Nick Saban, Miss Terry arrive at Rose Bowl welcome parade at Disneyland

After arriving in California on Wednesday, Nick Saban and Miss Terry got a warm welcome at the Happiest Place on Earth. They took part in the welcome parade at Disneyland as Rose Bowl week officially gets underway.

Alabama and Michigan both participated in the event, which officially kicks off the festivities ahead of Monday’s College Football Playoff semifinal. Nick Saban and Miss Terry came in on a horse drawn carriage as people lined the parade route.

The parade made for quite the welcome. But now, all eyes are shifting toward Monday’s highly anticipated matchup.

Nick Saban and Miss Terry in the Rose Bowl cavalcade at Disneyland. pic.twitter.com/H0bkEmYp3t

— Charlie Potter (@Charlie_Potter) December 27, 2023

Michigan and Alabama last squared off in the Citrus Bowl as both teams wrapped up their respective 2019 seasons. That was the fifth all-time meeting between the two historic programs — but the six matchup will have the highest stakes yet.

The Wolverines came in at No. 1 in the final College Football Playoff rankings after pulling off another 13-0 season and a third straight Big Ten championship. The Crimson Tide, meanwhile, cracked the CFP field by beating Georgia in the SEC Championship as part of a red-hot stretch. Alabama enters the Rose Bowl with 11 straight victories after a Week 2 loss to Texas.

That creates an intriguing matchup between two of the best teams in the country. According to former Ohio State and Florida coach Urban Meyer, though, one team might have the hotter hand.

“Alabama has got all the momentum in the world,” Meyer said. “But you do forget that Auburn gave up a [31-yard] pass on the last play of the game. The world is a lot different now because of that defensive back. I mean, just tackle the receiver because the game is over.”

Michigan has done well for itself in the same timeframe, though. A win against Ohio State is always welcomed, especially with head coach Jim Harbaugh not on the sidelines. However, he was back the following week when the Wolverines were able to roll through Iowa and earn the No. 1 seed in the CFP.

“Alabama has got a lot of momentum but so do the Wolverines,” Meyer said. “They went through a coaching suspension, which is still hard to fathom. They went and they beat Ohio State. It pains me to say that but they beat Ohio State in Ann Arbor and played very well that day.

“And then the Big Ten Championship, I was at the game, and they didn’t look on point. I don’t want to take anything away from Iowa but Iowa’s defense wasn’t dominant in that game.”

Griffin McVeigh contributed to this report.