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2024 ReliaQuest Bowl (December)

2024 ReliaQuest Bowl
39th ReliaQuest Bowl
Alabama Crimson Tide Michigan Wolverines
(9–3) (7–5)
SEC Big Ten
13 19
Head coach: 
Kalen DeBoer		 Head coach: 
Sherrone Moore
APCoachesCFP
111111
1234 Total
Alabama 01003 13
Michigan 16003 19
DateDecember 31, 2024
Season2024
StadiumRaymond James Stadium
LocationTampa, Florida
MVPJordan Marshall (RB, Michigan)[1]
FavoriteAlabama by 16.5
RefereeTuta Salaam (Big 12)[2]
Attendance51,439
United States TV coverage
NetworkESPN
ESPN Radio
AnnouncersDave Flemming (play-by-play), Brock Osweiler (analyst), and Sherree Burruss (sideline) (ESPN)
Chris Carlin (play-by-play), Aaron Murray (analyst), and Mike Peasley (sideline) (ESPN Radio)
ReliaQuest Bowl
 < 2024 (Jan.) 2025 > 

The 2024 ReliaQuest Bowl was a college football bowl game played on December 31, 2024, at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. The 39th annual ReliaQuest Bowl (previously played as the Outback Bowl from 1996 to 2022) featured the Alabama Crimson Tide of the Southeastern Conference (SEC), and the Michigan Wolverines of the Big Ten Conference; a rematch of the previous season’s 2024 Rose Bowl (CFP semifinal). The game began at approximately 12:00 p.m. EST and aired on ESPN.[3][4] It was one of the 2024–25 bowl games concluding the 2024 FBS football season. The game's title sponsor was the ReliaQuest cybersecurity company.

Teams

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The game featured the (7–5) Michigan Wolverines of the Big Ten Conference, versus the (9–3) Alabama Crimson Tide of the Southeastern Conference (SEC).[5] The bowl game was a rematch of the previous season’s 2024 Rose Bowl (CFP semifinal), where the Michigan Wolverines won 27–20 in overtime.[6] In the 2024 CFP National Championship Game, Michigan defeated Alabama’s head coach Kalen DeBoer at his previous post with the Washington Huskies.[7] Both DeBoer and Michigan’s Sherrone Moore were in their first season as head coach with each program.[8] It was the seventh all-time meeting between the Crimson Tide and Wolverines, with the series tied 3–3 entering the game. Michigan made its seventh appearance in the ReliaQuest Bowl (previously played as the Outback Bowl and Hall of Fame Bowl), and Alabama made its third.[9]

Michigan Wolverines

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Main article: 2024 Michigan Wolverines football team

On December 3, Kirk Campbell was fired by Michigan as offensive coordinator, and tight ends coach Steve Casula replaced him as the interim offensive coordinator for the ReliaQuest Bowl.[10] In the following weeks, All-American juniors Mason Graham,[11] Will Johnson,[12] Kenneth Grant,[13] and Colston Loveland,[14] each declared for the 2025 NFL draft, opting to sit out the bowl game as projected first-round picks. They were joined as opt-outs by Donovan Edwards, Kalel Mullings, Josaiah Stewart, Makari Paige, Tyler Morris and Myles Hinton.[15] With the opt-outs and the graduating class in 2023, Michigan returned zero starters on offense or defense from the two teams previous meeting in the 2024 Rose Bowl.[16]

Alabama Crimson Tide

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Main article: 2024 Alabama Crimson Tide football team

The Crimson Tide were the first team left out in the inaugural 12 team 2024–25 College Football Playoff (CFP), despite being the No. 11 ranked team in the country. Alabama was not selected into the playoff as both the automatic qualifying Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) and Big 12 Conference champions were ranked lower, pushing Alabama to No. 13 in the seeding.[17] All-SEC defensive back Malachi Moore did not play in the bowl game with an injury.[18]

Game summary

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2024 ReliaQuest Bowl
Quarter 1 2 34Total
No. 11 Alabama 0 10 0313
Michigan 16 0 0319

at Raymond James Stadium • Tampa, Florida

  • Date: Tuesday, December 31, 2024
  • Game time: 12:05 p.m. EST
  • Game weather: Cloudy • Temperature: 76 °F (24 °C) • Wind: 10 mph (16 km/h) northeast
  • Game attendance: 51,439
  • Referee: Tuta Salaam
  • TV announcers (ESPN): Dave Flemming (play-by-play), Brock Osweiler (analyst), and Sherree Burruss (sideline)
  • Box score
Scoring summary
Quarter Time Drive Team Scoring information Score
Plays Yards TOP ALA MICH
1 8:15 7 17 4:01 MICH 45-yard field goal by Dominic Zvada 0 3
1 5:52 4 7 2:18 MICH 30-yard field goal by Dominic Zvada 0 6
1 4:15 3 16 0:48 MICH Fredrick Moore 13-yard touchdown reception from Davis Warren, Dominic Zvada kick good 0 13
1 2:04 4 3 2:04 MICH 21-yard field goal by Dominic Zvada 0 16
2 4:06 4 71 0:50 ALA Robbie Ouzts 25-yard touchdown reception from Jalen Milroe, Graham Nicholson kick good 7 16
2 0:04 8 90 0:54 ALA 24-yard field goal by Graham Nicholson 10 16
4 7:21 9 47 5:17 MICH 37-yard field goal by Dominic Zvada 10 19
4 4:38 8 42 2:43 ALA 51-yard field goal by Graham Nicholson 13 19
"TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. 13 19

Statistics

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Statistics ALA MICH
First downs 15 13
Plays–yards 62–260 66–190
Rushes–yards 29–68 51–115
Passing yards 192 75
Passing: comp–att–int 16–33–1 11–15–1
Time of possession 21:48 38:12
Team Category Player Statistics
Alabama Passing Jalen Milroe 16/32, 192 yards, TD, INT
Rushing Rico Scott 1 carry, 28 yards
Receiving Germie Bernard 4 receptions, 80 yards
Michigan Passing Davis Warren 9/12, 73 yards, TD
Rushing Jordan Marshall 23 carries, 100 yards
Receiving Fredrick Moore 3 receptions, 37 yards, TD

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Kingsley, Noah (December 31, 2024). "Jordan Marshall breaks through to earn ReliaQuest Bowl MVP in first start". michigandaily.com. Retrieved December 31, 2024.
  2. ^ Austro, Ben (December 9, 2024). "2024-25 bowl officiating assignments". footballzebras.com. Retrieved December 11, 2024.
  3. ^ Cobb, David. "2024-25 college football bowl schedule, games, dates, locations, kickoff times, TV channels". CBS Sports. Retrieved June 30, 2024.
  4. ^ Kelley, Kevin. "College football bowl schedule for 2024-25 season released". FBSchedules.com. Retrieved June 30, 2024.
  5. ^ "Michigan football to play Alabama in ReliaQuest Bowl in Tampa on New Year's Eve". Detroit Free Press.
  6. ^ "Michigan defeats Alabama in Rose Bowl OT thriller to advance to national championship". Los Angeles Times.
  7. ^ "Washington 'didn't execute' in CFP championship game loss". ESPN.
  8. ^ "Michigan set to face No. 11 Alabama in Reliaquest Bowl on New Year's Eve". WXYZ Detroit.
  9. ^ "A year after playing in CFP semifinal, No. 11 Alabama and Michigan meet again in ReliaQuest Bowl". Associated Press.
  10. ^ "Michigan football fires offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Kirk Campbell". CBS News.
  11. ^ "Michigan All-American DT Mason Graham to sit out bowl game, declares for NFL Draft". Detroit Free Press.
  12. ^ "Michigan All-American DB Will Johnson opts out to enter NFL Draft as projected top 5 pick". Detroit Free Press.
  13. ^ "Kenneth Grant, Michigan defensive tackle, declares for NFL Draft". The Detroit News.
  14. ^ "Michigan football TE Colston Loveland declares for NFL draft as projected first-round pick". Detroit Free Press.
  15. ^ "Practice report: More Michigan players absent ahead of ReliaQuest Bowl". Mlive.
  16. ^ "The Michigan and Alabama lineups are almost unrecognizable from last season's Rose Bowl". Maize N Brew (SB Nation).
  17. ^ "Alabama First Team Out of College Football Playoff Field". Sports Illustrated.
  18. ^ "Alabama starter to reportedly miss ReliaQuest Bowl vs. Michigan due to injury". Yahoo Sports.
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