Jim Harbaugh on Jalen Milroe: 'He's got it, he's got that it factor'

Michigan is the nation’s No. 1 team heading into its College Football Playoff semifinal matchup against Alabama — but the Crimson Tide have been looking like the team to beat in recent weeks.

Wolverines head coach Jim Harbaugh is going to have his hands full preparing for this white-hot Alabama squad, and has already begun breaking down the Crimson Tide’s high-powered offense led by quarterback Jalen Milroe.

“He’s got it,” Harbaugh said after learning of the matchup. “He’s got that it factor. He’s surrounded by a lot of really superior athletes that are really well-coached and know what they’re doing. I mean, that’s a vital, critical combination. When you can coach players to do what they’re supposed to do together as a unit and when superior athletes are are doing that — I mean, that’s what we think of our team. We think we are that same type of team.”

Milroe finished the regular season with 2,526 passing yards to go with a 21-6 touchdown-interception ratio. His QBR ranked seventh in the nation at 84.4 and has proven to be an effective rusher with 439 yards and 12 additional touchdowns on the ground.

He followed that up with a 192-yard passing performance that saw him complete two touchdown passes, one each to Jamarion Miller and Jermaine Burton. He also contributed 29 rushing yards on 14 attempts. Despite Georgia’s stout defense holding Milroe below his season averages, the Crimson Tide eked out the win over the Bulldogs.

Michigan will obviously be looking to avoid a similar upset bid from Alabama, and Harbaugh has a plan in place to help his team prevent the Wolverines from losing in the CFP semifinal for the third-straight season.

“It’s gonna take all of those days, all of those hours, all of those minutes,” Harbaugh continued. “This first week we’re going to give some some days off to the players and coaches, and then we’re going to have about three weeks to get ready for this ballgame. We have played Alabama before and haven’t beaten them, and we played Georgia before and we haven’t beaten them.

“It’s going to take our best. We’re going to have to play really well, but before that we’re going have to plan. We’re going to have to practice and get in a position to execute against really good football team.”

The last time the Wolverines and Crimson Tide met came on New Year’s Day 2020 when Alabama defeated Michigan 35-16 in the Citrus Bowl. This will be the sixth meeting all-time between the two programs.

Now, they meet again but this time inside the Rose Bowl with a trip to the national championship game on the line. Kickoff is scheduled for Monday, Jan. 1 at 5 p.m. ET live on ESPN.