2024 ReliaQuest Bowl (December)

2024 ReliaQuest Bowl
39th ReliaQuest Bowl
Alabama Crimson Tide Michigan Wolverines
(9-3) (7-5)
SEC Big Ten
Head coach: 
Kalen DeBoer		 Head coach: 
Sherrone Moore
APCoachesCFP
111111
DateDecember 31, 2024
Season2024
StadiumRaymond James Stadium
LocationTampa, Florida
FavoriteAlabama by 11.5
RefereeTutu Salaam (Big 12)[1]
United States TV coverage
NetworkESPN
ESPN Radio
AnnouncersDave Flemming (play-by-play), Brock Osweiler (analyst), and Stormy Buonantony (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 is a college football bowl game that is scheduled to be 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) will feature the Alabama Crimson Tide of the Southeastern Conference, and the Michigan Wolverines of the Big Ten Conference; a rematch of the previous season’s Rose Bowl (CFP Semifinal). The game is scheduled to begin at 12:00 noon EST and will air on ESPN.[2][3] It is one of the 2024–25 bowl games concluding the 2024 FBS football season.

Teams

The game will feature the (7–5) Michigan Wolverines of the Big Ten Conference, versus the (9–3) Alabama Crimson Tide of the Southeastern Conference (SEC).[4] The bowl game is a rematch of the previous season’s Rose Bowl (CFP semifinal), where the Michigan Wolverines won 27–20 in overtime.[5] In the CFP National Championship, Michigan defeated Alabama’s head coach, Kalen DeBoer, at his previous post with the Washington Huskies.[6] Both DeBoer and Michigan’s Sherrone Moore are in their first season as head coach with each program.[7]

Michigan Wolverines

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.[8] In the following weeks, All-American juniors Mason Graham,[9] Will Johnson,[10] Kenneth Grant,[11] and Colston Loveland [12] each declared for the 2025 NFL draft, opting to sit out the bowl game as projected first round picks. They were joined by Donovan Edwards, Kalel Mullings, Josaiah Stewart, Makari Paige and Myles Hinton.[13]

Alabama Crimson Tide

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.[14] All-SEC players Malachi Moore and Kadyn Proctor will not play in the bowl game with injuries.[15][16]

Game summary

2024 ReliaQuest Bowl
Quarter 1 2 34Total
No. 11 Alabama - - --0
Michigan - - --0

at Raymond James Stadium • Tampa, Florida

Statistics

Statistics ALA MICH
First downs
Plays–yards – –
Rushes–yards – –
Passing yards
Passing: comp–att–int –– ––
Time of possession
Team Category Player Statistics
Alabama Passing
Rushing
Receiving
Michigan Passing
Rushing
Receiving

See also

References

  1. ^ Austro, Ben (December 9, 2024). "2024-25 bowl officiating assignments". footballzebras.com. Retrieved December 11, 2024.
  2. ^ Cobb, David. "2024-25 college football bowl schedule, games, dates, locations, kickoff times, TV channels". CBS Sports. Retrieved 30 June 2024.
  3. ^ Kelley, Kevin. "College football bowl schedule for 2024-25 season released". FBSchedules.com. Retrieved 30 June 2024.
  4. ^ "Michigan football to play Alabama in ReliaQuest Bowl in Tampa on New Year's Eve". Detroit Free Press.
  5. ^ "Michigan defeats Alabama in Rose Bowl OT thriller to advance to national championship". Los Angeles Times.
  6. ^ "Washington 'didn't execute' in CFP championship game loss". ESPN.
  7. ^ "Michigan set to face No. 11 Alabama in Reliaquest Bowl on New Year's Eve". WXYZ Detroit.
  8. ^ "Michigan football fires offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Kirk Campbell". CBS News.
  9. ^ "Michigan All-American DT Mason Graham to sit out bowl game, declares for NFL Draft". Detroit Free Press.
  10. ^ "Michigan All-American DB Will Johnson opts out to enter NFL Draft as projected top 5 pick". Detroit Free Press.
  11. ^ "Kenneth Grant, Michigan defensive tackle, declares for NFL Draft". The Detroit News.
  12. ^ "Michigan football TE Colston Loveland declares for NFL draft as projected first-round pick". Detroit Free Press.
  13. ^ "Practice report: More Michigan players absent ahead of ReliaQuest Bowl". Mlive.
  14. ^ "Alabama First Team Out of College Football Playoff Field". Sports Illustrated.
  15. ^ "Alabama starter to reportedly miss ReliaQuest Bowl vs. Michigan due to injury". Yahoo Sports.
  16. ^ "Kadyn Proctor Wont Play vs. Michigan". Tide 100.9.