TAMPA, Fla. — Michigan (7-5) and Alabama (9-3) will battle it out at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa in the ReliaQuest Bowl on New Year's Eve.
The Wolverines, who wrapped up its regular season with a 13-10 win over their rivals Ohio State, will see a rematch of the 2024 semifinal game against the Crimson Tide.
"We are excited and honored to represent the University of Michigan and the Big Ten Conference in the ReliaQuest Bowl in Tampa," Michigan head coach Sherrone Moore said in a statement. "This is a great opportunity for our team to finish the season against an outstanding SEC opponent in Alabama."
Alabama enters the bowl game after missing out on this year's College Football Playoffs despite winning nine games with a difficult schedule. The team won its last game of the regular season, but the committee rewarded SMU with the final spot in the playoffs.
"We are looking forward to the opportunity to play a really good Michigan team in Tampa on New Year's Eve," Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer said in a statement. "This will be a matchup of two blue-blood programs in a great venue that our fans will enjoy."
The ReliaQuest Bowl will be Michigan and Alabama's last game of the season. Despite neither team having the season they wanted, ReliaQuest Bowl Chair Greg Orchard said college football fans in the Tampa Bay area can still expect to see a high-level competitive game between the two sides.
"We are absolutely thrilled to extend invitations to University of Michigan and the University of Alabama to play in this year's ReliaQuest Bowl," Orchard said in a statement. "These are two high-quality big-name programs that we expect will produce an exceptional match-up that fans are really going to be excited about. We look forward to hosting the teams and their fans and ensure they will have an unforgettable experience in the dynamic Tampa Bay area."
The bowl game is scheduled for a noon kickoff on Tuesday, Dec. 31. For ticket information, click here.
According to the event's website, the ReliaQuest Bowl will play its 39th game on New Year's Eve.
A state report says hundreds of frail elderly nursing home residents were stacked side by side, head to toe in a small church with no working air conditioning or refrigerator during Hurricane Helene.
