No.8 Michigan (9-2) vs. No.6 Alabama (10-2)  
Orange Bowl                                          8:30 pm EST
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MIAMI (Ticker) -- Southeastern Conference champion and No. 6
Alabama battles eighth-ranked Michigan in the 66th Orange Bowl
in what will mark just the third all-time meeting between two of
college football's most storied programs. 

Both prior games between the schools have come in the
postseason.  Michigan posted a 28-24 victory in the 1988 Hall of
Fame Bowl, while the Crimson Tide responded with a 17-14 triumph
in the 1997 Outback Bowl. 

Neither team is that familiar with this game.  The Wolverines
are making just their second appearance in the Orange Bowl,
having suffered a 14-6 loss to Oklahoma on New Year's Day 1976.
Alabama is 4-3 in the Orange Bowl but is making its first
postseason trip to Miami since a 13-11 loss to Notre Dame in 
1975. 

The Crimson Tide are making their record 50th bowl appearance.
They had their five-game bowl losing streak snapped by Virginia
Tech in last season's Music City Bowl but are 28-18-3 all-time
in the postseason. 

Michigan, 16-14 in bowl games, is riding a two-game bowl winning
streak, including last season's 45-31 Citrus Bowl victory over
Arkansas, and is playing on the New Year's Day for the fourth
straight season. 

The SEC is facing the Big Ten Conference in four bowl games this
holiday season, but this is the marquee affair.  Alabama (10-2)
beat Florida twice during season to capture its first league
crown since 1992.  The Wolverines (9-2) tied Michigan State for
second in the Big Ten. 

Michigan is the first current member of the Big Ten to appear in
the Orange Bowl since Ohio State beat Colorado in 1977.  Penn
State, then an independent, lost to Oklahoma in 1986. 

Since it comes from a conference known for smash-mouth football,
Michigan should be ready to deal with Alabama running back Shaun
Alexander, who figures to be the best player on the field in
this game. 

Alexander, a 6-1, 205-pound senior, ranked 10th in the nation in
rushing with over 125 yards per game and spearheaded an Alabama
ground attack that was 28th in the country.  Alexander's play
took a lot of the pressure off sophomore quarterback Andrew Zow,
who threw for nearly 1,800 yards with 12 touchdowns against nine
interceptions. 

Michigan counters with a defense than allowed just 115 yards per
game on the ground and is led by linebackers Ian Gold and James
Hall.  Gold led the Wolverines with 83 tackles and Hall is
second in school history with 25 sacks. 

Offensively, the Wolverines, as they have done all season, will
play two quarterbacks. 

Tom Brady will start and play most of the game.  He completed 61
percent of his passes for 2,217 yards and 16 touchdowns with
just six interceptions to rank 17th in the land in passing
efficiency. Drew Henson attempted 89 passes and threw for 546
yards and three scores. 

Both quarterbacks have plenty of targets from which to choose.
David Terrell and Marcus Knight are deep threats and sophomore
Marquise Walker had a breakout season.  Aaron Shea caught 31
passes for 239 yards and three scores and is one of the nation's
top tight ends. 

Alabama's defense, which ranked second in the nation against the
run, also must deal with Wolverines running back Anthony Thomas,
who is known as the "A-Train."  Thomas averaged over 114 yards
per game on the ground to rank 15th in the country. 

Overall, the Crimson Tide's defense was ninth, surrendering just
297 yards per contest. 

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