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Kris Jenkins on No. 1 ranking, Alabama matchup: 'Nothing's going to matter unless we get the job done'

Anthony Broomeby:Anthony Broome•12/05/23•

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(Photo by Aaron J. Thornton/Getty Images)

The Michigan Wolverines are set for a Rose Bowl matchup with the Alabama Crimson Tide on New Years Day with a national title trip to Houston on the line. For the Wolverines, this is what the entire season has built up to.

But just being there is not acceptable. Michigan is currently 0-fer in the College Football Playoff but enters the field as the No. 1 seed.

“It’s a heck of an honor, but our biggest mentality as a team is that we’re not focused on what these rankings look like,” senior defensive tackle and captain Kris Jenkins said minutes after the field was announced. “We’re focused on the last ones, and our biggest goal is going further than we were last year.

“We’re really looking forward to this ball game without a man and we’re excited for the opportunity. You can’t just focus on the big prize. You gotta focus on the journey and the steps you gotta take to get there. Right now we’re focused on the next game and that next game is with Alabama. We’re excited for that.”

There was a national media narrative that emerged from the reaction video on Sunday that Michigan was letdown to see Alabama instead of Florida State in the semifinal. Jenkins put that to bed, and is among the Wolverine players that would prefer to play the game as soon as possible.

“Seeing their name pop up on the TV gave me goosebumps,” Jenkins said. “Having the opportunity to play them first in this bowl game, we’re really excited for it. I used to watch the Rose Bowl all the time when I was younger. Excited to have an opportunity to finally play in it.”

Alabama enters the CFP having won its last six semifinal games by an average of 19 points. Michigan knows it is going up against the gold standard of postseason success and hopes that it serves as a passing of the baton.

“To be the best, you gotta beat the best, and Alabama’s one of the best,” Jenkins said. “They’ve proved it. That means we gotta take this bowl game, we gotta prepare a lot more seriously coming up to January 1st. We’re willing to take those steps and do it.

“It’s all about the next game taking that next step. You know, that next step right now is Alabama. Next step is the Rose Bowl game. We have to take that next step and prepare accordingly before we can reach our biggest goals.

“We are on a mission, and with that mission, we have got to go on a journey. We’ve got to get everything done. We have to check off all the steps. You just got to take it one step at a time.”

Michigan was favored in last year’s semifinal against TCU and fell short in a 51-45 heartbreaking defeat. Jenkins does not want to feel that deflating feeling again. That is serving as motivation.

“Honestly, just the biggest memory is just like sitting on that field [after the game], Jenkins said. “No, we didn’t play our best game of football. We didn’t leave it all out on the field. Coming into this game, we’re just really looking forward to on all sides of the ball, playing our best game of football, leaving it all out there with no regrets.”

The No. 1 seed is earned and was a tremendous honor, but the job is not finished. And none of it matters unless Michigan finds a way to get the job done.

“It’s a great feeling,” Jenkins said. “We’re honored for that respect, but we’ve been saying, we’re on a mission. It’s not going to matter about these rankings, it’s going to matter about the last one who’s holding that national championship trophy.

“We’re really looking forward to taking that next step, but, nothing’s going to matter unless we get that job done.”

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