Michigan’s Blake Corum on playing Alabama in CFP: ‘We are the top dog’

Michigan’s Blake Corum respects Alabama, but he doesn’t fear the Crimson Tide.

On Sunday, after the College Football Playoff committee announced No. 1 Michigan will face No. 4 Alabama in the 110th Rose Bowl in one of two CFP semifinal games, the Wolverines running back reacted to the matchup.

And his reaction appeared to be much different than the team’s when the initial announcement was made.

“We are the top dog, that’s how we’re going to approach it,” Corum said. “We’re going to approach it like we’re the No. 1 team and they’re the No. 4 team, but they’re a great team. We’re not going to go in there saying, ‘Oh, this is Alabama, a team that’s won and won and won.’ Nah, we’re that team. We’ve been winning and we deserve to be the No. 1 team, that’s how my mindset is.

The committee chose us to be the No. 1 team. So I’m not going to act like we’re not. Bama is a great team, so I’m going to treat it like a great team, but I’m super excited to play Alabama, it will be a good challenge, good matchup, but to answer your question, I’m going in like we’re the top dog.”