of a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports bets.