The Crimson Tide showed in the ReliaQuest Bowl why they were the first team left out of the College Football Playoff

We heard it for more than twostraight weeks, from the day that the College Football Playoff field was set, through the first round of games, and all through this past week. Alabama should have been in the playoff instead of SMU.

Michigan’s offense didn’t have any drives of more than 50 yards and finished with a ReliaQuest Bowl-low 190 yards. Playing without its top two running backs, the Wolverines received a boost from true freshman Jordan Marshall, who made his first start and rushed for 100 yards on 23 carries.