Michigan gameday 2012 #1: vs. #2 Alabama

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This is it:  after months and months of waiting and celebrating in the afterglow of Michigan's first great football season in seemingly forever (not to mention a bowl win!), we're back for more:  Team 133, the 2012 version of my favorite team in my favorite sport.

And this year the Maize and Blue start things off with a bang thanks to scheduling a tilt with #2 Alabama--the defending champs (of oversigning; they also did win the MNC last year, though)--in the "neutral" JerryDome in Texas.  Few are expecting the Wolverines to come out on top, but almost all of us see it as a step in the right direction that was a long time coming in terms of scheduling non-"snacky cake"-type non-conference opponents.  There's not a lot to lose here:  a win means a huge leap forward in the race to a national title; a loss resets expectations a bit toward the other major goal:  a Big Ten title.  Either way, this promises to be a crazy contest, and no matter what, I can't wait until tonight.  GO BLUE!

Game time:  8 p.m. EST
Location:  Cowboys Stadium, Dallas, TX