It was an unusual championship Saturday for the Michigan football team, sitting at home watching the Big Ten Championship Game for the first time in four years. The Wolverines failed to qualify for the conference title game after finishing the 2024 season with a 5-4 record in the Big Ten.

But at the end of a disappointing season, the Wolverines pulled off a shocking 13-10 upset over the Ohio State Buckeyes in Columbus. The win saved Michigan from posting a losing record in the conference and was the Wolverines’ fourth straight victory over their arch-rival from Ohio.

With Championship Saturday now complete, the field has been cleared for the College Football Playoff. Michigan missed the playoffs, but with the release of 12 teams, the other bowl matchups will also be announced.

Michigan (7-5) will officially play in the ReliaQuest Bowl in Tampa, Florida. This year’s ReliaQuest Bowl is scheduled to begin on Tuesday, December 31st at 12pm ET.

The Wolverines face a familiar SEC opponent as Alabama was selected for the game with a record of 9-3.

UM defeated the Tide in an overtime thriller at the Rose Bowl in the semifinals of the College Football Playoff.

Formerly the Outback Bowl, Michigan last played this bowl game on January 1, 2018 against South Carolina.

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