JJ McCarthy is getting ready to lead his Michigan Wolverines against the Alabama Crimson Tide in the Rose Bowl. The quarterback admitted that the preparation has been different this year as opposed to the prep for TCU last season.

The Horned Frogs stunned the Wolverines last season, winning 51-45 and getting to the National Championship Game against the Georgia Bulldogs. This year, McCarthy said the Wolverines are changing things up.

“Extremely different,” McCarthy said of the prep for Alabama. “I feel like last year I got caught up in the noise and all the emotions of it, and I’m just trying to stay simple, trying to focus on dominating meetings, dominating practice and just being around my guys and enjoying every moment because this only comes around once for us and just appreciating every moment.”

McCarthy also gave coach Jim Harbaugh credit for making the necessary adjustments in the lead-up to this game.

“Yeah, so we have adjusted. Whether we see if that works or not, we’ll find out,” McCarthy said. “But I feel like Coach Harbaugh has done a great job of taking advice from other coaches and just taking advice from players,” the QB explained. “That’s a big step that I think he took this year, and it’s just been really smooth and effortless so far.”

The Wolverines are the No. 1 seed while the Tide are the No. 4 seed. The teams will kick off from the Rose Bowl on New Year’s Day at 5:00 p.m. ET.