Michigan defense stops Jalen Milroe, Alabama in OT, sends Wolverines to College Football Playoff National Championship
It didn’t take long for Michigan to strike first in overtime as they took down Alabama 27-20 in the College Football Playoff semifinal.
Blake Corum bounced to the outside of the Alabama defense and into the end zone to take the lead for the first time since the opening moments of the fourth quarter.
Alabama’s attempt to answer seemed academic when Jalen Milroe covered 15 yards on one rush. Fourth and goal later — Michigan halted Milroe on a direct snap and secured the stop that was needed, sending the Wolverines to the College Football Playoff National Championship game.
Milroe never stood a chance in the face of the Wolverines’ front seven. You can re-watch the historic moment for the Maize and Blue below:
Ultimately, the Wolverine defense held Milroe to a season-low 116 passing yards and did not allow him to throw a touchdown. Instead, he called his own number 21 times, compiling 63 yards and still could not find the end zone. Running back Jase McClellan was responsible for the Crimson Tide’s only two touchdowns of the afternoon. He finished with a team-high 87 rushing yards during the contest.
For Michigan, quarterback JJ McCarthy came up with the only three touchdowns that the Wolverines scored during regulation. Corum’s lone overtime score ended up being the difference in the game, however, though he also contributed to the Wolverines’ rushing efforts with 83 yards on 19 attempts.
“It was a team effort. Team effort,” Corum told ESPN’s Holly Rowe while on the field during the postgame, via On3. “We’re going to do it when adversity hit. We hit some adversity today, little sloppy, but we came together as one.”
The game wasn’t always in the Wolverines’ favor, though. With 4:35 left in the fourth quarter, ESPN Analytics gave the Crimson Tide an 88.8 percent chance of leaving the Rose Bowl with a win, leading 20-13. 14 unanswered points later — and the Wolverines are heading to the national title game for the first time in the College Football Playoff era.
Now, the Wolverines await the winner of the Sugar Bowl between Texas and Washington in the national title game. The 2024 College Football Playoff National Championship game will be played on Monday, Jan. 8 at 7:30 p.m. ET inside NRG Stadium in Houston. The opening point spread and over/under total will be revealed shortly after the conclusion of the Longhorns vs. Huskies.