Why Michigan could have more urgency in Rose Bowl than Alabama

College football fans should be in for a treat on Monday, when the Alabama Crimson Tide take on the Michigan Wolverines in the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California. Not only will the game be between two of the more prestigious programs in all of college football, but it will also be played at one of the most breathtaking venues in all of sports.

On top of all of that, it’s in the College Football Playoff Semifinals. On the Sunday evening of the Andy Staples podcast, Staples chatted it up with Richard Johnson of the Split Zone Duo Podcast.

Michigan must take advantage of the massive opportunity

In one segment on the podcast, both Johnson and Staples made the case why Michigan could have more urgency in the Rose Bowl.

“I think there is a lot more urgency involved about this game for them than Alabama,” Johnson began. “I don’t want to say Alabama’s happy to be here. Alabama’s never happy to be in this spot or just happy to be in this spot. But they expect to be here because of the consistency and all this kind of stuff.”

“For Michigan, this is now the third time that they’ve done this and it’s time for you to pay this off. You’ve made beating Ohio State routine. Right? You’ve slayed that leviathan. You’ve conquered that demon, both mentally and physically. Oh, okay, that’s kind of old hat. But now this is the next level you need to kick onto. And look, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the…urgency of Michigan vs. everybody nature of this entire season. Proving naysayers and doubters wrong.

“And Harbaugh. The Harbaugh stuff. There is a…I don’t want to say “Last Dance” aspect to it. But we know that he told players on this team come back let’s do it one more time. You know what I mean? And so coming into this season there was a “Last Dance” kind of aspect to it and we’re gonna do this one more time kind of thing. But you think about the upcoming specter of NCAA sanctions, potentially going to the NFL.”

Andy Staples agreed that the NFL trying to lure Harbaugh away this offseason also helps to increase the urgency of the Rose Bowl for the Wolverines.

“And that’s the part I keep coming back to. With the jobs that are going to be open in the NFL. And the amount of them and the level of them. And the quarterbacks that are going to be on those teams. If you’re Jim Harbaugh, you’re like, ‘Ooooh. This is the time,'” Staples said on New Year’s Eve.

Both Staples and Johnson think it will be extremely difficult for Harbaugh to turn down the NFL’s advances this offseason. So, the time is now for the Wolverines to take advantage of one of the biggest opportunities on one of the biggest stages in all of sports.