But Michigan has seen this story before. Entering The Game against Ohio State, the Wolverines were nearly three-touchdown dogs but Michigan took down the Buckeyes for the fourth year in a row. But Michigan had most of its stars for that game.

Metz, Johnson, Taylor and Hill did not go into ReliaQuest Bowl practices "cold turkey," in the words of Wommack. Each had an idea of what Alabama's scheme looked like with coaches installing plays ahead of each player's arrival during the season in the summer and even during last offseason.