U-M Selected for Third Straight CFP Semifinal

• The Wolverines will be making their third consecutive appearance in the College Football Playoff with their selection to the national semifinal held in the Rose Bowl on New Year’s Day.

• U-M is one of the three Big Ten teams to advance to the playoff: Ohio State and Michigan State.

• The Wolverines will make their league-leading 21st appearance in the “Granddaddy of Them All” on New Year’s Day.

• U-M has appeared in more Rose Bowls than any other Big Ten school and trails only Southern California (34) in overall appearances by both conferences.

• Michigan has compiled an 8-12 overall record in Rose Bowl games.

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Wolverines and Crimson Tide

• This will be the fifth meeting between Michigan and Alabama during the bowl season, with the series tied at two wins apiece.

• Michigan claimed victories in the 1988 Hall of Fame Bowl (28-24) and 2000 Orange Bowl (35-34, OT) while Alabama earned wins in the 1997 Outback Bowl (17-14) and 2020 Citrus Bowl (35-16).

•The only regular season match-up between the two programs came in the 2012 season opener at Cowboys Stadium, a 41-14 victory for Alabama.

• This will be the sixth overall meeting with the Crimson Tide, who hold a 3-2 series advantage.

Series vs. Alabama: Alabama leads 3-2
Series Streak: Alabama won 2
Last Meeting: 2020 (#9 AL 35, #17 U-M 16)
Last Michigan Win: 2000 (#8 U-M 35, #5 AL 34, OT)

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Michigan Ranked First in the Polls

• U-M is ranked No. 1 in the Associated Press media poll and the AFCA Coaches’ poll heading into the match-up with No. 4 Alabama.

• Michigan is ranked No. 1 for the first time in 26 years; since the 1997 national championship season.

• The Wolverines moved up one spot to No. 1 in the College Football Playoff rankings after listing No. 3 in the first four rankings this year and No. 2 in the penultimate ranking.

• Michigan began the 2023 season ranked No. 2 in the polls, which is the program’s highest preseason ranking since listing No. 2 in 1991, and maintained that ranking through 13 polls before falling to No. 3 prior to the Ohio State game.

• The Wolverines finished No. 3 in the polls the past two seasons marking just the third time in school history the program accomplished the feat; the only other times that U-M ranked in the top 5 in consecutive seasons were 1947 and 1948, capturing back-to-back national championships, and 1940 (No. 3) and 1941 (No. 5).

• Michigan has been listed in the top five of the national polls for 30 straight rankings.

• The Wolverines have been ranked in the top 10 of the polls for 42 straight rankings: 15 this fall, all 16 in 2022, and the final 11 of 2021.

• The Wolverines have been listed in the national rankings for 45 straight polls dating back to the second poll of 2021, including a current string of 42 consecutive polls in the top 10.

• U-M has been ranked for all but 13 contests during Jim Harbaugh‘s tenure (99 of 112 games).

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Game Notes Nuggets

(All rankings and statistics are pre-bowl games)

• The Maize and Blue have reached the College Football Playoff for the third year in a row. The teams to make three consecutive CFP semifinals since the system was developed (2015) include Alabama (2015-19), Oklahoma (2018-20) and Clemson (2016-21).

• Michigan has achieved its second consecutive 13-0 season and second 13-win season ever.

• Michigan captured its league-leading 45th Big Ten Title earlier this month, marking the first time in program history with three consecutive outright Big Ten championships.

• The last stretch with three consecutive Big Ten titles for the Wolverines was 1988-92, when four of five Big Ten titles belonged to U-M outright (1988, ’89, ’91, ’92).

• The Wolverines are averaging a scoring margin of +27.2 across their 13 wins this season, the best figure in the country (next: Penn State, +23.0).

• Michigan is one of seven teams to rank in the top 15 in both scoring offense (14th, 36.7 points per game) and scoring defense (first, 9.5 points per game allowed). Penn State (third defense, 12th offense), Florida State (sixth defense, 13th offense), Notre Dame (eighth, both), Georgia (ninth, both), Oregon (11th defense, second offense) and SMU (12th defense, sixth offense) are the other six teams.

• Michigan holds top-12 PFF grades and ranks in 10 of 13 major team categories Full list: overall team, No. 1 (95.5), offense, No. 6 (90.9), passing, No. 11 (87.6), receiving, No. 4 (86.6), run-blocking, No. 9, (74.1), defense, No. 1 (95.5), run defense, No. 6 (93.1), tackling, No. 2 (92.1), pass rush, No. 5 (90.7), and pass coverage, tied-No. 1 (93.1).

• U-M has trailed for only 23:33 of cumulative game time in 2023, as opposed to 1:11:39 through 13 games last season. The Wolverines have not trailed at any point in the second half all year and have at least three offensive touchdowns in 12 of 13 games.

• Wolverines were chosen as finalists for the following awards: Lott IMPACT Trophy (Junior Colson, winner), NFF William V. Campbell Trophy (Zak Zinter), Rimington Trophy (Drake Nugent), Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award (J.J. McCarthy), Wuerffel Trophy (Blake Corum), Jason Witten Collegiate Man of the Year (Corum).

• Eleven (11) players have made their first starts as Wolverines this season, including five on offense (AJ Barner, LaDarius Henderson, Myles Hinton, Tyler Morris, Nugent) and six on defense (Rayshaun Benny, Kenneth Grant, Keshaun Harris, Quinten Johnson, Keon Sabb, Josh Wallace).

• U-M’s 0.578 points per play on offense is the best rate in the Big Ten (next: Ohio State, 0.491) and fifth overall (LSU, USC, Oregon, Notre Dame). The Wolverine defense allows 0.162 points per play against, the lowest rate in the nation.

• Yards per point is a metric that describes how much of the field the offense must travel to score, on average. U-M’s offense ranks No. 1 at 10.4 yards per point, while the defense forces opponents to travel 25.4 yards per point (No. 1 nationally). That margin (+15.0) is the largest in college football by a wide margin and one of only two margins in double-digits (Ohio State, 10.2). The same separation that exists between Michigan’s top-ranked margin and Ohio State’s second-ranked margin (4.8) exists between Ohio State and the No. 10 margin (Notre Dame, 5.4).

• In McCarthy’s 26 career starts, U-M is 25-1 for a winning percentage of 96.2, the best mark by any starting quarterback in at least the last 20 years. That winning rate ranks above those of Trevor Lawrence (34-2; 94.4), Tua Tagovailoa (22-2, 91.7) and Trevone Boykin (22-2, 91.7).

• McCarthy (5,718 career pass yards entering) passed Todd Collins (5,858 yards) for sixth on the all-time passing list at Michigan.

• In McCarthy’s career as a starter, the offense has registered 247 drives in which the quarterback starts and finishes the possession (excludes kneel-downs, ends of halves). The Wolverines have points on 146 of those drives (59.1 percent) with 106 touchdowns (42.9 percent of all drives) and 40 field goals.

• Through 13 games in 2023, McCarthy has completed 213-of-287 pass attempts for a completion percentage of 74.2, second-best in the country (Bo Nix, Oregon, 77.2). His completion rate is paired with an average depth of target (ADOT) of 9.8 yards downfield, whereas Nix’s is 6.9.

• In the red zone, the Wolverines have 42 touchdowns in 52 scoring conversions (out of 59 opportunities). McCarthy has nearly as many red-zone touchdowns (nine) as incompletions (15) and 23 of Corum’s 24 rushing scores have come from the 10-yard line or closer.

• U-M comes up big on the most important downs on both sides of the ball. The team ranks 15th in third-down conversion rate on offense and conversion rate allowed on defense and also ranks top-seven in fourth-down conversion rate on offense and conversion rate allowed on defense.

• McCarthy has been particularly effective on third down, completing 46-of-64 pass attempts (71.9 percent) for 648 yards with a 182.71 passer rating. In situations of 3rd-and-7-plus yards, McCarthy is 29-of-38 (76.3 percent) for 463 yards with 25 first downs or touchdowns (five).

• This season, his 11.1 yards per attempt on play-action is 10th in the nation (minimum 50 attempts). He is 52-of-66 (78.8 percent) on play-action concepts with five touchdowns to one interception.

• Among players with at least 20 career touchdown passes, McCarthy has the best touchdown-to-interception ratio in Michigan history (46:11 / 4.6:1), over Drew Henson (3.43:1), Cade McNamara, and Shea Patterson (3:1).

• McCarthy is the program’s career leader in yards per play (7.85) and ranks sixth in career touchdown percentage as a passer (6.9).

• He also sits sixth in all-time touchdown passes (46). Rick Leach (48) and Denard Robinson (49) are fifth and fourth on the list, respectively.

• With 19 passing scores this season, McCarthy is six shy of the single-season U-M record (Elvis Grbac, 1991). He also ranks sixth in the nation in pass efficiency (170.3) and eleventh in yards per attempt (9.16) while ranking second in completion percentage (74.2).

• McCarthy is ESPN’s No. 3 quarterback in total QBR (89.2) and PFF’s tied-eighth-highest graded quarterback (91.1). Jalen Milroe (90.6) is 10th.

• McCarthy is averaging 213.5 yards of total offense per game in 2023 despite only 22 fourth-quarter pass attempts on the season (1.69 per game).

• Corum eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark in the conference championship game (1,028), becoming the first Wolverine with back-to-back 1,000-yard rushing seasons since Denard Robinson in 2010 (1,702), 2011 (1,176), and 2012 (1,266). The last U-M running back to post consecutive 1,000-yard seasons was Mike Hart in 2006 (1,562) and 2007 (1,361).

• Corum added to his already-established single-season record of 22 rushing touchdowns (entering) with two more scores, setting a new Michigan benchmark with 24 rushing touchdowns this season. He remains the only FBS player to score in each game this season, the national leader in total touchdowns, rushing touchdowns, and points scored (144).

• Corum (55 career rushing touchdowns) is tied with Anthony Thomas (55) for the most career rushing touchdowns in program history. His 57 career total touchdowns are a modern-era record, surpassing marks held by Thomas (56) and Tyrone Wheatley (54).

• Corum (3,520 yards) is eighth on U-M’s all-time rushing list; Chris Perry ranks one spot ahead of him (seventh) with 3,696 career yards rushing and Butch Woolfolk is sixth with 3,861 yards.

• Corum’s 144 points this year are three shy of the single-season scoring record set by Jake Moody (147, 2022). James Turner (106 points) is 12th on the single-season list and eight points shy of cracking the top 10. Five points would put him past Kenny Allen (110 points, 2016) for the second-most by a kicker in a single season in program history.

• Before 2022, no kicker in U-M history had made more than two 50-plus-yard field goals in the same season. Now, Wolverines have done it in back-to-back years with Jake Moody converting 52-, 54-, and 59-yard field goals in the 2022 season and Turner converting three tries from exactly 50 yards in the 2023 season.

• One more make from 50-plus would tie Turner with Hayden Epstein, Quinn Nordin, and Jake Moody for most in a career at Michigan (four).

• Turner has converted 13 consecutive field goals, three shy of the all-time record held by Brendan Gibbons (16). His 58 PAT conversions this year are two shy of the single-season record held by Jake Moody (2021).

• Donovan Edwards ranks tied-fourth among running backs in all-time receptions (68), 15 shy of B.J. Askew for third all-time. Another 15 catches this year would also give Edwards the single-season receptions record for a running back. He is fourth in receiving yards by a running back with 714, just 96 shy of the career record held by Anthony Thomas (810).

• Wide receiver Roman Wilson is tied for ninth nationally in receiving touchdowns (11), ranking second in the Big Ten. Those 11 receiving touchdowns are the most by a Wolverine pass catcher in the Harbaugh era (previously, Jehu Chesson, nine, 2015). They are also the most by a Michigan wideout since Mario Manningham had 12 in 2007.

• For his career, Wilson is up to 19 receiving touchdowns (plus two rushing), tied with Tai Streets (19) for seventh-most all-time. Derrick Alexander (22) is next up on the list.

• Thirty (30) of Cornelius Johnson’s 45 offensive touches have produced a touchdown or first down. He has multiple catches in 11 games and at least one catch of 20-plus yards in 10.

• Three Wolverine pass catchers are among the Big Ten’s leaders in yards per route run (minimum 36 targets): Wilson (2.68) ranks 33rd in the country and second in the conference, Colston Loveland (2.43) ranks 59th among all pass catchers and third among tight ends nationally, fifth in the league among all pass catchers.

• Loveland has at least one catch in every game this year with 40 catches for 572 yards and four receiving touchdowns, ranking second on the team in the latter two categories and third in receptions. He has built on his freshman season totals (16 for 235, two touchdowns) and is up to six touchdowns for his career. One more will tie him with Luke Schoonmaker (seven) for the 10th-most in a career by a U-M tight end and make him one of eight U-M tight ends with at least five in a season.

• Loveland sits eighth in receiving yards by a tight end across the NCAA this season (572) and eighth in single-season Michigan history; he lists tied-10th nationally among tight ends in receptions (40).

• Wilson (14 receiving), Loveland (11 receiving), Cornelius Johnson (eight receiving, one rushing), and Semaj Morgan (three receiving, one rushing, five returns) have combined for 43 explosive plays (20-plus yards). Six Wolverines have six or more explosive plays overall.

• Michigan’s offensive line has allowed only 18 sacks on the season (1.38 per game), the 29th-fewest nationally and third-fewest in the Big Ten. With that unit as the engine, U-M permits the fourth-fewest negative plays per game (3.38) of any team in the country.

• The Wolverine defense ranks among the nation’s best in third down conversion rate against (30.8, 15th), fourth down conversion rate against (32.1, seventh), pass efficiency defense (100.81, sixth), rushing defense (86.6 yards per game, fifth), red zone defense (71.4, fifth), passes intercepted (16, fifth), pass yards allowed per game (152.2, second), total defense (239.2, second) and leads the nation in defensive touchdowns (tied; five) and scoring defense (9.5 points per game).

• Michigan’s shutout of Iowa was the second in Big Ten Championship Game history (2014, Ohio State vs. Wisconsin). It was U-M’s second of the season (Michigan State). The last time Michigan recorded two or more shutouts in a season was 2015 (Weeks 4-6).

• The FBS-leading 4.5 points per half that U-M is allowing across second halves so far this season is the lowest rate nationally. No team has scored more than twice in any half this season.

• The defense has held opponents to one series (four plays) or fewer on 46.7 percent (65-of-139) possessions with 49 three-and-outs/turnovers on downs, and 16 turnovers or safeties forced in the first four plays of drives. U-M has at least one three-and-out forced in 25-of-26 halves this season.

• On the season, U-M has allowed 165 first downs, an average of 12.7 per game which is the lowest rate nationally. On average, teams reach a first down by passing 6.8 times per game, the lowest rate in the country and the only mark below 7.0.

• U-M excels in the second half defensively. Opponents have accumulated 35 total first downs in 13 third quarters played. Eleven (11) of 13 teams failed to reach 75 yards of offense in the quarter and four teams have been held under 15 yards of total offense.

• Opponents average 1.5 red zone trips per game against the Wolverines, the fewest in the country and one of two rates below 2.0 in the nation. U-M’s defense is a threat to score itself, with five touchdowns, tied for the national high mark. Four have come via interception returns and one via a fumble return.

• Six of the 14 touchdowns U-M has allowed this year have been on explosive plays: a 20-yard rush by UNLV, a 69-yard pass by Rutgers, a 74-yard rush by Nebraska, a 35-yard pass by Minnesota, a 44-yard pass by Indiana, and a 24-yard pass by Purdue. Penn State was the first team to run a play from inside the 10-yard line against U-M this season, and all three of Maryland’s scores were one-yard runs to bust the trend.

• The Wolverines have four interceptions returned for touchdowns this season (Mike Sainristil, Will Johnson, Sabb), tied for the program record set in 1998 and matched in 2018. On the season, U-M has allowed seven passing touchdowns to 16 interceptions, and the Wolverines average 21.1 yards per interception return.

• Sainristil is tied for the all-time lead in career interceptions returned for a touchdown with his two this season, as well as the single-season mark. His 158 return yards are ninth. Reaching 175 return yards would take him to fifth.

• In total, Michigan has forced 24 turnovers (16 interceptions, eight fumble recoveries) and forced two safeties, while having lost seven turnovers themselves. The defense had a streak of at least one interception in seven straight games (Bowling Green to Purdue) and has one in 10-of-13 overall.

• Nine different players have forced 13 fumbles (eight recovered), in addition to one blocked kick. Michael Barrett leads the team in fumbles forced (three) and recovered (two).

• The 14.3 completions per game U-M’s pass defense is permitting are the third-fewest in the country.

• The Wolverines have gotten their hands on 63 passes thrown by opponents (of 341 attempts, 18.5 percent) with 16 interceptions and 47 pass breakups. Defensive linemen account for 15 of those breakups and two of those interceptions (27 percent of all breakup/interceptions).

• Twenty-four (24) different players have at least a share of a tackle for loss on the season. Thirteen (13) different players have recorded at least a share of a sack so far this season, led by Jaylen Harrell (8.0 TFL, 6.5 sacks).

• Harrell ranks 11th nationally and third in the Big Ten in pass-rush win rate (20.7 percent). Josaiah Stewart is 28th in the country and seventh in the league (18.1), Mason Graham is 31st and eighth (17.6) and Derrick Moore is 39th and 11th (17.1). Braiden McGregor is 16th in the conference at 14.5 percent, giving U-M five of the 16 highest-graded pass rushers in the Big Ten.

• PFF gives Michigan front-seven defenders six of the top 25 grades for run defense in the Big Ten: Stewart (seventh), Barrett (ninth), Kris Jenkins (10th), Colson (13th), Graham (19th),  Moore (25th).

• Punter Tommy Doman is averaging 4.39 seconds of hangtime per attempt, the second-best average of any punter in the country (minimum one punt per game), and the best in the Big Ten. The only punter with a better average is Alabama’s James Burnip (4.40).

• Doman has five straight games with a punt at or inside the opponent’s 12-yard line, including pinning opponents at the three-yard line or deeper in three of the last five games. His current single-season average of 44.64 yards per attempt would rank fourth all-time at Michigan.

• The Wolverines are also among the best kickoff return defense units in the country, allowing 16.69 yards per return attempt (23rd, NCAA). Doman has delivered 61 touchbacks and forced nine fair catches on 88 kickoffs this season (79.5 percent).

• In the Big Ten Championship Game, freshman wide receiver Morgan had his first career punt return opportunity and took it 87 yards. It was the third-longest punt return in Michigan history, the longest in the history of the league’s championship game, and the longest allowed by Iowa’s All-American punter, Tory Taylor.