Michigan has arrived in Tampa, Florida, for its New Year’s Eve kick against the Alabama Crimson Tide in what will be a rematch of last season’s epic Rose Bowl showdown, a game the Wolverines won, 27-20, in overtime.

The Wolverines held their first practice of the trip on Friday after arriving the day after Christmas. Excitement surrounding Michigan’s borderline elite recruiting class is certainly palpable — five-star QB Bryce Underwood is leading the way in that regard — but the team is still preparing for a battle against Alabama.

Before practice began on Friday, key players of the Michigan offense met with reporters to discuss the ReliaQuest Bowl. Starting quarterback Davis Warren talked about the transition from Michigan’s 13-10 win over Ohio State to now preparing for the game against the Crimson Tide.

“You get those couple weeks between Ohio (State) and this game, and you get a chance to reflect a little bit on the season, but I think we’ve taken it in stride and taken it as a real opportunity to get better at football and thinking about things you did during the year, things you did well, things you can improve on, and how you can work on them over these next two to three weeks of practice that we’ve had. … That’s been the goal — just getting better at football and preparing for our opponent while doing it,” Warren said.

Notably, Warren began the year as the starter, but lost his job to Alex Orji after throwing three interceptions against Arkansas State in Week 3. But after experiments with Orji and Jack Tuttle failed, Warren was reinserted as a starter ahead of the Michigan State game.

Warren finished out the regular season strong, capping it off with an emphatic 13-10 win over Ohio State in Columbus.

Still, though, this season marks the first time in four years that the Wolverines are not playing for a national title, and with a star-studded recruiting class coming in, it’s hard for fans not to look ahead to 2025.

But ignoring what fans might be thinking about, Warren says the team isn’t looking past Alabama at all.

“I don’t think we’re overlooking (the game) at all. … As a group, we’re focused on winning this football game,” Warren said. “Michigan needs us to win this game, we want to win this game and we plan on winning this game. So, I know we’re going to take that approach. It’s a really good opportunity for all of us. Man, we’re going to fight tooth and nail to go get a win.”

Michigan will practice on Saturday and Sunday ahead of the 2024 ReliaQuest Bowl, which will kick off at Noon ET on Tuesday, Dec. 31.

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TAMPA, Fla. – Thousands in Tampa Bay will ring in the new year differently: the ReliaQuest Bowl game at Raymond James Stadium at noon on Dec. 31st. 

The Michigan Wolverines will face off against the Alabama Crimson Tide, and both teams arrived in Tampa on Thursday night, welcomed by fans. 

“These are two marquee teams with great college traditions. We are expecting very good crowds, and the Tampa Bay area is great at hospitality,’ said Greg Orchard, the Board of Directors Chairman for the Reliaquest Bowl. “We are excited to be really entertaining fans, teams, and the administration of both schools that are gonna be here.”                

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Fans showed up at the hotels of each team to wish them well as they arrived on Thursday. 

“It would be very nice to meet the coach. We are very impressed with him and have been fans forever,” said Tammy and Mark Germain, Michigan fans. “I am so excited. We had no idea they’d be here, and we have never been to a game, so we are going to the game, our first actual game.” 

“Although it’s not in the playoffs, I do hope it is a very intense game,” said Marco Pratico, an Alabama fan. “It brings more viewers to Tampa; these two teams were in the Rose Bowl, too, so it’s great to have two high-level teams in Tampa.”

The Michigan football team arriving in Tampa ahead of the ReliaQuest Bowl.

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This will also have a huge economic impact on businesses, hotels, and restaurants, and it is expected to bring in over a billion dollars to the Tampa Bay area. 

“It’s a huge deal for Tampa, with the TV exposure — ESPN at noon on New Year’s Eve — and the exposure of fans coming to the Tampa Bay area and seeing that, yes, we are open after the hurricanes we’ve had.” 

Both teams will enjoy sunshine-filled festivities before the game next week. 

“Well, the teams are here to play football, so there are a few practice sessions, but there will also be a day for them at Busch Gardens and a beach day on Sunday, where thousands of the fans will be at Clearwater Beach, and hopefully they can enjoy warmer weather than Michigan.”

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ATLANTA – Hudson Meek, a rising teen actor best known for his role as “Young Baby” in the 2017 Atlanta-filmed blockbuster Baby Driver, has tragically passed away at the age of 16.

Meek died on Saturday from injuries sustained after falling from a moving vehicle in his hometown of Vestavia Hills, Alabama, according to multiple sources. The Jefferson County Medical Examiner’s Office confirmed that he suffered blunt force injuries in the incident, which occurred last Thursday on the 1900 block of Canyon Road. The circumstances surrounding the accident remain under investigation by the Vestavia Hills Police Department.

Meek’s family shared the heartbreaking news on his Instagram account, writing, “Our hearts are broken to share that Hudson Meek went home to be with Jesus tonight.”

Hudson Meek was a graduate of Vestavia Hills High School and had a blossoming career in the entertainment industry. In Baby Driver, filmed and set in Atlanta, he portrayed the younger version of Ansel Elgort’s main character in the Edgar Wright-directed action film. His talents extended to appearances in NBC’s Found, the MacGyver reboot, and voice acting roles. Alongside his brother, Tucker Meek, he also appeared in the 2014 Lifetime movie The Santa Con.

Meek’s obituary highlighted his passion for acting and his love for working on set, saying, “He absolutely loved spending time on set and having the chance to learn the names and stories of every member of the cast and crew.” Several of his projects are set to be released in 2025.

READ THE OBIT

J Pervis Talent Agency, which represented Meek, paid tribute on Instagram: “Hudson was an extraordinary young talent, whose dedication, passion, and promise shone brightly within our industry. Over the past 10 years, he contributed so much to the spirit of our agency, and his loss leaves a void that will be deeply felt by all of us.”

Baby Driver (2017) is a stylish action-crime film directed by Edgar Wright. The movie revolves around Baby, a young and talented getaway driver with a passion for music. Played by Ansel Elgort, Baby uses his carefully curated playlists to drown out the tinnitus he developed from a childhood car accident and to synchronize his driving, making him one of the best in the business.

Baby works for Doc, a mysterious crime boss played by Kevin Spacey, who organizes heists with rotating crews of criminals. Baby is reluctantly tied to Doc due to a debt, but he dreams of leaving the criminal world behind. His plans are further solidified when he meets Debora, a kind-hearted waitress played by Lily James, and the two begin to imagine a future free from crime.

However, Baby’s path to freedom is complicated by a dangerous heist crew and escalating tensions with volatile criminals like Bats (Jamie Foxx) and Buddy (Jon Hamm). As the stakes rise, Baby must use his driving skills, quick thinking, and determination to protect Debora and escape the life of crime once and for all.