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Before facing off in the College Football Playoff Semifinal at the Rose Bowl, top-ranked Michigan and No. 4 Alabama made a pit stop for some pre-game fun at Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California, on Wednesday, Dec. 27.
It was their official kick-off to the New Year's Day showdown, and both head coaches, Jim Harbaugh and Nick Saban, joined the festivities. They rode a cheerful parade down Main Street, U.S.A., waving to cheering fans and soaking up the Disney magic.
One photo, however, has gone viral on social media. It shows Harbaugh and Saban posing with Mickey Mouse, but fans can't help but ask - Is that really Mickey in the middle, or is it Connor Stalions?
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For those unfamiliar with the situation, Stalions, a former Michigan recruiting analyst, was accused of buying tickets to rival games and holding up his phone during plays, possibly to steal signals from opposing coaches. This sparked a sign-stealing investigation, and now fans are jokingly wondering if he's somehow snuck into the iconic Disney photo.
As the snap draws wild reactions from the CFB world, a post by the college football podcast “Unnecessary Roughness” tweeted:
“Are we sure that’s not Connor Stalions in middle?”
“That’s so funny. The last time I heard that, I laughed so hard, I fell off my dinosaur,” a fan tweeted a gif.
“Jim Harbaugh, Connor Stalions and Nick Saban,” another fan wrote. “Has there been any real talk of Connor buying Bama tickets for his all-eyes team (especially the Texas game). Or is all that forgotten for the sake of ESPN wanting to avoid it?”
“this Rose Bowl promo pic is utterly hilarious,” another fan wrote.
“Nick Saban and Jim Harbaugh posed for a laugh-out-loud funny photo with Mickey Mouse ahead of the Rose Bowl,” Outkick tweeted. “The Alabama coach was even rocking loafers at Disneyland! College football remains the best content on the internet.”
“So cool Jim Harbaugh, Dan Lanning, and Nick Saban got to spend some time at Disneyland today,” an X user tweeted.
“Let's see......from left to right, Jim Harbaugh, the chairman of the CFP, and Nick Saban,” one fan wrote.
“Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck are getting fired and the new mascots for Disney are Nick Saban and Jim Harbaugh,” another fan tweeted.
Wolverines and Crimson Tide players share the magic at Disneyland
It was their official kickoff to the big game, and fans weren't the only ones excited to see their heroes. Top Wolverines like defensive back Mike Sainristil, running back Blake Corum, and defensive lineman Kris Jenkin joined the party, along with Crimson Tide standouts quarterback Jalen Milroe, defensive back Malachi Moore, and linebacker Dallas Turner.
It wasn't just football stars, though! The special parade also featured the 2024 Rose Queen, Naomi Stilitano, and her royal court, plus Alex P. Aghajanian, the 2024 President of The Pasadena Tournament of Roses.
This pre-game visit to Disneyland was a chance for these college football heroes to relax, have some fun, and connect with fans in a unique way.
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