TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — The stakes aren’t as high as they were when No. 11 Alabama and Michigan last met in the postseason, however the Crimson Tide and Wolverines say they’re excited about their New Years Eve matchup in the ReliaQuest Bowl.

Tuesday’s game at Raymond James Stadium is a rematch of last year’s College Football Playoff semifinal won by eventual national champion Michigan at the Rose Bowl.

And while some of the big names have changed, highlighted by the departures of Nick Saban and Jim Harbaugh, there’s still plenty of star power on the marquee.

Former Washington coach Kalen DeBoer, who lost to Michigan in last season’s CFP final, moved to Alabama after Saban retired and is completing his first season with the Crimson Tide.

Sherrone Moore, meanwhile, replaced Harbaugh when the former Wolverines coach left Michigan for the NFL’s Los Angeles Chargers and has experienced some ups and downs in 2024, too.

Despite losing three times and failing to get to the Southeastern Conference championship game, Alabama (9-3) was disappointed to be left out of the expanded 12-team CFP field.

Michigan (7-5) finished seventh in the Big Ten, but enters the ReliaQuest Bowl on a high note after defeating archrival and CFP participant Ohio State.

“Our players are excited. It’s going to be a great challenge with a great team, great opponent,” Moore said Monday. “Ready to kick this thing off.”

It’s not an easy task to follow Saban or Harbaugh, and the ReliaQuest Bowl is not where the Crimson Tide and Wolverines hoped to wind up when the season began.

Still, DeBoer and Moore say it’s good to be in warm weather Florida with an opportunity to finish a year filled with challenges.

“You want to win them all, right? That’s a given. But I think just finishing this year off with a positive would be big for just the direction, for this team to kind of put an end to it, but also to help us just moving forward and the trajectory,” DeBoer said.

“It’s been a whirlwind of 11 months,” the Alabama coach added. “But I like where we’re at with the mindset, like where we’re at with how things are coming together, and looking forward to taking those next steps.”

Nice to see you again

This will be the seventh all-time meeting between the tradition-rich programs. The Crimson Tide and Wolverines have each won three.

It’s also Michigan’s seventh appearance in the ReliaQuest Bowl, which was called the Hall of Fame Bowl from 1986 to 1995 and the Outback Bowl from 1996 to 2022.

This will be the third time Alabama has played in the game.

10 wins

Jalen Milroe will start at quarterback for Alabama as the Crimson Tide try to get their 10th victory and extend an impressive streak of 16 consecutive seasons with double-digit wins.

“It means a lot,” offensive lineman Tyler Booker, a second-team AP All-American, said.

“We had a lot of goals set out before this year took place, and obviously we can’t achieve all or most of our goals now,” Booker added. “But one of the goals we can still achieve is reaching 10 wins. And that’s at the forefront of our minds.”

Replacing Malachi

Alabama must replace second-team All-America safety Malachi Moore, who had surgery for an unspecified injury. The Tide were already missing injured safety Keon Sabb.

Candidates to fill the role could include King Mack, Kameron Howard and freshman Zavier Mincey.

Receiver depth

Injuries and transfers have left Alabama with just four healthy scholarship wide receivers. Two are established starters, Ryan Williams and Germie Bernard. Redshirt freshman Jaren Hamilton has no catches in his first two seasons and freshman Rico Scott has four catches for 37 yards and a touchdown.

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AP Sports Writer John Zenor in Birmingham, Alabama, contributed to this report.

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Height: 6-foot-7
Weight: 300 pounds

Career Statistics: 48 Career Games, 3,428 Career Snaps, 18 Sacks Allowed, 79 Pressures Allowed

Accolades: 1st Team All-SWAC (2024), FCS All-American Selection (2024), BOXTOROW HBCU All-American Honorable Mention (2024), HBCU+ National Player of the Year Finalist (2024), Reese’s Senior Bowl Watch List (2025)

Carson Vinson’s football journey began in Morrisville, North Carolina, where he honed his athleticism at Panther Creek High School. A dual-sport athlete, Vinson’s basketball experience as a center translated seamlessly to his role on the football field. Starting his high school career in 2016, Vinson played on both sides of the ball as a defensive and offensive tackle. By his junior season in 2018, he transitioned exclusively to the offensive side, focusing on guard and tackle positions.

During his senior year in 2019, Vinson continued to develop as a consistent presence on the offensive line, earning recognition for his size and technique. His high school career culminated with a commitment to Alabama A&M University in 2020, where he joined the Bulldogs as an offensive lineman.

Vinson’s early college career was marked by limited action. He appeared in three games as a freshman in 2020 and seven games as a sophomore in 2021. He had a breakout season in 2022, starting in all 11 games for the Bulldogs.

Vinson continued his dominance in 2023, earning All-SWAC honors from FCS Football Central. In 2024, he put together his best season, starting in 12 games and only allowing two sacks and 10 quarterback pressures. He was a finalist for the HBCU+ National Player of the Year, earning FCS All-American honors from multiple media outlets.

At 6-foot-7 and 300 lbs, Carson Vinson has the prototypical height for an offensive tackle, paired with a long, lean, and athletic frame. His standout physical attributes include exceptional arm length, which allows him to keep defenders at bay. While his weight is below average for the position, his athleticism and mobility help compensate for this limitation, making him an intriguing prospect in a zone-blocking scheme.

Vinson’s footwork and lateral quickness are among his strongest traits. His ability to change direction and move fluidly across the line of scrimmage allows him to excel in space, whether pulling, climbing to the second level, or executing reach blocks. His ability to stay square with defenders during run-blocking assignments ensures that he can seal the edge effectively. However, he struggles to generate consistent movement on solo blocking assignments and doesn’t always drive defenders off the ball, a limitation that may stem from his lighter frame.

In pass protection, Vinson demonstrates solid technique and patience, utilizing his length to control pass rushers effectively. His hand placement is commendable, and he shows the ability to reposition his hands inside the defender’s frame to maintain leverage. While his anchor is generally reliable, heavier and more powerful rushers could pose a challenge, particularly when they engage his chest or exploit his occasional tendency to bend at the waist. These moments of imbalance can result in Vinson losing leverage, especially when defenders force him off his center.

Vinson’s ability to reach the second level and his strong body control make him a valuable asset in zone-blocking schemes. However, his timing in combination blocking can be inconsistent, as he sometimes engages too early or loses balance when trying to transition from one defender to the next.

Carson Vinson projects as a fringe NFL roster prospect. His best fit is a zone-blocking scheme that leverages his length, mobility, and athleticism. His ability to protect the edge in pass protection and move effectively in space makes him an appealing option for teams seeking developmental depth along the offensive line.

While Vinson may not project as a Day 1 starter, his physical traits and technical foundation give him the tools to develop into a reliable backup tackle with the potential to earn a starting role in the right system. To reach his full potential, Vinson will need to add bulk and strength to his frame, improve his ability to generate movement in the run game and refine his consistency in combination blocking.

NFL Draft Scouting Report: Jackson State RB Irv Mulligan
NFL Draft Scouting Report: William & Mary OL Charles Grant
NFL Draft Scouting Report: Montana State OL Marcus Wehr
NFL Draft Scouting Report: Central Arkansas EDGE David Walker

Follow all of FCS Football Central’s coverage throughout the season on X, Facebook, and YouTube.

Philadelphia wide receiver DeVonta Smith has played in five of his 68 NFL games without former Alabama teammate Jalen Hurts as the Eagles quarterback, including on Sunday. In two of those five games, Smith has caught two touchdown passes, including on Sunday.

In the Eagles’ 41-7 victory over the Dallas Cowboys, Smith had six receptions for 120 yards and two touchdowns even though Hurts missed the game after sustaining a concussion in last week’s 36-33 loss to the Washington Commanders.

While Hurts has been on the throwing end of 23 of Smith’s 27 TD catches, the former Alabama All-American has had two of his three two-touchdown games with Hurts’ backups on the field.

Against the Cowboys, Smith caught a 22-yard touchdown pass from Kenny Pickett as Philadelphia took a 14-7 lead with 6:38 left in the first half.

After Pickett left with a rib injury, Smith caught a 25-yard touchdown pass from Tanner McKee with 10:03 remaining.

Smith caught two touchdown passes from Hurts in a 30-13 victory over the Denver Broncos on Nov. 14, 2021, and two touchdown passes from Gardner Minshew in a 40-34 loss to Dallas on Dec. 24, 2022.

Smith’s second 100-yard game of season was the 11th of his career. He has two more in postseason play.

By improving to 13-3, the Eagles clinched the NFC East title and the accompanying home game in the first round of the postseason.

WHAT DOES JALEN HURTS HAVE TO DO TO PLAY QUARTERBACK AGAIN FOR THE EAGLES?

Smith was among the 32 former Alabama players who got on the field on the 17th Sunday of the NFL’s 105th season.

Six other former Alabama players were involved in the Dallas-Philadelphia game:

Landon Dickerson started at left guard for the Eagles.

Cowboys cornerback Trevon Diggs is on injured reserve and not eligible to play.

Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts was designated as a game-day inactive. Hurts sustained a concussion in Philadelphia’s previous game.

Eagles cornerback Eli Ricks did not record any stats.

Eagles offensive lineman Tyler Steen did not record any stats.

Eagles defensive tackle Byron Young is on injured reserve and not eligible to play.

In the other Sunday games:

Buffalo Bills 40, New York Jets 14

Bills wide receiver Amari Cooper had three receptions for 56 yards and one touchdown. Cooper caught a 30-yard pass from quarterback Josh Allen as Buffalo took a 19-0 lead with 5:13 remaining in the third quarter. The receptions boosted Cooper’s career totals to 711 catches for 10,033 yards and 64 touchdowns. Cooper became the 57th player in NFL history to reach 10,000 receiving yards in regular-season play.

Bills safety Kareem Jackson is on the practice squad and not eligible to play.

Jets linebacker C.J. Mosley (Theodore) is on injured reserve and not eligible to play.

Bills wide receiver Tyrell Shavers caught a 69-yard touchdown pass. Buffalo elevated Shavers from its practice squad to make him eligible to play on Sunday for the third time in his NFL career. The only pass by Bills backup quarterback Mitch Trubisky on Sunday went to Shavers, and he turned his first NFL interception into a long-distance touchdown even though he caught the football behind the line of scrimmage.

TYRELL SHAVERS SCORES 69-YARD TOUCHDOWN ON HIS FIRST NFL CATCH

Quinnen Williams (Wenonah) started at defensive tackle for the Jets. Williams made two tackles.

Jacksonville Jaguars 20, Tennessee Titans 13

Mac Jones started at quarterback for the Jaguars. Jones completed 15-of-22 passes for 174 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions and ran six times for 22 yards. Jones threw a 2-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Parker Washington as Jacksonville took a 10-0 lead with 8:59 left in the first half and an 11-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. as the Jaguars went ahead 20-10 with 7:05 to play. The Thomas TD came at the end of a 16-play, 74-yard drive that took 9:11. Jones made his fourth start since Trevor Lawrence went on injured reserve for the rest of the season. Jones had a 66.6 passing-efficiency rating in the first start – a 10-6 victory over Tennessee on Dec. 8. His rating has improved each game since, reaching 122.2 on Sunday for the fifth-best showing of his career. The Jaguars converted on 8-of-13 third-down snaps, and Jones got half of the conversions on the ground with three quarterback sneaks and a 9-yard scramble.

J.C. Latham started at left offensive tackle for the Titans. Latham became the 16th rookie to start at least 16 games for Tennessee. In the Titans’ regular-season finale next week, he could join cornerback Roger McCreary, a former Williamson High School and Auburn standout, as the only players to start 17 games as rookies for Tennessee.

Calvin Ridley started at wide receiver for the Titans. Ridley had five receptions for 84 yards and one rushing attempt that gained 7 yards. Ridley will go into the final game of the season needing 59 receiving yards to reach 1,000 for the 2024 campaign.

Jaguars running back Keilan Robinson did not record any stats.

Las Vegas Raiders 25, New Orleans Saints 10

Ga’Quincy “Kool-Aid” McKinstry (Pinson Valley) started at right cornerback for the Saints. McKinstry made three tackles.

New York Giants 45, Indianapolis Colts 33

Colts defensive tackle Raekwon Davis made one tackle.

Colts safety Ronnie Harrison did not record any stats.

Ryan Kelly started at center for the Colts.

Evan Neal started at right offensive tackle for the Giants.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers 48, Carolina Panthers 14

Buccaneers safety Marcus Banks is on the practice squad and not eligible to play.

Buccaneers outside linebacker Chris Braswell recorded the first full sack of his NFL career. The second-round rookie had a strip sack of Carolina QB Bryce Young on a third-and-5 snap at the Tampa Bay 33-yard line with 7:39 left to play. Braswell caused Young to fumble, but the Panthers recovered.

Panthers defensive end LaBryan Ray (James Clemens) made one tackle.

A’Shawn Robinson started at defensive end for the Panthers. Robinson made two tackles.

Bryce Young started at quarterback for the Panthers. Young completed 15-of-28 passes for 203 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions and ran twice for 8 yards. Young returned to the Carolina lineup on Oct. 27 in a 28-14 loss to the Denver Broncos and started a nine-game streak with at least one touchdown pass in that contest. For the first time in his career, Young had two or more touchdown passes in consecutive games after throwing for two TDs in last week’s 36-30 overtime victory against the Arizona Cardinals. On Sunday, Young threw touchdown passes to wide receiver Adam Thielen of 17 yards with 8:15 left in the first quarter and 40 yards with 50 seconds left in the first half. On third down, Young completed 1-of-5 passes for 10 yards, was sacked twice and scrambled for a first down.

Miami Dolphins 20, Cleveland Browns 3

Browns cornerback Tony Brown is on injured reserve and not eligible to play.

Browns guard Javion Cohen (Central-Phenix City) is on the practice squad and not eligible to play.

Jerome Ford started at running back for the Browns. Ford ran for 22 yards on six carries and returned a kickoff 23 yards before leaving the game because of an ankle injury.

Dolphins defensive tackle Da’Shawn Hand made one tackle and recovered one fumble. Hand recovered a fumble by Cleveland quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson at the Browns 45-yard line with 5:23 left in the third quarter. Hand’s only other NFL fumble recovery came on Oct. 7, 2018.

Jerry Jeudy started at wide receiver for the Browns. Jeudy had 12 receptions for 94 yards. Jeudy reached a career high for receptions, surpassing his 11 catches in a 21-7 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs on Dec. 15.

Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa was designated as a game-day inactive. A hip injury kept Tagovailoa out of the lineup.

Dalvin Tomlinson started at defensive tackle for the Browns. Tomlinson made three tackles and recorded one tackle for loss.

Dolphins wide receiver Jaylen Waddle was designated as a game-day inactive. A knee injury sidelined Waddle for the second game in a row.

Browns offensive tackle Jedrick Wills Jr. is on injured reserve and not eligible to play.

Minnesota Vikings 27, Green Bay Packers 25

Josh Jacobs started at running back for the Packers. Jacobs ran for 69 yards and one touchdown on 17 carries. He extended his touchdown streak to seven games with a 2-yard run with 5:07 left in the third quarter as Green Bay cut Minnesota’s lead to 20-10. Jacobs also lost a 19-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter to a holding penalty.

Xavier McKinney started at safety for the Packers. McKinney made seven tackles.

Vikings kicker Will Reichard (Hoover) made 2-of-4 field-goal attempts after entering the game 19-of-22 in his rookie season. Reichard made a 25-yard field goal with 2:16 left in the first half and a 50-yard field goal as time expired in the first half. Reichard had a 57-yard field-goal attempt hit the crossbar and a 43-yard field-goal attempt hit the left upright. Reichard also made three extra-point kicks on Sunday.

Cam Robinson started at left offensive tackle for the Vikings. Robinson’s 100th regular-season game was his 100th NFL start.

Vikings outside linebacker Dallas Turner recorded one sack. The sack was the third of the first-round rookie’s career.

Washington Commanders 30, Atlanta Falcons 24 (OT)

Commanders defensive tackle Jonathan Allen made one tackle. Allen returned from a nine-game injury absence and played in a reserve role for the first time in his 108 NFL regular-season games.

Falcons linebacker Rashaan Evans (Auburn High) is on the practice squad and not eligible to play.

Falcons safety DeMarcco Hellams is on injured reserve and not eligible to play.

Falcons running back Jase McClellan is on injured reserve and not eligible to play.

Daron Payne (Shades Valley) started at defensive tackle for the Commanders. Payne made two tackles.

Brian Robinson Jr. (Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa) started at running back for the Commanders. Robinson ran for 60 yards on 13 carries and caught two passes for 7 yards.

Week 17 started on Wednesday, when the Kansas City Chiefs defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers 29-10 and the Baltimore Ravens defeated the Houston Texans 31-2.

STEELERS’ NAJEE HARRIS HAS 4 1,000-YARD RUSHING PERFORMANCES IN 4 SEASONS

Week 17 continued on Thursday night, when the Seattle Seahawks defeated the Chicago Bears 6-3.

Three games were played on Saturday: The Los Angeles Chargers defeated the New England Patriots 40-7, the Cincinnati Bengals defeated the Denver Broncos 30-24 in overtime and the Los Angeles Rams defeated the Arizona Cardinals 13-9.

Week 17 concludes on Monday, when the Detroit Lions and San Francisco 49ers square off at 7:15 p.m. CDT at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California. ABC and ESPN will televise the game.

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Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.