In a recent press availability Alabama Football head coach Nick Saban mentioned Michigan tight end Colston Loveland as a player that could present issues for Bama in their Rose Bowl matchup against the Wolverines. Saban went as far as to compare Loveland to Georgia tight end Brock Bowers. Loveland believes he could be a big factor for Michigan and is excited for the challenge.

"It's pretty cool," Loveland said on Saban's comments. "But I mean, I do think I'm a mismatch."

Loveland started becoming a major contributor to the offense late last year. The freshman had taken on a bigger role and had touchdowns against Ohio State and Purdue. In the playoff game against TCU, Loveland believes Michigan got away from being Michigan.

"We didn't play great. lack of focus and detail. Our preparation was pretty good but just lacked a lot of things in the game. We just gotta stay on schedule and play our game."

When it comes to preparing for this year's game compared to last year, Loveland hasn't changed much in his preparation. However, as quarterback JJ McCarthy has said, the team is trying to stay balanced and avoid the mental obstacles of a game like this.

"A lot of times, it's a big game, a lot of stress, a lot of people are stressing. I think it's good to sit back a little bit, get everything right, get your mind right leading into a game like this."

This game is as big as it gets. Michigan vs Alabama, in the Rose Bowl. Michigan has come off matchups against the best defenses in college football, playing Penn State, Ohio State, and Iowa in three of the last four games. This Crimson Tide defense doesn't rank as high as in years past, but Loveland and Michigan are not taking them lightly.

"You can obviously tell they are well coached. A lot of what they do is check on the field. You can see with the players there's a lot of communication. Everyone is on the same page, they're a good team."

Many experts believe Loveland could present an advantage for Michigan over the Alabama linebackers. Loveland is currently second on the team in receptions, yards, and touchdowns. He has the team's longest pass play of the year at 54 yards.

---

Discuss this article with our community on our premium message boards

Not a subscriber to Maize & Blue Review? Sign up today to gain access to all the latest Michigan intel M&BR has to offer

Follow our staff on Twitter: @JoshHenschke, @Berry_Seth14, @TrevorMcCue, @DennisFithian, @BrockHeilig, @JimScarcelli, @lucasreimink

Subscribe to our podcasts: Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts and Spotify

Check out Maize & Blue Review's video content on YouTube

Follow Maize & Blue Review on social media: Facebook, Twitter, TikTok, and Instagram